Page 81 of Death Card

Britney inclines her head. “Thank you,” she says. “And our families?”

Gazannol waves them away, stepping out of the salt circle and onto the earthly plane for the first time in its existence. “Your families are insignificant. They’ll be sacrificed for the cause.”

The three exchange harried glances and Britney opens her mouth to argue when a torrent of flames shoots straight at us. Gazannol snaps its fingers, and the fire dissipates in a cloud of ash. Orion runs at the demon, but it waves our arm—no longer only mine—and sends him flying to the side.

“Do you know who I am, boy?” Gazannol bears down on Orion when I find my voice.

“Spare him,” I beg. “Don’t you admire his charisma, his grit? He is nothing to you. Your power is far superior.”

Gazannol turns its attention inward. “And what would you have me do to the rest of humankind? Your bleeding heart would beg me to spare them as well. Like you said, they are nothing tome. I will feed on their souls and send their bones to my brethren, and most importantly, I will do as I please.” Its smile is deadly sharp. “What need do I have of you, witch? I could squeeze your consciousness until it pops, and you’ll cease to exist. Is that what you want? Keep your mouth shut and my offer to allow you to watch the destruction of your world still stands.”

“I don’t need to watch you destroy the world,” I retort. “I only want to stick around long enough to watch the world destroyyou.”

“What makes you think—” It groans as a lancet of pain sears through us.

We both turn our attention back to reality to find Joelle clutching our shoulder with one hand and the hilt of Sabine’s dagger with the other. The sound of grinding bone fills our ears as she pulls the knife from our chest. The blade is covered with thick, wet blood.Ourblood.

Gazannol opens our mouth to speak, but only a gurgling sound dribbles out as we sink to our knees.

“Stupid girl!” it roars inside our head.“What have you done?!”

“Did you forget the rules?” I tease.“You can only have my body for as long as it lives, but it looks like your time has run out.”

“No, NO!”It reaches out, attempting to reach tendrils of power out to the hateful trio, but Sabine’s enchantment holds. It won’t be able to jump into one of their bodies.

Instead, all it does is rip the power from their veins. The hateful trio begins to moan and writhe in pain. Tyler’s eyes roll into the back of his head, Christine foams at the mouth, and Britney convulses so violently her bones begin to snap.

Sensation floods back into my limbs as Gazannol’s grip on this plane fades. “You’ll die with me, witch,” it spits.“Neither of us will return to this world.”

When I speak, it isn’t only in my head. I gasp, blood trickling from my lips. “So. Be. It.”

Gazannol’s tether snaps, and it disappears. My body is my own once more.

Joelle’s and Orion’s faces swim into view. Joelle’s red face is contorted by sobs. My hearing is beginning to slip away again, but I can barely make out her words. “I’m so sorry, Mikaela. Come back. Don’t go.”

My head lolls to the side, and my body tingles as my life’s blood spills onto the ground with every ragged beat of my heart. Through blurry vision, I make out movement in the trees. My brain is so starved for oxygen that I’m beginning to hallucinate as Gramps appears at my side, gripping my hand.

My newly reclaimed voice escapes me. I’ll never utter another word from these lips. As much as I fought to believe otherwise, the vision of my death was always going to come true. Joelle was destined to kill me from the beginning—in a chain of events I never could have anticipated. At least I took down a demon on my way out. Gran left me in charge of protecting my people, and I will die with the knowledge that my coven will outlive me.

As the last of my energy is sapped from my body, a bright white light envelops me in warmth. My dying body takes on a lightness that propels me floating upward. Gentle voices echo around me. “Mikaela.”

“Gran, Mom,” I whisper. I’ll never have to say goodbye tothem again. There’s a place for me with the ancestors, a tiny nook carved out next to theirs. “I’m home.”

The light grows brighter and a searing pain slices through my chest. “Not yet, baby.” Gran’s voice is firm yet gentle. She leaves no room for argument. “There’s still work to do.”

And then I inhale.

38

After taking agiant shuddering breath, I pry my eyes open to find a night sky awash with millions of twinkling stars. The entire galaxy stretches before me with a plethora of distant constellations and planets whose names I couldn’t possibly remember. It’s a sight I’ve never had the pleasure to see, thanks to ever-present city lights.

A familiar face drifts into view, blocking out the sky.

“You’re stuck with me, sis,” Orion says. “This life is one big roller coaster, and we’re stuck riding it together until the end.”

Oh, Orion. Without me, no one else in the coven can reach the celestial plane, so I didn’t think I would see him again for a very long time. But wait, he shouldn’t be here. I’m supposed to be dead.

My vocal cords grate against the inside of my raw throat, protesting violently when I try to speak. I attempt to sit up, but a hand forces me back down. “Not so fast,” a gruff voice says. “Take another minute to rest.”