My breath flowed in and out as I shoved away the doubt. They were there. I knew it.
And then, I felt the first one. My bond to Dastien.
Strong. Golden. It was a rope that tied our souls together. Completed us.
I searched for something else but couldn’t find anything. Nothing.
My eyes opened and sitting in front of me, but outside of the circle, was Astaroth. You won’t find it. This circle won’t keep me out. You’re not strong enough.
I squeezed my eyes shut, pushing him out of my mind. He could say whatever he wanted, but he was wrong. I was strong enough. That was why he wanted me in the first place, and that’s why I would win.
A boom rocked against the circle and I knew he was trying to break in. He was trying to scare me. But if even one of my hairs crossed the circle, the protective circle I’d cast would shatter like the most delicate porcelain ball.
Pleeease, Astaroth’s voice crooned in my ear. Fight. Bring up all your power for me to drink. The more you fight the better it is for me.
Well, I guessed I was about to make it really, really good for him. Because I wasn’t going to let him taunt me.
I focused again. I needed to see the specific spot where the tie to As
taroth was anchored in me so that I could cut it out. “Show me the demon’s tie. Show me the demon’s tie. Show me the demon’s tie.” I said it again and again. “Show me the demon’s tie. Show me the demon’s tie. Show me the demon’s tie.” My voice wasn’t more than a whisper as I begged my magic to find it.
I said the words again. Over and over. Astaroth laughed and I ignored it.
My throat grew raw and tears rolled down my cheeks as he taunted me. Slamming into my circle. My circle was holding, but it was getting harder.
Sweat rolled down my forehead as I struggled to hang on to my magic.
Wait. Why was it getting so hard? Why was I draining so quickly?
I tried to hear beyond Astaroth’s taunting, and then finally heard it. A drip. Then another.
I looked down at my wrist, still dripping blood.
I touched the black abyss below me, but it was wet. My blood. I was sitting in a pool of it.
You can’t heal here. Hell is on the supernatural plane. Any hurt you get here is a supernatural one. And one that’s made with my own blade, forged in the fires of Hell. It will kill you. And when you die, you’ll be mine. My slave. And the first thing you’ll do is kill your friends.
My chin slouched down into my chest. My eyelids weighed ten pounds and I wanted to give up. I wanted to go to sleep. Each breath felt heavy in my lungs, but I couldn’t give in. That was the same as dying.
Pull it together, I told myself. I could do this. I would do this.
“Show me the—” My voice cracked, and I slapped my face. Hard. Time to wake up. I was not giving in. Not now. Not ever. “Show me the demon’s tie. Show me the demon’s tie. Show me the demon’s tie. Show me—”
I blinked my eyes open and I saw something glowing. The words had worked all along, I’d just been too stupid and too tired to keep my eyes open.
It looked like a tiny thread of glowing orange-red string. It weaved up and down—in and out—of my before leading out of the circle to Astaroth.
The tie. I’d found it. I’d really found it.
My grip was loose on the knife. I was loosing strength. Quickly. It nearly fell from my hand as I lifted it up.
I glanced up at Astaroth and for the first time, I smiled as I sliced through the tie. The little bits that wove through me turned to ash as they fell to the ground. Useless. Powerless. No longer tying me to the demon.
No! Astaroth slammed against my circle and I jerked back before I could stop myself. My head spun and I started to fall over, but caught myself before I fell across the circle.
Shit. That was too close. I needed to get out of here.
When I’d been in the abyss the last time, Dastien made me drink his blood to strengthen our bond. This time he couldn’t do that, but I could put my blood on our bond. Hopefully that would strengthen it.