Redeemed (House of Night #12)(102)

The silver ribbon that connected me to the circle rushed from me, closing like a noose around Neferet and her tendrils of Darkness, and drawing them back, together, into the open mouth of the grotto.

“Stevie Rae, help me!” Instantly, she was at my side, taking my hand.

“Earth,” she commanded, “close ’em in!” A green glow lit up the rocks all around the grotto. The earth beneath our feet began to shake, harder and harder, until the stones fell free, avalanching to seal the mouth of the grotto.

The silence that followed was incredible. I felt wobbly. My knees were weak. Stevie Rae and I were still holding hands.

“Stark!” I called. “Where are you?” My eyes were already beginning to tear. I knew he wouldn’t answer. I staggered, and Aurox caught me.

He was a boy again, bloody but alive.

“Take it easy,” he said as he and Stevie Rae helped me sit down. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

No, nothing is going to be okay.

“Take a few deep breaths, and before you close the circle, borrow some energy from spirit,” Aurox said.

I nodded numbly, staring at the silver ribbon that still circled me.

“Z! We did it!” Damien cried as he hurried up to us.

“That was super scary,” Shaylin said.

“But awesome,” Shaunee agreed.

They were all around me—all of my circle. And we had done it. We’d trapped Neferet. I was the only one who knew the cost, though.

“Yeah, it was awesome, but painful,” he said.

I looked up, and through my tears saw Stark. He was standing there, smiling down at me. He had a bunch of cuts on his arms and legs, and he was bleeding like crazy, but he was alive!

“Stark! Ohmygoddess!” I was in the process of hurling myself into his arms when the mound of rocks that were supposed to be sealing Neferet inside the grotto began to move.

“Oh, shit!” Stark said. “The tendrils—they’re boring holes through the rocks.”

I stood, in the center of my circle, and raised my hands again. I noticed there was blood all over them. I didn’t care. Stark was alive!

The cost will be

Your true love from thee

The Feys’ voices echoed in my mind, and I realized why Stark was alive.

They hadn’t meant they were taking Stark away from me. They’d meant I was going. It was my turn. This time I had to love my friends and my world enough that I would be the sacrifice that would make it right. I had to exchange my life for entombing Neferet.

“You promised to be sure they’re safe,” I said to Stark.

He narrowed his eyes. “Z, what are you up to?”

I drew a deep breath, readying myself. I lifted my Seer Stone and started walking forward. Grandma said it. Sgiach said it. And, most important, Nyx said it. My blood is special. There’s ancient power in it, living in the modern world. And I’m going to use my blood to seal that tomb.

“It won’t work.” Aurox was suddenly there in front of me, blocking my path.

“Get out of my way,” I told him. “And keep Stark out of my way. I know what I’m doing. You were right. Everything is going to be okay.”

“No, Zoey. You’re strong and wise, but you’re wrong about this. You aren’t an immortal. No matter what you do. No matter what you’re willing to sacrifice, you don’t have enough power to hold her. But I do. I was created from Old Magick as a tool of Darkness.”

“But you chose Light. You changed.”

“Because Heath’s spirit within me gave me a choice. I’m making that choice now, out of love. Not just for you, Zo, but for all of you. This is the right thing to do. I know I’m right. Zo, make Stark take care of Skylar for me, ’kay?” He smiled, and I saw Heath within his moonstone eyes. “Oh, and remember the two things I wanted? Got one of them tonight. Nyx spoke to me through you.” He reached out and took the Seer Stone from me, putting it over his head so that it dangled, flashing silver, in the middle of his chest. “I am the Old Magick you had to wield.”

“And what about the second thing you wanted? What about the girl?” I asked, my eyes filling with tears.

“Next time around, Zo. How ’bout you and me, we make a date for my next time around. ’Cause it’s true. The one thing that never dies is love, always love!”

Then Heath disappeared within Aurox’s sweet, serious eyes. He turned, lowered his head, and roared an ancient challenge. As Aurox charged the grotto, his body convulsed, shifted, and changed so that by the time he reached the stones and the tendrils that were trying to slither free, he had taken the form of a powerful, beautiful black bull. He gored the rocks, and his body changed again, expanding into a huge black shield that folded over the grotto, closing it, sealing Neferet forever within.

There was a terrible rumbling that became a deafening thunder, coming from the east and the west.

“What is it?” Stark yelled.

I started to say I didn’t know, and then I saw the shadow. It spread from the east—an enormous black cloud, taking shape as it grew—horns, mighty chest, and cloven hooves.

“The west! Look to the west!” Shaunee cried.

My gaze went there, and I saw the twin of the other bull taking form, only this one was the white of frost, of death, of the grave.