Page 14 of All Hallows Masque

“Why didn’t he come with us?” he breathed, looking up at me with a plea for answers I could never give. I didn’t know. If I knew, Death would be right here with us. “If that bastard chose to leave us—”

“He wouldn’t.” I tightened my fingers in his hair and dragged his face closer for a rough kiss. “That’s not Death. He doesn’t walk away from us, not fucking ever. So sh—”

“Shut the fuck up?” Miz guessed, the sharp edge of his expression telling me he wanted a fight. “So fucking predictable. How aboutyoushut the fuck up?”

“You’re the one who asked me a question,” I muttered, smoothing his hair back into place and dragging him into an unwilling hug. If he wanted to, he could push me away. Maybe even use his magic after whatever Cat did to save his life. Magic that powerful could negate the shit he did to bind his power. But of course he didn’t push me away; he elbowed my ribs once then settled against me, both our attention fixed on Madde, who stood in the middle of the room, his head bowed against the crystal, lips moving as if in prayer.

The dark coil of shadow in the crystal spiralled faster than it had before, responding to his madness and magic. Too much madness. His hands were shaking, breaths coming too fast. I got off the chair arm, pulling Miz with me, and grabbed Madde’s shoulder in a tight grip.

“Calm,” I ordered, emulating Death’s patient commands. “We’re right here with you. Match your breathing to mine.” I kept every breath slow and exaggerated, something in my chest melting when Miz came up on Madde’s other side and did the same. Soft bastard. Snarling, and always resistant, but soft.

“Better,” I praised Madde, keeping my tone even and low. “Focus on the stone, but don’t let it get out of hand. You need to be in control.”

“I need my lioness,” he argued in a breathless plea.

“I know. But she needs you to focus, to ground yourself.”

He nodded, sucking in a longer breath, eyes fluttering behind his closed eyelids. He looked smaller for such a tall bastard, vulnerability raw in his face. I’d always thought he was batshit insane, completely unhinged, and a lunatic of a lost cause. I hadn’t stopped to wonder what made him that way, hadn’t wondered if he was dealing with his own demons like Death andMiz and I. He was as damaged as we were. And he didn’t feel safe without Cat at his side.

Madde inhaled slowly, then gasped, his whole body jerking.

Miz and I exchanged a look frantic with hope. And then Madde breathed, “I can hear her.”

9

Madness

Dmitry was coming to torture me, to finish the job, to cut me to bits and make me scream. I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck, could smell the stale cigarette stench that clung to him. His taunting laugh scratched my ear drums, making me flinch. I needed Cat here. He’d never get through my lioness; she’d shred him to pieces, or cave his skull in with a brick, or drag a knife across his jugular. Even a ghost couldn’t hurt me if my wife was here. My wife. Mine. My lioness. Mine.

She needs you to focus, to ground yourself.

That was Tor’s voice, steady and low, as reliable as a castle in a storm. Unmoving and resilient and a little bit spiky. I focused on his breathing, not liking the way my own breaths caught against my lungs with every inhale, rasping and short. I tried to slow them, to match Tor’s, or even Misery’s panicked breaths, still slower than mine, but it was almost impossible. Dmitry wascoming for me, and without Cat here, he’d finish the job he started. He’d kill me all over again.

She needs you to focus.

Focus.

Focus.

I remembered the hallway of my castle where Cat wrapped her legs around my hips, the soft fleece of her hooded duck blanket brushing my skin, her eyes bright with need and love and danger, always danger. It was what drew me to her. It was why I loved her. My wife was dangerous.

We needed a proper wedding. And rings. And a veil. I had one of those—I wore it that time I saved them all from Nightmare on the bleak road that wound across Ford’s End. I remembered the look on her face when she first saw me. Shining with love and fascination.

Focus. She needed me to focus.

Focus on what?

The impact of those words, that voice, the familiar husky softness, the warmth andaffection…Ittravelled through my whole body like lightning.

My lioness, my Cat, my salvation, my light, my saviour—

Madde,she interrupted with a soft laugh.How can I hear you? Where have you been? I’ve been trying to talk to you for days.

Wait.Days? But that doesn’t make any sense, because we just woke up today in the courtyard. But if we’ve only just woke up and it’s beendays—

Madde, love, slow down.

Love. She called me love. All the tightness and painful tension gripping my muscles relaxed until I could breathe properly, until my body didn’t hurt.

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