the enemy witch, and Henry angled in fast to land a brutal uppercut that lifted the other man off his feet and then left him crumpled on the ground.
At that point, Josiah looked up, across the narrow battlefield the road had become, and into a familiar dark gaze set into unfamiliar, handsome features. Grigori had done what Josiah had always suspected he might—he had changed his face.
The man looked thoughtful and stroked his chin where he had once worn a beard. He said, “My ukhodim seychas.”
We are leaving now.
“No.” Josiah roared, “NO!”
Even as he drove forward, determined to engage, a tangled wall of thorns sprang up between them. It grew rapidly to twenty feet in height. Richard screamed in agony. His body was wrapped in the wall.
Josiah could either batter through the wall with another massive magic blast, or he could free Richard. He couldn’t do both, not at the same time.
He hesitated only for a fraction of a second. Then he ran to the trapped man and began coating the wall around him with dissipation spells. As he worked, he heard engines start from the other side of the wall. Some of the vehicles had remained drivable.
Furiously, he worked faster. The wall kept regenerating, but he kept recasting until enough of the sorcerous thorns melted for Richard to break free and collapse to the ground. Steven ran over to kneel beside him.
As soon as Richard was free, Josiah whirled to slam the wall of thorns with all the force of his and Molly’s Power combined. Even as he did it, he already knew.
Rasputin, along with those of his coven who had survived, was already gone.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The rest of the wall of thorns fell apart and dissipated into thin air.
The fury that had driven Josiah forward dissipated as well. He looked around at the devastation on the road. Vehicles had been knocked at crazy angles, the beams from their headlights slicing through the scene at random.
Molly was safe. She crouched where he had last seen her while three unknown women surrounded her. The women had placed their hands on her shoulders and arms, their faces etched with concentration, supporting her as she fed him energy and Power.
Bodies lay strewn on the pavement. Turning, he counted six…
Anson.
Maria knelt by Anson’s body, both hands flattened on his chest. No. No. Josiah lunged at them. As he fell to his knees on Anson’s other side, Maria lifted her head. The rain had flattened her hair to her head, and tears poured down her mud-streaked face.
“He’s alive, but just barely.”
Josiah whirled to look at Molly. “Milaya, don’t stop now. I need a bit more.”
Her expression showed strain, but she nodded. The steady flow of Power pouring at him never wavered. God, she was so steady, so strong. A wave of love for her washed through him, so pure and potent, if he hadn’t already been on his knees it might have brought him down.
He turned his attention back to Anson. Magic burns covered most of his face and chest. His breathing was labored and uncertain.
“If you still believe in praying, now would be a good time,” he told Maria. He cast healing spells, holding his breath as each one hovered over Anson’s body before slowly sinking in. Sometimes if the injuries were too severe, a body wouldn’t absorb the kind of healing spells he knew how to cast.
A newcomer joined them. He looked up at one of the women who had been with Molly. “My name’s Lauren,” the woman said. “I’m a healer. Let me help.”
He glanced again at Molly, who nodded as she watched.
“Yes,” he said to Lauren. “Thank you.”
Together they worked on Anson until gradually his breathing became less labored and some of the rawness had scabbed over. Josiah kept casting healing spells until Lauren grasped his wrist, silently urging him to stop.
“He can’t take any more.” Lauren’s hazel eyes were kind. “But it’s all right. Your friend’s going to make it now.”
He nodded and swiveled on one knee to look for Richard. Steven and Henry were with him, supporting him as he sat up. Tracks of blood formed runnels over his face and body.
“Enough,” he said to Molly.
Her face was twisted with effort. She nodded and broke off the Power transfer with a gasp while the two women beside her sagged.
When the steady flow of Power stopped, spots danced in front of his eyes. He swayed and toppled onto his back. Everything felt black and raw inside, and he ached everywhere.