Page 129 of Mantle

Thank fuck Ketheron stood apart from that.

The fact that he’d been infused with the aspects of several different True Celestials afforded him knowledge that no other being alone possessed.

And it had saved us all.

He had saved us all.

The brutal irony of that wasn’t lost on any of us.

Not even the Guardian Movement—or even the Unity Council who’d been calling for his death up until Nyx had informed Ryker Morgan of every little detail of his dreamwalking interaction with Ketheron.

Not only had the Unity Council calmed down, but Ryker had also agreed to have theInhibitorspell that us at Arcanum Order were so close to re-engineering to activate only if Corvin’s magic came near Ketheron in a bid to leash him once more.

Meanwhile, Cassius and Ariana’s spell that infused ancient magics to search burial grounds in a bid to find that motherfucker, Corvin’s, base, was in full effect again.

And right now, here we were—our foursome—at Sylas Morgrave’s modest cabin.

Right on the cusp of upturning the Maven Coven forevermore.

Nyx was clinging to me, holding onto my left arm and nuzzling against me, concerned about what was about to happen, what it could do to me. And that was in spite of my repeated assurances. It had been just the two of us for so long and I knew the idea of losing me was devastating to him.

But we had Vorzyr and Ariana now.

We were a unit.

Speaking of that, I looked out at Vorzyr sitting on the couch, his legs spread and his head bowed as he prepared himself for his role in this, ensuring he had his animal side under control.

It wouldn’t be long now.

We were almost there.

The spell would begin.

And then everything would change for me forever.

Marlise had been over the moon when I’d told her the plan that involved making her Head of Maven Coven in my place. Except for the aspect that required necromantic magic. She was a bit of a purist. It was actually something that would be highly beneficial and veer the Maven Coven back in the right direction after my parents had corrupted it with this legacy enchantment and all the brutality attached to it, the free will violation included.

Sylas and Ariana emerged from the kitchen with him thanking her profusely.

She’d used her power to infuse his serum-making spell so that it could continuously produce it without him wearing down himself or his power in order to make it so. It was a major relief for him.

And soon he’d have more.

Because I wouldn’t stop until he and I found a solution to his infection. A permanent one that would cure him completely.

Ariana came to me and kissed my cheek. “How are you feeling?” she asked, looking me over.

“All good to go,” I assured her.

“Kai, this is no small thing and—”

I cupped her cheek as Nyx tightened his hold on my arm.

I looked between him and her. “I’m seriously fine. And ready. I’m actually looking forward to it… in a perverse sort of way.”

“Sticking it to your parents isn’t perverse. It’s justice for what they’ve done to you,” Vorzyr spoke, rising from the couch and coming over.

A flare of magic had me looking to see Sylas levitating his hooded coat over, then shrugging it on.

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