You’re going to be all right,” Schuyler murmured. Jack lay asleep in her arms. She knew he would live. She could feel it. Her blood would save him. It was the only thing that would save him. It would bring life back to his body and fight the black fire from Leviathan’s blade.
She looked around the empty church. Mimi had not yet returned. Her former nemesis had looked broken and lost. Something had happened back there, down in the glom.
Schuyler hugged Jack tighter, but then heard footsteps. Someone was headed her way. Someone was standing— looming—in front of her.
“Bliss, what are you doing?” Schuyler cried. Her friend looked like a witch, with her wild red hair and her torn black dress, holding something shiny and ominous in her hand.
“I’m so sorry, Schuyler. I’m so sorry,” Bliss sobbed.
Schuyler moved Jack so that he would be safe. She stood up and covered him protectively. “Bliss, put down the knife.”
“I can’t . . . I have to,” Bliss whimpered. “I’m sorry but I have to.”
“What do you mean? What’s going on? What’s happened to you?”
“My father . . . he’s in my head. He tells me things. He says I have to do this or I’ll never see Dylan again.”
“Your father?” Schuyler asked. But she already knew the answer to her question. What had Cordelia once told her? We fear one of our oldest families is harboring the Dark Prince himself. We don’t know how and we don’t know who, but we suspect the betrayal is at the highest level of the Conclave. Bliss Llewellyn was the Silver Blood all along. Bliss carried Lucifer in her. Then Schuyler remembered something Lawrence had told her as well: Your sister will be our death. Bliss was her hidden sister. Bliss was born to kill her.
“No, Bliss, you don’t have to . . . I can help you. We can do something about it. You don’t have to do what he tells you.”
Bliss did not respond. Instead she lunged at Schuyler, who ducked just in time. But Bliss caught the hem of Schuyler’s skirt and dragged her down. Schuyler could feel the blade start to inch its way toward her chest. This was it . . . Jack had risked his life for her and she for him . . . but it was all for nothing. How could she have not known?
“Bliss! Please!” Schuyler sobbed. “Don’t!”
Bliss held the blade above Schuyler’s heart, an inch from her chest, but at the last moment, she hesitated.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry!” Bliss cried as she released her friend, the tears streaming down her face.
“Bliss—stop—what are you doing?” Schuyler screamed. “No!”
With a mighty thrust, Bliss plunged the archangel’s blade deep into her own heart, breaking the glass into a million pieces, and ending her life.