Page 101 of Corrupt Shadows

My lungs ache as I run through the manor, my shadows tearing from my body, blocking the corridor behind me. Lorcan’s and Ezra’s footsteps sound in the distance, the pounding racing alongside the hammering of my heart.

The door to the chapel creaks as I race past it, pausing for half a second to peer inside. Gray, powdery light filters through the stained glass, fracturing into colors on the ground. The confessional lies in splintered pieces, and the memory of him collaring me and my choking on his dick pierces into my mind.

I let him, when all this time he’d had a relationship with one of my ancestors. It’s disgusting, and I wonder if that’s why he pursued a physical relationship with me, despite only needing my magic to set himself free.

I can’t believe I ever let him get close to me. The thought of love has always repulsed me. Letting anyone have that much control over my heart always seemed like a mistake. But Lorcan came dangerously close, and leaving him behind here is going to break me a little.

I run faster, my quads aching as I fall out onto the first floor, terracing the foyer. Twenty or so doors greet me, and I grab the banister, looking over and down onto the marbled floor below. I decide not to jump, knowing that while I may not be able to die a human death here, a broken leg wouldn’t help my escape.

I race down the grand staircase, my panicked breaths muffled by the blood rushing to my ears.

I hear Ezra’s yell, their footsteps closer now. I glance up and spot them both overlooking the foyer. I grab the handle to the front door when Lorcan’s voice hits me. “Evie.”

My death magic hums, hot and searing in my bones, waiting to be unleashed. I haven’t practiced much, but this is my only chance to escape. If I fail, he’ll force me to do the spell anyway but keep me here instead of him.

He’ll be free, and I’ll be trapped for good.

“Let me protect you.” Lorcan’s voice slams into my mind as I look at him. “Ezra will kill you now that you know the spell. Come back to me, Evie. Please.”

A sharp pain shoots through my chest, dipping into my stomach. The plea in his voice was too broken, but this is what demons do. He’s been manipulating me this entire time. He’s a fucking demon, and everything—the sweet words, removing his mask, all of it—was just to gain my trust. It’s his revenge for what Evangeline did to him a century ago, and he is punishing me for her crimes.

Ezra’s human form shifts. Obsidian scales grow where his skin was, and his eyes blacken. A long, pointed tail erupts from behind him, and claws protrude from his fingers.

Lorcan’s gaze pins me, and I swear I see something change in them. His plea comes through clearly, and I run cold.

“Run.”

Lorcan’s fangs protrude, his demonic side taking over his human form. His mouth clamps around Ezra’s throat, while his brother’s claws slice through the side of his torso.

“Go. Now.”

I don’t wait to be told a third time and run outside. I emerge into the courtyard. Snow drifts down, covering the Shadow Realm in a blanket of white. Ice crunches under my feet as I dart toward what was once the servants’ quarters. Hissing sounds from deep within the forest, and my magic coils tightly around my core, ready for attack.

Demons.

I glance over my shoulder. They haven’t followed me, and the idea of Lorcan fighting Ezra swells an unexpected emotion in my chest.

No. He had to save me. Lorcan can’t be freed unless I’m alive. That’s all it was. There’s no way I can let him through the portal. The Human Realm will suffer once he unleashes the demons permanently. My family locked him in here for a reason, even if I don’t fully understand why yet.

The small, red-bricked building comes into sight as I pass the weathered stone fountain. Wind howls, flurrying the snow into an oblivion of white. Icy gusts whip through my hair, freezing my tears.

I reach the door and throw it open, wasting no time racing to the nearest mirror. I’ve memorized the spell. But this won’t work if my magic is too weak. I only hope I’ve embraced it enough.

I stand in front of a long, black-framed mirror fixed to the wall, large enough for me to go through if I turn sideways. I stare at my reflection, willing my shadows to come to the surface. My eyes darken, and dark magic spills from them like ink. Black smoke wisps through the pores of my skin, moving over me like a halo as I focus my energy on keeping the shadows contained.

The death magic sears like liquid heat through my veins, every hum of magic vibrating as if it could erupt from me at any moment. I don’t recognize myself as it takes over, control slipping from my mind.

I recall my lesson with Lorcan, then every moment where embracing it felt as easy as breathing. The powers are a part of me, not some separate evil I was led to believe for most of my life.

The room darkens, and the walls somehow feel closer as I lean forward, gripping the mirror. Death magic releases from my body, but instead of bursting out of me, it moves in sync with my movements.

A tug pulls me backward, from within. My powers swirl, still linked to Lorcan’s as I sense him getting closer. My magic doesn’t want to leave him behind, or maybe I don’t, but I have no choice. “No,” I say aloud, then recite the incantation of the spell in Latin, careful with pronunciations so I don’t end up shattering the mirror instead.

Every word uttered drains my power, and I sink to my knees. It’s too much on my own, but shakily, I hold on to the frame, keeping my attention on the glass.

I can’t fail.

My words become slower and more drawn-out as I struggle to keep my eyes open. With each slow blink, darkness lingers a little longer before my vision clears. As I slip closer toward slumber, I keep repeating the spell until the mirror’s surface shimmers. I press my fingers to the glass, and it ripples. Leaning to my left, I grab a vase from a side table and smash it.

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