Pain blazed through me as I forced my way to the other side. I skidded to a stop in front of Ivan.
The man’s wild eyes met mine, and he laughed. In front of him, the power source shone and pulsed with magic. It was the size of my fist and had risen out of its container entirely. The key lay discarded on the ground, and the intricate box dropped to the floor with a clatter, leaving the glowing orb hovering a foot above Ivan’s head.
Overhead, the star-shaped window in the ceiling opened. The blinding light from the power source shot into the sky, spearing through the opening.
“It is done.” Ivan laughed. His eyes were glued to Grey. “There is no stopping the spell, Devil.” He threw out his hand, sending a blast of magic at us.
I ducked, taking the blast partially to the shoulder. It threw me backward, slamming me into the ground. I skidded painfully across the stone.
Aching, I scrambled upright. The blast had thrown Grey off his balance. Ivan made a run for it, but the vampire was too fast. He lunged toward Ivan and grabbed him by the throat.
I sprinted for the glowing power source. It pulsed with magic, going wild as the power inside started to spin out of control.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Grey growled. He grappled with Ivan, trying to get something out of his hand.
A transport charm.
The bastard was going to try to transport out of here, leaving us all to blow up. He’d have to make it out of the church to use the charm, though.
I left Grey to it. The fighting men were only two meters from me, but my attention was on the pulsing power source.
How the hell did I stop it?
Shaking, I reached out to touch it.
“No!” Mac screamed. “It’s too powerful.”
But I didn’t have a choice.
I had the spell in my mind. And Mariketta had said that I had everything I needed.
What did she mean? I had nothing except my ability to read objects.
I’d have to risk it.
As my fingertip neared the gem, it burned with heat. All around, the battle raged. I had eyes only for the glowing stone that threatened to take us all out. With every second that passed, it vibrated more fiercely, sending out waves of magic that made my stomach pitch.
My fingertip collided with the gem, and I forced my magic to do my bidding, calling it up from the deepest recesses of my mind.
An image flashed—me, chanting the spell in reverse.
Reverse?
Why the hell hadn’t I thought of that?
It could undo what Ivan had started—at least partially. The power source was primed to blow, now. But if I could undo enough of the spell to get the stone back into the box, it would be contained. Controlled.
We’d be safe.
I just had to get that damned box.
The intricately carved box and key lay scattered on the stone where Ivan had dropped them. He and Grey were locked in a battle of magical assaults punctuated by flying fists. In their scuffle, Ivan nearly stepped on the box.
“No!” Fear pulsed. We needed that. I lunged for it, taking a kick to the head that made me see stars.
I curled myself around the box and tried to roll out of the way.
Grey roared and yanked at Ivan, dragging him away ferociously. The power with which he fought shocked me.