Evil - Tijan Page 0,98

my son. You were going to see your mother, your siblings, even that human father of yours. They’re still looking for you, you know.”

Damien froze behind me, growing more still with each word my father said. All the blood drained from his face.

“And now you’ll never see them. Now, you won’t even go to the above with me. I’ll cast you out.” Sachiel shared with Kellan the same ominous look. “You’ll both be in hell for the rest of your eternity.”

“Not unless I call my father forward.”

Kellan sounded so sure. Even I paused at that, frowning at him. Was he—no… Would he?

Sachiel shared my thoughts. “You’re lying.” But there was doubt in his statement. “You wouldn’t. You’d need—”

And as he said that, Kellan reached around me and jerked Damien forward. He wrapped an arm around his neck, the other holding a knife to his throat. Damien went completely still, his chest barely moving, and Kellan pressed the knife harder to his skin. He lowered his head, holding my father’s gaze steadily. “I would. I need a sacrifice mixed with my demon blood. That’s all I need, and he’d be here. I have no problem taking the life of the guy who betrayed Shay.” His arm tightened over Damien.

Thunder erupted, and lightning smashed down behind us. It wasn’t close, but close enough where I felt the electricity go through my body, jolting me.

“Kellan.” Damien’s Adam’s apple bounced up and down. “What are you doing?”

“Shut up.”

I moved to their side, grabbing on to Damien. Aumae said we needed to maintain contact, all three of us.

“You’re a part of this, Shay?” Damien asked me.

I ignored him, staring at my father. “Kellan will do it, and you know it.”

“I don’t believe you. His father is as much a fan of his as I am of you. I have no problem killing my own child, not if it betters me. His father is more ruthless than I am.”

“You can’t take all of us on, and I’m sure once his father arrives, he’ll go straight for you. We’ll get away. You won’t. The odds are not in your favor.” Something new had risen up in the air. I felt it now. It was low, but building in power. It was like an invisible river. It was first a small trickle, wetting our feet, but it grew and grew. I felt it growing and its current was a strong pull. It was sweeping around us, threatening to pull us away with it, whatever it was. I glanced over my father’s shoulder and saw Aumae there. Her arms were in the air. Her eyes were black. The wind was picking up just around her. It was circling her, whipping and snarling. I was shocked my father hadn’t heard it yet. Whatever she was doing, it was new power, power that wasn’t there because of him. He should’ve noticed, but he was still locked on Kellan. He believed his threat and he was focused on what would happen if Kellan’s father did arrive.

He was saying something to Kellan.

Kellan replied, a savage retort.

I tuned them out. I could only focus on Aumae now. The wind stopped. The current was all around us, zapping against my face, my hair, my back. It was completely enveloping us.

“My child,” Aumae thought to me, walking toward us. Her hands lowered, and she dripped blood onto the dirt.

“What are you doing, Aumae?”

“I am saving you.”

“How?”

“This is why I sought you out. Kellan thinks he sent for me, but it was the other way. I sent a suggestion in the wind for him to seek an ally. I knew he would come to me. This is why I remained on Earth after your mother left. You are that reason. This moment is that reason.”

“What—” I started shaking my head. No. No. Sadness, grief, pain. All three rolled into one, and I felt them low in my gut. I was going to live. I felt that joy, too, but the mourning was already there. I felt her intentions before I fully knew. “Aumae, please don’t. We’ll find another way.”

“There is no other way. This is the way. This was the reason for me being here. There was never another way.” She lowered her head a fraction, so her eyes could look right into my core. “The other plan was never going to work. Your father is too powerful. Now, my child, I will tell them above about you. You will be protected, and your father will be