Page 165 of Rose and Shadows
“I can… hold on. Let it… be.”
Kai caught mine and Nyx’s eye… he couldn’t hold on.
“Your Aetherbound Scepter is tapped out,” Nyx spoke to Kai.
“I used it to fuel those last five gauntlets because we were in a rush.”
“Call in Ariana,” Cassius spoke.
A chill rolled down my spine. I grabbed his hand. “Cassius.”
Kai eyed him. “If I do that—”
“I will take her place.”
“You understand she’s not just there as support anymore? Her and Ketheron are buffers for the children to distribute the incoming Celestial power. Not just Immortal-level power.”
“I’m aware.”
“She’ll need to heal him, then also take all the Celestial signatures here. As each one is communicated, the power will hit—a lot of fucking power. Ketheron can take a lot, but it’sdangerous for him to do so alone. You’d have to endure until Ari returns there.”
“Again, I am well aware.” He turned to me and took my free hand that wasn’t stroking Warlow. “I will survive this. Power is not all when strength of will is a factor. I will not leave you, Lazriel or Sylas.” His eyes dropped to my belly. “Or him. That is my vow to you,little shadow.”
“Okay,” I croaked out.
I couldn’t stop him from doing this.
Cornelius needed Ariana here or he would die.
The siphoning needed to happen to end this.
Cassius was needed with Ketheron and the Celestial children.
“I love you.”
With the Soul Brand, we didn’t need to utter those words aloud, but in this moment… I just had to.
And he reciprocated, because of course he did.
“I love you so very dearly also,” he breathed as he nuzzled against me.
And then he stepped back and he was gone in a burst of teleportation, just as Kai mind-linked with Ariana.
Nyx came to me. “He’ll hold steady. This is the stubbornness of Cassius that we’re talking about.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Yeah, that’s definitely him.” I caught Warlow’s eye. “Much like Cornelius.”
He smiled and grasped my hand on his shoulder gratefully.
And then an eruption of silver light so much like Cornelius’ filled our immediate area, and his granddaughter teleported in.
She scanned the battlefield with wide eyes, gave a look of love to Kai and Nyx, and did the same to Vorzyr who felt her and winked out at her, before she then zeroed in on Cornelius.
“Holy fuck,” she exclaimed, studying the wound. “This is…” she caught Warlow’s state. “I mean… I’ll see to it.”
“Celestial wounds should respond to Celestial magic. Even if a True Celestial caused it, an Immortal should still be able to heal it,” Nyx stated. “Given that it happened to me directly thanks to Cassius in his less friendly days, I thought I knew what I was talking about.”
I winced and he did the same as he caught my eye.
