Thirty-Six

Iris squinted against the blinding light and shivered in the cool air. Everything was white: the ground, the sky. There was no sign of life, and no hue of color. She could see her breath in front of her face and her skin was pale as cotton.

“I told you, you could get hurt, love.” Iris looked up to find Silos standing before her like a shimmering mirage. She reached out her hand, but she couldn’t grab him.

“What’s going on?” Her breathing was labored and her throat was tight.

“You’re dying,” Silos said softly. “Well, technically you’re already dead. Your heart just stopped.”

“What?!” Iris looked down at her hands. They glowed with a transparent light. She frantically looked around but found nothing. No witches. No Hollywood. No Hunters. She was alone. “Tell me you’re lying to me,” she said with pleading eyes.

“I wish I was, Iris. I really do.” Silos’s face darkened. “You pushed Arlo out of the way of a falling tree to save his life and you died in his place.”

“But I didn’t get to say good-bye to Arlo, my brother, my parents.” She turned toward Silos. “To you.”

She watched a tear slowly run down the warlock’s face. “I know. I’m kicking myself for leaving when I did. I shouldn’t have.”

Iris reached out her hands to hug him, but she couldn’t. There was only air. “It’s not your fault,” Iris assured. “I knew what I was getting myself into.” Iris sighed in frustration. She was willing to die for Arlo, but she didn’t expect it to actually happen.

She turned quickly to the sound of her name.

It was Arlo. More accurately, a vision of Arlo. He was leaning over Iris just like he was a few seconds ago in front of the Beverly Hills Hotel.

“Iris!” Arlo shouted, shaking her limp body. He pressed his palms against her chest and started pumping vigorously.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

“Help!” he cried at the top of his lungs to no one in particular. He didn’t get a response.

He pulled two recovery shots out of his pocket and stabbed them into her leg. “Come on, Iris! Come back to me! Come on!”

He put his ear to her chest and still … nothing.

“What’s going on?!” Iris was in a frenzy, pacing back and forth in the white room.

“This is what is happening right now. You’re just not there anymore,” Silos explained in his smooth Scottish accent. His face was cast downward.

“How can I see this?”

“You’re trying to hold on, but I’m not so certain you’re going to be able to,” he said with a shaky voice.

She peered at Silos, squinting her eyes at his opaline body. “How are you here with me?”

“I’m a Curas. When people are in this phase, between life and death, I can join them. And as much as I enjoy being here with you right now, I really wish I wasn’t.” Silos looked away. His lips quivered. “I felt it in my soul when you died. I’m driving back right now, but I don’t know if I’ll make it in time to—”

“Bring me back,” she finished his sentence. Iris shivered as a bitter chill met her spine. She clutched her arms, desperately trying to warm her body.

Iris turned her attention back to the vision of Arlo. She swallowed hard, watching tears stream down his face.

“Help!” he cried again, this time louder.

Belinda ran up beside him. “What happened?” she asked. There was sorrow in her lavender eyes.

Arlo didn’t reply. “Oh my God. She jumped in front of you to save you and now … She’s dead,” the witch said, putting her hand to her chest.

“Shut up!” Arlo yelled. “She’s not dead yet. I won’t accept that!”

“I can’t believe she would do that for you.” Belinda paused, staring at the sky with a contemplative gaze. “Let me try to help.”

“Why?”Arlo furrowed his brows. “Why would you do that?”

“Iris doesn’t deserve to go like this,” Belinda huffed. “Plus, she came here to save me.” Belinda put her hand on her chin. “Well, I could use an Ethas spell to try to restart her heart by rapidly filling her lungs with air. I don’t think it will work, but it’s worth a shot.”

“All right, then try it! Just freaking save her!” Arlo yelled. His hands trembled.

“Well, there’s one thing,” Belinda started. “If Iris was telling the truth, then you’re a Lixi and you have the power to borrow magic.”

“What the hell are you—”

“I don’t really think there’s time to explain.” Belinda raised her hand to silence him. “The point is, I’m too weak from the fight to use the type of spell Iris needs. You’re going to have to absorb my power and do it, but I don’t know how your body is going to respond.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Arlo shouted. “How can I absorb your—”

“I’m not so sure either, and I don’t know what’s going to happen to you, but I’m wiling to try if you are.”

“Anything. Belinda, I will do anything,” Arlo pleaded.

Iris turned to Silos, her eyes widened in horror. “Oh no.” She could feel her heart pounding in her ears like techno music at a nightclub. “Is this dangerous? Arlo taking Belinda’s powers?”

“He’s a Lixi. He can handle it,” Silos said with a light smirk. “The only thing is, he doesn’t really know what he’s doing.”

“Meaning …”

“Meaning, that when a Lixi borrows power their soul becomes bonded to the person they take magic from for a period of time. Someone like Wava who knows her craft can turn this side effect off.”

“So he’s going to be bonded to Belinda?” Iris said, raising her voice. She could feel her legs starting to buckle.

“Aye.” Silos let out a long breath. “She will have complete control over him. He will love her without even knowing why.”

“Arlo!” Iris screamed. “Don’t do it!” She fell to her knees and clutched her chest.

“He can’t hear you, love,” the warlock whispered. “He’s going to do it. He’ll do anything to try to bring you back. You died for him, and now he’s giving up his soul for you. I hate to admit it, but it’s quite poetic.”

“Silos, you have to stop him,” Iris begged, jumping to her feet. “I can’t let this happen.”

“It’s over, love.” His face went flat. “There’s nothing I can do.”

Iris turned her attention back to the scene unfolding before her. She was completely shattered. Hopeless. And worst of all, powerless to stop it.

“But think of it this way, Iris—you did it.”

“I did what?” she slowly lifted her head.

“You not only saved Arlo’s life, you stopped Belinda from getting taken to your dad who would have killed her and released the plague. Keeping Belinda from your father and stopping them from going to Wava’s was your only mission, and you succeeded.”

“Well, I died trying.”

“As many heroes do,” he said.

Iris was quiet. She was proud of herself for stopping Gerald Wexler from taking Belinda and pleased that, for now, the plague would not be released. But she couldn’t believe it had come to this.

“There’s something else you need to know,” Silos said in an unsteady tone. “If Arlo can use Belinda’s spells to bring you back, when you wake up you will be reborn. What your father has kept hidden will be awakened. You will come alive.”

Before Iris could respond she felt a tug at her spirit. Her physical body was calling to her and she had no choice but to answer. She fought against the Ethas spell, but its power was overwhelming.

Iris sucked in a gasping breath. Her heart thrummed as she reached out to grab Silos. But she fell short and her hand dropped limp against the ground. Her eyes closed and she was once again enveloped by the darkness.