We pulled over behind the first car. Lincoln grabbed my hand before I could open the door. ‘Remember, you’ll need to open yourself up to me completely so I can send you all of my power.’
I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off.
‘This isn’t about you or me, Vi. If things get that far, it’s about saving as many of those kids as possible.’
Resigned, my mouth closed.
‘I’ll take the fear from you where I can,’ Phoenix offered quietly from the back.
I nodded.
‘Both of you,’ he added.
Lincoln pressed his lips together as he too gave a small nod.
He dug out the phone from his pocket and passed it over to Phoenix. ‘Griffin’s number is in there when you need it. Tell him we did everything we could and that I’m … sorry.’
Phoenix took the phone.
‘Get Evelyn out, okay?’ I added. ‘She’s your best hope at killing Lilith. Tell her I’ve left some letters in my bag at the cabin. And tell her to look after Dad.’ Evelyn was the only one who had ever defeated Lilith. I knew she would do everything she could to bring her down again.
Phoenix swallowed, looking away. ‘I swear it.’
We stepped out of the truck and Lincoln came to my side, pulling me into him. It was strange to think we had only had this closeness for the last twenty-four hours. It was so complete I couldn’t imagine life any other way now.
Lincoln tilted my head up to his. Shining green eyes looked down on me with so much adoration and respect that I felt my own eyes begin to well.
‘You have more power than any Grigori that has come before and perhaps, of any that will come again.’ He leaned down as I pushed onto my tippy toes. Our lips met and we were in perfect harmony. When his kiss deepened I felt the stirrings of the magic that bound our souls and shivered.
‘It’s my privilege to love you,’ he said, his lips grazing my ear with each word. ‘Don’t ever forget, no regrets.’ He kissed the spot behind my ear and breathed in deeply. ‘Not one.’
Something slipped in my stomach. I leaned back from him and searched his eyes.
But he simply stared back at me with nothing but the truth and love of his words. My hands moved up to cup his face. ‘Me neither. I love you, too. With everything that I am.’
Phoenix, who had walked ahead a few paces to give us a moment, cleared his throat. ‘It’s time,’ he said.
We followed him to the massive black gates, flanked by the exiles that had escorted us. It felt like we walked a mile just to reach them, climbing a sloping manicured lawn that declared money and power. Fleetingly, I wondered who had been living here or maintaining it during the years Lilith had been gone.
Once through the front doors the sheer volume of exiles inside struck us. They sneered, excited and dangerously stimulated to see us in their territory. Phoenix continued to shield us, not missing a beat when one of the exiles lost control. It was incredible that he commanded as much rule over them as he did, but even so, by the time we reached the end of the hallway, Phoenix had left four exiles writhing on the ground. As per an agreement, Lincoln and I had refrained from assisting.
Phoenix led us into what must have once been a grand ballroom. Now it was more of a shrine. Black carpet ran down the middle towards a hugely elaborate and ugly golden throne, on which sat Lilith.
My senses registered her power and I stumbled, Lincoln’s hand was at my elbow to steady me. I had seen her at the Academy, but hadn’t sensed her like I did now. She sat tall, flanked by two exiles. One was Olivier.
He stepped forward and motioned to two other exiles. ‘Disarm them.’
The exiles were thorough and found all our hidden weapons quickly.
Power emanated from Lilith like a living breathing force that she fed to the world. Her hair was mesmerising, long to her waist and a vibrant orange-gold colour, each strand like precious spun toffee. Her eyes were a soft peach colour but lined in heavy black to look altogether striking. She watched us approach; her unflinching birdlike stare studying every movement. And not just ours. She examined everyone and everything around her with the same intense scrutiny.
She shifted on her throne. Crossing her legs and sitting a little taller. It was an understatement to describe her as beautiful. The fact that she took my breath away only gave me a small indication of what she – Lady Lust – did to the opposite sex. As if sensing this thought, the corner of her lip curled as she looked at me and then Lincoln. Dressed provocatively in a revealing blood-red dress there was no doubt she enjoyed the control she could wield over men.
I glanced at Lincoln, half expecting to see him salivating, but his eyes were not even looking in her direction. I followed his line of sight and had to hold back a gasp.