Page 93 of Poison Ivy
With a primal roar, I unleash my magick against Vex’s wards. The air sparks and fizzes with energy as my power slams into the shimmering barrier. For a moment, nothing happens. Then, with a sound like shattering glass, a small crack appears in the wards.
Encouraged, I push harder, pouring more of myself into the spell. The crack widens, spreading across the barrier like a spiderweb. I can feel the wards fighting back, repairing themselves, but I don’t slow down.
My vision starts to blur, my body trembles with the effort of maintaining such powerful magick. But I can’t stop now. Ivy needs me.
Just as I think I might pass out from the strain, I feel Bram’s hand on my shoulder, lending me his strength. On the other side, Torin does the same. United, we push against the wards with everything we have.
With a deafening boom, the wards finally shatter.The backlash of magick sends us flying backwards, crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
Shoving Bram off me, I struggle to my feet, swaying as the world spins around me. Every cell in my body aches from the massive expenditure of power, but I force myself to focus. We’re in.
“Vex!” I roar, stumbling towards the steps of the now-unprotected house. “Show yourself, you bastard!”
My foot hits the bottom step, and then I rear back as a figure looms in front of me, looking like something out of a creepy horror movie.
“Not so fast,” the pale-faced, red-rimmed-eyed, ghoul type creature says. “You three are becoming a serious pain in my arse.” With a clap of its hands that nearly bursts my eardrums, the world goes black.
44
IVY
I stare at Vex,my mind reeling from everything he’s just told me. “So you’re saying there’s a way to break free from The Syndicate? To escape Death himself?”
Vex nods grimly. “It’s not easy, and it’s not without risk. But yes, there’s a way.”
“How?” I lean forward eagerly, hope blooming in my chest for the first time since my terrifying encounter with Death.
“Do you trust me?”
The question hangs in the air between us, and I take a moment to stand up and smooth down the towel, which I could really do with swapping for some clothes sometime soon. His gaze searches mine, looking for an answer.
“Yes,” I say, eventually. “I trust you.”
He nods once, not gloating or triumphant or being a dick about it. Whatever he is about to suggest puts him in immense danger, and I gulp back the feeling ofsudden gratitude I have that I’m not alone. Even if the only company I have is Vex.
He clicks his fingers, and I look down to see the towel replaced by black leggings, an oversized black tee, and black boots appear on my feet. “They won’t last forever, but it’s better than parading around in next to nothing.”
“Thanks,” I mutter.
He ignores me and focuses on a drawing of what appears to be a gateway on the far wall. The ground shakes beneath our feet and he curses as the wards around the house snaps. I know they’re gone. I feel exposed and vulnerable.
“Tate,” I murmur.
“Your boyfriend is really starting to get on my nerves,” he says, but doesn’t falter in his drawing. If anything, he speeds up.
Muttering a few words, the gateway comes to life, and Vex grabs my hand, leading me through the arch into a dark tunnel. The door closes behind us, plunging us into complete pitch black. “Wait!”
“No time.”
For a moment, panic grips me. The darkness is absolute, pressing in on all sides. I can’t see my hand in front of my face and can’t even tell if my eyes are open or closed. The only thing grounding me is Vex’s firm grip on my hand.
“Vex?” I whisper, hating how small and scared my voice sounds.
“Relax,” he murmurs back. I feel him shift besideme, his free hand moving in what I assume is some kind of gesture. “Lux obscura,” he intones.
Suddenly, a soft, purple light blooms between us. It hovers in the air like a will-o’-the-wisp, casting eerie shadows on the rough stone walls of the tunnel. In its glow, I can make out Vex’s face, his expression tense and focused.
“Better?” he asks, quirking an eyebrow at me.
