“I...can’t.”
I searched my mind for an image Valek could use. “The magic is an ugly gray stone. Carve it. Shape it into a butterfly and let it fly to the sky.”
His black hair clung to his sweaty face. He swiped it from his eyes. His muscles shook with the effort.
“Do it, or we will all die.”
That seemed to rouse him. His gaze focused on a distant point. I twisted the fabric of his shirt in my hands. If this failed, I might have to use the null shield to sever his connection to the power blanket. But the magic he’d gathered would be released like a flameout, killing us. Unless he managed to return enough of it.
“It’s working,” Zethan said. “Keep going, bro!”
Valek sank to the ground. He fisted his hands and his brows creased with pain. I moved to within touching distance.
He met my gaze. Exhaustion and misery etched on his face. “Can’t...do...more.”
I glanced at Zethan.
The teen shook his head. “Still too much. But he disconnected.”
“Go inside the cave,” I ordered. And when they hesitated, I added, “Now.”
Zohav grabbed her brother’s hand and pulled him along. Heli frowned, but she left with Teegan.
When they were safe, I tossed the shirt aside and knelt next to my husband. Perhaps what drained Loris’s magic from me would work for Valek. Reading my intentions, he shook his head and tried to scoot away.
“Risky,” he rasped.
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Go.”
“No.”
“Yelena, wait!” Zethan ran toward us. “Leif says I can share my strength with Valek. You and Leif have done it in the past.”
True. “But we could both control our magic. Valek—”
“Lasted longer than he should.”
“No,” Valek said.
We both ignored him.
“Come on. Let me try,” Zethan said.
“All right, but if he starts gathering more—”
“I’ll disconnect.”
“What if you can’t?”
Zethan gestured to the shirt. “Use the null shield.”
A temporary measure, and one that wouldn’t save his life, but I agreed. We had to do something. Despite Valek’s protest, Zethan grabbed his brother’s hands.
“Send the power back,” I instructed, imaging how I would release souls into the sky, including the pure joy of it—a feeling I’d missed.
I waited a lifetime. Deep lines of strain scored Valek’s face.
“No,” Zethan said. “Take the energy from me.”
After another couple of centuries, Zethan wilted, but held tight.
“That’s it,” Zethan encouraged. “Almost there.”
Picking up the null shield just in case, I fisted the fabric. It wouldn’t be big enough to cover both of them.
“Just a...little bit more.” Zethan’s head dropped as if it was too heavy to hold up. “Stop.” He opened his hands and pulled back, but Valek clung to him. “Stop.” Zethan glanced at me with wide eyes. “He’s drawing power again.”
Dropping the shield, I grabbed both their hands, hoping the blocking effect worked with direct touch. Magic sizzled along my arms and ripped through me. The force pushed me back. Pain exploded in my head and a loud crack sounded. Then it all disappeared in a snap of black.
*
When I woke, I felt as if I’d been struck by lightning. I groaned, and Heli helped me sit up.
“Not lightning,” she said. “I promise. But probably a mini flameout.”
“Valek?” I asked.
“Still out,” Heli said, pointing.
He lay a few feet away. I scooted over to him. His skin looked almost translucent, and dark smudges ringed his eyes. I smoothed his hair and trailed my fingers down his cold cheek. Someone had put the null shield back on him. Good.
“How long?”
“Four hours.”
Not long, but I pressed my hand to my abdomen as a new worry flared. Did the magical explosion harm the baby? I hoped not.
I glanced around. We were in a small wooden structure. Perhaps a barn or shed. “Where are we?”
“Empty cabin somewhere in the Krystal Clan. We had to find a new hiding place, and the big guy took charge.”
“Ari?”
“Yeah.”
“Where is everyone?”
“Ari and Janco went to fetch the horses. Fisk and his people left to return to the Citadel. Leif and Mara are in the other room with the twins and Teegan.” She quirked a smile. “Leif mentioned something about cooking supper.”
Which meant he’d recovered from his brush with death. Thanks to Valek. I checked his pulse. Steady.
“How’s Zethan feeling?”
“Probably about the same as you, but he wasn’t out as long.”
Ah, youth. Ten years made a difference.
“Tea?” Heli asked.
“Please. And could you ask Leif to come?”
“Sure.”
Leif brought the tea. Even though he was pale and haggard, he still smiled when I crinkled my nose over the smell of the tea.
“How are you feeling?” I asked him.