breathe for the very first time. Like this is it for us.
That’s when I feel it—the prickle tapping wildly at the back of my neck. This time, I don’t force the sensation back; I free it.
I free myself and him.
I open my mouth to say the words I’ve never been able to utter without magic protecting me, but my words get lodged in my throat as I spot Stephan and what’s in his hand.
“No, he has the knife,” I whisper. “And it’s stained with blood, which means . . .” My eyes dart to the other side of the lake where Aislin and Laylen are.
Aislin is shouting something at us while waving her hands in front of her.
“Gemma, what’s going on?” Alex’s fingers fold around my arm as he turns me toward him. “What’s happening with the sword?"
“I . . .” I trail off as Stephan approaches us with a grin on his face.
“You made this so easy on me,” he says, pointing the knife at the sky. “First, you give me the witch’s blood I needed without me even having to go look for it. It just landed in my hands.” Then he aims the knife at my throat. “And now you walk straight into my hands.”
Alex shoves me back, his arms spread to the side, protecting me. “Stay the fuck away from her.”
Grinning, Stephan points the knife at Alex. “If you want to go first, fine. By all means, son, let’s get this over with. It’s time to bleed the star out of you two.”
“No!” I shout as Stephan cranes his arm back, ready to stab Alex.
Alex still has fight left in him, though, and he smashes his knuckles into Stephan’s jaw. When Stephan growls and swings the knife around, ready to stab him, Alex whips around and tackles his father to the ground. The knife flies from Stephan’s hands as they roll down the hill toward the lake.
I scramble after the knife, but the Death Walkers close around me and open their mouths, letting out a cry.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Demetrius says as he pushes through the wall of Death Walkers.
I eye the knife in his hand then lock gazes with him. “To save Alex.”
He snorts a laugh. “You do understand who I am, right?”
“You do understand who I am, right?” I mock then lunge for him.
He lifts the knife to stab me, but I skitter around and kick him in the back. He trips forward, falling to the ground, but rapidly regains his balance and jumps to his feet.
“You’re going to pay for that,” he growls, coming at me.
When I dropkick him straight in the jaw, he curses and swings his fist around, punching me in the cheek. My ears ring as I stagger back, the Death Walkers’ chill hissing at my heels. But I’m not going down, not until I save Alex and the world.
I channel every ounce of strength I have in me and run at him again. He swings the blade at my chest, but I duck down and slam my fist into his stomach. He cries out in pain, and I seize the opportunity to steal the knife from his hands. Then I jump back as he runs at me with his arms out, ready to strangle me. With one fluid movement, I bring the blade down right to his chest and stab it in deep.
He freezes, blood gurgling from his mouth as he stands there, stunned.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
He’s right; this wasn’t supposed to happen, which means there still might be time to save Alex.
Whirling around, I knock Death Walkers out of the way as I break through their wall. Their icy breath grazes my skin and freezes some of my muscles, but I keep running down the hill to where Stephan and Alex are battling it out near the shoreline.
I scoop the knife up on my way then march up to Stephan who has Alex in a headlock.
“Just give up,” he growls as he punches Alex in the gut.
“Never.” Alex grunts and flings his head back, slamming it into Stephan’s face.
Stephan stumbles back, and one of his feet crack through the ice. “Shit.” He trips forward before the water pulls him in, and I race at him with the knife, ready to kill him.
“No, Gemma, don’t!” Alex cries, tripping to his feet as I move to strike.
Stephan’s hand shoots up and grabs the blade of the knife, stopping it from piercing him. He cuts open his hand