Page 42 of Urn My Love

Realizing her attack wasn’t going to stop me from stabilizing the veil, Azurea switched tactics.

Jazriel jerked behind me, cursing from the pain of her ghost claws. The magic pouring through our bond flickered, then Jazriel’s fingers gripped my shoulders tighter.

Growling at the effort, Jazriel sent a flood of energy washing through me and straight into the veil. Minute by minute, the veil grew stronger.

Wind began whipping around us, and growing in strength until the tree at the edge of the meadow began to bend and shake. Sticks and pebbles pelted our bodies, but still we fed energy into the veil.

Azurea’s screams of fury tore at my ears. We were winning, and she wasn’t going to stop us. She redoubled her efforts, this time releasing all her rage on my mate.

I wasn’t sure how things worked for me since I wasn’t a typical phoenix, but she was probably hoping that by killing my mate, she could kill me too. Permanently.

Closing my eyes, I reached for every bit of power I possessed and sent a blast of solar energy into the veil, while simultaneously sending my fire to encircle every inch of Jazriel’s body and wings. Blue flames burst into the sky, showering glowing blue embers around us. It spread across the meadow, turning the grass to ash, and racing up the tree trunks.

Azurea released an inhuman screech as she slammed into the shield. Over and over, she tried to get him, growing angrier with each attempt.

Then the wind ceased, and the meadow was unnaturally silent.

Jazriel dropped to his knees behind me, but kept his hands on my shoulders. I touched him with the magic guarding him and realized he was on the verge of collapse, but was too stubborn to tell me.

The woven tapestry strengthening the veil was nearing completion, but I needed more time. I was trying to figure out how to cut off the flow from Jazriel before he burned out, while protecting him and also finding the power to finish.

An eery laugh whispered in the wind, and I braced myself for her next attack. I wasn’t prepared for the crack of gunfire and the bullet that pierced my shoulder.

“Ah!” I cried out, biting down on my tongue at the shock of white-hot agony.

“You aren’t going to win!” I screamed to the phoenix who’d tossed my mercies back into my face.

I felt the bullet pierce my chest before I heard the gunshot. Jazriel’s wings wrapped around me, and his head dropped against my shoulder.

His heart beat was erratic, and win or lose, it was time to end this.

I touched Jazriel’s skin and whispered in his mind, Sleep, love.

He was too weak to fight the telepathic command, and his muscles went limp. The solar power ceased as though a switch had been flipped, but I was ready.

Latching onto the living magic in my chest, I began to drain it into the veil, not giving it a chance to waver. If I was lucky, the veil would stabilize before I drained my very soul.

My vision blurred, and a wave of dizziness caused nausea to churn in my stomach. I bit down on my tongue, using the pain to keep me alert. Gunfire cracked, and a bullet whistled by my head.

Blood pounded in my ears as my rage grew. Wasn’t it enough that I had to deal with a crazy soulless phoenix and a veil that could implode and take out a world or two? Why did I have to deal with a sniper, too?

Where had he come from, anyway? Had one of the men holding Jazriel escaped and followed us here?

My heart stuttered as I continued to push my magic into the veil, and the blue fire around me flickered to its unsteady beat. A visual representation of my internal fire going out.

I just hoped I’d have enough magic to revive. Otherwise, it would fall to Amaryllis to destroy Azurea once and for all.

My fire flickered, and the flames dimmed. Taking a deep breath, I prepared to risk it all.

Only to have a man drop to the ground beside me.

“August?”

Atiny bird made of blue flames hopped on his shoulder. It was the same bird I’d seen when I’d claimed Jazriel.

The little bird spread its wings and flew into my chest, disappearing in a shower of sparks. My waning magic flickered to life, weak but there.

“What do you need from me?” August pulled me into his arms.

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