Demon kissed: demon kissed

Chapter 32

Collin's sacrifice shifted the battle in the Martis' favor. The remaining Valefar scattered into the night, after seeing Collin fall into the chasm. They thought I defeated him. They thought I threw him in, even though I hadn't. It didn't matter what really happened, not after watching the flaming-haired girl killing everything in her way. They feared me.

The wind howled as it whipped my hair over my head, and I clung to the edge of the pit. The ends no longer glowed with a false flame. I stared into the pit, seeing nothing, barely breathing. Shannon's arms tugged me to my feet, dragging me away from the rim. I let her. I was too weak to protest, or to think. The confused shock was rippling through me in unrelenting waves, as I watched the portal's power increase.

More dirt fell away as the rim grew even wider, hitting the edge of the salt circle. It was complete. The portal was open. The ground churned, grumbling so loudly that I could feel the vibrations through my shoes. Julia ran toward us, a grave expression on her panicked porcelain doll face. Other Martis, including Al, swiftly came up behind her. The pit cast a faint glow on their faces from the illuminated salt line.

Al turned as she took in the portal. "We have to seal it up."

Julia's hands flew frantically through the air while she spoke, "We can't. I knew this would happen! The portal will not close now. It's reached its full size. Only a Valefar can close it."

"We can't close it yet," my voice squeaked with shock, "Collin... Collin will come back." My eyes were wide and unblinking, as I turned slowly toward Al, wanting her to agree with me.

But she shook her head. "He couldn't have survived that, Ivy. He knew what he did before he did it. He saved you."

Julia's panicked voice cut through me, not allowing me any time to process anything, "If we don't seal it soon, they will start to come out. How else can we close the portal, if she won't do it?"

Stunned, I looked into her worried face. What will come out? Her brown eyes were wide, pinched together, and ready to have a nuclear-sized panic attack. What had her so freaked? Kreturus wasn't summoned, or he'd already be here. So why was she freaking out?

Shannon's hand was on my arm, "We can't save him. I would. For you, I'd do anything. But if we don't close this, God knows what'll come out."

"What?" I asked, not understanding. I shook my head and stared at them. The wind and cold pelted my body, but I didn't feel it.

Julia gritted her teeth, snapping at me, "She knows what'll come out!"

And I did. Deep inside of me, I knew what was in there. It was a gateway to Hell. Those things I'd seen in my visions—the servant demons where down there. Waiting. Trapped. They wanted their freedom as much as Collin wanted his. If there was a way out, they would take it—no matter the risk.

Al came up behind me. "You know what you need to do, girl. Do it before it's too late. You're the only one who can close it."

Tears flowed freely down my cold cheeks. "Are you sure there's no way he's... It's not possible he survived, is it?" The desperation was so transparent, even Julia noticed.

Julia unfolded her arms. "It's possible. But Ivy, it's not probable. If the fall didn't kill him, Kreturus did."

I don't think she meant to be cruel, but my bottom lip quivered involuntarily. I bit it to hold it still. I couldn't think. Why were they looking at me? "I don't know how."

Al said, "Dark magic opened the pit—it has to be the same magic to close it. Valefar magic."

Thoughts ran wildly through my mind. It was too much. This was too horrible. All this time he was protecting me, trying to make the prophecy change course. Then he threw himself into the pit. He saved me twice. And what if he's still alive? I'll seal him in. It would be worse than burying him alive.