Page 27 of Soul Redeemed

Ava lurched forward into the room, but the squeeze of her wrist halted her steps.

“Ava, you can’t. Logan’s not right. It’s best we get you out of here. I don’t know what he’ll do.”

Squirming out of his grip, she clenched her jaw. “I can save her, Calix. But I don’t have much time.”

She could feel Logan’s eyes on her as she made her way toward the bed.

“Get her the fuck away! I’ll fucking kill her!”

The redhead stepped in front of her and gripped her shoulder. “I don’t know who you are, or what you want, but if you think I’m letting you go near her, you’re wrong.”

“She has a soul-binder.” Ava nodded toward the lifeless female. “My brother put it on her, yes?”

“As far as I know.”

“We’re blood.” Ava raised a brow, watching as understanding dawned on the female’s face.

“Blood takes, and only blood can return.” Red released her grip and allowed Ava to pass.

Logan’s roar slammed against the walls, and if not for Gavin holding the male down to the floor, Ava was pretty sure she’d be torn into tiny pieces.

The older man who’d sat beside Calla stepped aside, allowing Ava’s approach. “We’ve very little time before that child is lost. I pray, for your sake, that you know what you’re doing.”

“I do.” Ava slid her finger across the skinny bands of human skin used to bind the soul. She hated the feel of the thing, could swear they pulsed beneath her fingertips with the lives taken to make the bands. “Do you have a scalpel?”

Without taking her eyes off Calla, Ava held out her palm, allowing the man to set a silver scalpel there.

“She’ll kill her! She’s going to fucking kill her!”

“Logan,” the redhead said softly, “she’s the only one who can save her.”

Ava sliced into her finger, noticing the golden flecks mixed with the crimson drops leaking from the cut. Her blood had changed with all of the injections, but regardless, it was still her blood. The burn disappeared as quickly as it arrived, while the wound healed itself, but the bulbous dot of blood sat atop her finger.

The second her blood touched the band, it softened into the sickening smoothness of supple human skin, and she slipped her finger between the female’s neck and the bands. Had it been anyone else’s blood, the bands wouldn’t have relented their grip—only that of the one who’d placed the collar could remove it.

As the blood coated the inner part of the threads, the bands separated from Calla’s skin, leaving a deep ligature that marked the tight constriction. Ava closed her eyes and spoke the ancient chant she’d memorized when Ryke had released her. Had she known what it was, she could’ve saved herself without having to betray Calix, but no doubt her brother would have taken those words to the grave if she hadn’t delivered on her promise.

As she moved her finger back and forth, the bands loosened. More and more, they relinquished their death grip, until at last, they fell away, fizzling to dust across the blonde’s chest.

Ava spoke the chant twice more.

Beside her, the elder leaned forward, his stethoscope dancing across the female’s belly, and shook his head. “I’m not getting a heartbeat. Nothing.”

In spite of his hopeless words. In spite of Logan’s threats to send her to Stygius himself. In spite of the redhead asking what she was doing beside her. Ava continued to chant.

Minutes passed.

Warm hands gripped her arms at either side. “Ava, we need to go.” Calix tugged her back toward him. “Leave her now.”

“No. This is my chance to make things right. I have to make things right.”

An elbow knocked her from the side, and the elder swiped the blade from her fingers.

“I need towels. Warm water. I’m going to cut the baby out of her.” He lifted his gaze toward the redhead. “I need you to grab the mortar and pestle out of my bag and grind some Sanitatum plant. Green jar.”

Red gave a sharp nod and caught the bag he tossed to her.

“No!” Ava pushed him back. She leaned forward to the female’s ear, whispering the chant. Over and over. As fast as she could.