Yvan’s mouth claims mine once more, forcing a stream of power into me that drives Vogel’s hold on me back a fraction further. I gasp against his lips, my limbs suddenly under my own control, ferocity rising as I grasp tight hold of Yvan, fisting his hair, drawing both his fire and mine through me with staggering force, straight through the Sealing bond and out toward Lukas. I can feel Yvan’s shock over my newly regained volition through the leaping flash of his fire. He draws me closer and we fully join our fires, blasting our combined power into my Sealing lines.

Into Lukas.

Lukas’s Shadow netting catches fire. Wasting no time, he bursts through it and explodes into action, punching down his guard before kicking him viciously in the face and grabbing his wand. Countless soldiers start toward him, wands raised, Vogel striding in amongst them, his eyes spitting silver fire as he raises his Shadow Wand.

Lukas’s form is bright in my mind as he lifts his wand and blasts a fire-shield over himself while Yvan and I flood fire power into us all.

Magic slams into both Yvan’s shield and Lukas’s, pummeling against them in silvery flashes. Lukas closes his eyes, pulls in a deep breath, and draws both Yvan’s Wyvernfire and my Black Witch–fire into his lines while Shadow power rages and batters against Yvan’s fire-dome and Lukas’s shield. A stream of fear enters my heart as I realize that both shields are about to give way.

In my mind’s eye, Lukas’s eyes lock with mine, blazing with passion as Yvan and I roar as much magic into him as we can, the three of us melded into one conduit of burning revolution. And I can read it in our joint will as I sense the outer branches of the great Shadow tree beginning to waver and fracture—we're all ready to sacrifice our lives to bring Vogel down.

And then, Lukas’s eyes shift hue once more, and my heartbeat stutters.

His eyes are burning gold.

Wyvernfire gold.

He smiles at me through our Sealing connection and mouths, I love you.

I can feel his fierce triumph in his devastatingly impassioned smile, my love for him flaring straight through our fire. Then Lukas lifts his wand and murmurs a spell, his luminous, golden gaze remaining locked on to mine as my eyes widen with the terrible realization of what he’s about to do.

Lukas, NO!