Demon Forged

the only thing left would be to find a way to keep Rael safe while preventing him from hurting anyone.
    Like putting him in a box with steel walls ten feet thick. Or a magically-sealed sarcophagus, just as Anaria had been trapped—
    Rael’s head slid from his neck onto the floor.
    Irena stared, her mouth dropping open. She had not seen Anaria move. But she must have struck when she’d walked away. Now, she was only a small dot flying over the bay.
    Michael’s face became a bleak mask. He could have stopped his sister, Irena realized. But he hadn’t—and because he hadn’t, he’d broken his bargain. Now, as soon as he died, his soul would be trapped in Hell’s frozen field . . . and eaten by dragons in Chaos.
    “Holy Mother of God,” Alejandro murmured. “The symbols on his body. The bargain. Michael is the spell, Irena.”
    She looked at Olek in disbelief. “The spell to strengthen the barrier?”
    “Yes,” Michael answered for him. “I am the only one strong enough.”
    She faced him. “You knew? You knew when you made that bargain?”
    “Yes. But I hoped that Anaria would make different choices. I hoped she would show just a little . . . a little . . .” His throat worked; he could not finish it. He shook his head and turned to Khavi, embraced her. He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Be safe. And study well, my friend.”
    Khavi threw her arms around him, held him tight. When she withdrew, tears streaked her face.
    Realization tore its way through her. By the gods. It was not enough that Michael broke his bargain—he would not be in the field until he died . Michael intended to kill himself now.
    “No!” Her knees failed her. Alejandro’s arms came around her, his face pressing to her hair. Irena’s sob caught in her throat. “Why, Michael? Do you have no faith in us ?”
    “I can only face this because I do have faith in you. This is only to give us time, so that Khavi can find a spell to strengthen the barrier without me.”
    And to find a way to bring him from the frozen field? Back from death? Could Khavi do that? “How much time?”
    “I hope not long.” He stopped in front of them. His amber gaze locked with hers. “And you will lead them well.”
    No. But Irena could not deny that duty. She clenched her teeth, but the long, low cry building up within her still escaped. Michael’s lips brushed her forehead.
    “Do you swear that you can come back?”
    “Yes. You will find a way.”
    If she could not, one of them would. “Do you lie?”
    A brief smile touched his mouth. “Bring me back, and I will not be a liar.” He glanced up over her head, and clasped Olek’s forearm. “I could not have asked for better warriors at my side.”
    Olek’s hand tightened, didn’t let him go. His silky voice had roughened into coarse sand. “We will not fail you, Michael. We will not stop fighting.”
    “I know. I have faith in that, too.”
    He stepped past them, nodded at Wren, shook Preston’s hand. He crouched in front of Taylor. His hand caressed her cheek. He looked at her for an endless span of time—a breath, a heartbeat. Irena had memorized Olek’s face in less time.
    Finally, he dropped his hand to his side. His voice deepened to a harmonious command. “Wake up now.”
    When she blinked, he stood and strode to Khavi. She lifted her sword. The grigori’s beautiful face seemed to crumple—she tilted her head back and screamed. Before it had faded, before Irena realized what she intended, Khavi stabbed her blade through his chest, through his heart.
    Michael fell.
    Irena hadn’t seen her move—but Khavi didn’t try to avoid her when rage and instinct tore her out of Olek’s arms. She caught the grigori, slammed her to the floor. Her spear came into her hand, and she shoved the point against Khavi’s throat.
    Irena’s breath shuddered through her clenched teeth. She did not know which of them was crying harder. “You predicted that a demon spawn would fall beneath my spear. You were right.”
    “No.” Even tears could not obscure the ancient light in Khavi’s gaze. “That future has changed. You have changed.”
    “Irena,” Olek said quietly. “We need her to bring him back.”
    Irena’s hand shook. Blood welled around the tip of the spear. “No, we don’t. We will do it without her.”
    Khavi closed her eyes. Her Gift swept out, drew in. “Yes,” she said. “But it will take much, much longer.”
    Irena glanced at Michael’s body. Her scream built.