His fingers wrapped around mine. Both of his hands held mine at our sides. Without turning around or pulling me to the front of him, he just gently rubbed his thumbs up and down my skin in slow, steady brushes. I timed my breaths with each stroke. Up was in, down was out. Things were being said in front of us between Sweyn and The Coven, but the sounds were lost on my ears. I started counting my breaths. I’d made it to sixty-five when my head cleared and the pressure in my chest loosened. I looked up, expecting to find people watching me, yet not a single gaze was on me. Well, no one outside of The Coven. Their Tower still stared at me. I peeked around Everest and my eyes met Elizabeth’s. Her face gave nothing away, but I could have sworn there was a question in her eyes . . . so I nodded.

She nodded back, then looked right at Thomas. “Lavinia?”

Lavinia stepped up to Thomas, still gripped in the sentinel’s hands, and pressed her palm to his chest. Those golden eyes glowed like pure sunshine. Golden light spilled from beneath her hand. As it spread over Thomas’s chest, it turned bright blue. The blue haze spread to wrap around his entire body. Thomas gasped and threw his head back. His eyes went wide and his skin paled. Light flashed within his chest. There was a soft popping sound.

Thomas’s body dropped to the ground, sliding right out of the sentinel’s hands.

The whole room gasped and leapt backwards. A few people screamed.

Because while his body hit the ground, his soul remained standing. There was no doubt in my mind that was his soul, his spirit. It stood there, a translucent glowing blue form.

Sweyn growled and lunged forward like she was going to attack The Coven. Everest disappeared, then reappeared right in front of Sweyn, his back to The Coven. He wrapped his black magic around her body and pushed her backwards while whispering words I could not hear.

“Obrigado,” Thomas’s spirit whispered to Lavinia. “Obrigado.”

Lavinia smiled and nodded. “Fica em paz agora.”

Thomas’s spirit sighed, then slowly faded away.

Holy shit. She killed him by sucking his soul out. Holy hell. I wonder if Savannah knows she can do that?

Sweyn was shaking and snarling over Everest’s shoulder, but he was holding her in place, keeping her from charging.

The High Priestess shook her head. “You’re old enough to know better, Sweyn.”

“Sabrina knows when she’s being lied to, and you know by the World’s Mark on her arm that I speak the truth.” Elizabeth pointed to Thomas’s dead body on the stone floor. “We gave you the opportunity to tell us the truth and you chose to lie.”

“Are you threatening me?” Sweyn snapped.

“It’s a warning,” Elizabeth’s voice was low and stern.