Immortal Rider_ Lords of Deliverance Series_ - Larissa Ione [132]
Cara shivered, and Ares pulled her into his arms. She might be immortal, but she wasn’t immune to being cold. “Why will it hurt?”
“Souls are… sticky.” Gethel continued to stroke Arik’s hair, which lessened his writhing. “They bind themselves to demonic life-forces and make them stronger. Pestilence has been collecting them for that reason. I’ll have to peel Reaver and Limos from Arik, and fragments will be left behind or will come off Arik.”
Ares had seen and heard a lot in his life, but this was new. And disturbing. “What do you mean… fragments?”
Gethel paused, as if searching for the right words. “Imagine two humans stuck together with… what is that substance called…”
“Superglue?” Cara offered.
“Yes. Superglue.” Arik moaned, and Gethel smoothed her palm over his cheek. “If you pull the people apart, bits of skin and hair are torn away. In the case of souls, what is taken or left behind is much more crucial.”
Ares digested that for a second, and wished he had some Tums, because this was all going sour. “If Arik dies, his soul belongs to Pestilence.”
“I know,” Gethel said softly. She looked between Ares and Cara. “Hold him. He’s going to struggle.”
Cara patted Hal, who lumbered over to Arik and plopped down on his lower legs.
Gethel raised an eyebrow. “Unconventional, but effective.”
“Story of my life with Cara,” Ares murmured, and pushed down on Arik’s broad shoulders while Cara held his head to prevent thrashing.
“Hold tight,” Gethel said.
Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, and her body began to glow. She reached for Arik’s chest, and her hand slipped deep inside his body cavity. Arik screamed, arching, veins popping in his temple and throat. He convulsed, and Ares swore he heard a ripping noise as Gethel tugged so hard she fell backward. Even in freefall, she reached behind her and slammed her fist into Limos’s sternum.
Limos jerked and came awake with a gasp. “Arik!” She scrambled over and grabbed his arm, loo his armking between Ares and Gethel. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”
Gethel splayed her fingers over Arik’s heart, as if she was using her force of will to keep it beating. “I’m trying to save him.”
A wild sob wracked Limos as she clung to Arik. “I’m sorry, Arik. I take it all back. Just live, okay? Live.”
Ares blinked in confusion. Take it all back? What had gone on between them after Ares left her house last night?
Gethel reached inside Arik once more, and Limos muffled a cry with the back of her hand.
Again Arik screamed, a raw, animal sound that made Ares wince despite his years of war and death and destruction that should have made him immune to the sounds of suffering. But this went beyond normal suffering, and suddenly, Ares knew what soul-deep pain really meant.
Finally, Gethel reared back, flinging herself at Reaver. The moment her hand hit his chest, he shot upright, his breath heaving out of his lungs.
“Your souls were knocked into Arik,” Gethel murmured, and very, very gently, she pulled the now motionless human into her arms and held him. Gethel, who had never been one to coddle anyone. Ares would have gaped if he wasn’t so concerned about the guy.
“Is he…”
“He lives, but he’s not the same.” Gethel looked at Limos. “You’ll have to discover his limitations and talents.” Her mouth became a grim slash. “And yours. You and Reaver now share bits of Arik, as he shares bits of you.” Gethel put a glowing hand to his forehead, and he woke, blinking drowsily.
“I feel like the morning after a bachelor party.” Groaning, he sat up. When his gaze lit on Gethel, he barked out a curse. “You.” He fisted her tunic as if she couldn’t destroy him with her pinky if she wanted to. “How could you dissolve my damned marriage without my fucking permission?”
Gethel narrowed her eyes and peeled his hand