“Why?” He gasped. “Why give me the chance to save him?”
He stumbled on the first step leading to the altar.
“Because I can’t do the same for my daughters.”
Her heart burned with rage at this man for taking them from her. Boudica would never have spared his son, but Diana could. Two thousand years allowed her to see clearly. The world would be well rid of this madman, but not his son.
“Do you hate me more than you love him?” She drove him up to the last step until he bent backward over the altar. His eyes met hers, rage in their depths, but also hopelessness. She had her sword at his throat, giving him just enough space to look to the side for his son.
Her heart pounded as she glanced up briefly. Cadan held the boy so that he couldn’t see. With her sword at his throat and his son captive, he had only one viable option.
With a last burning look at the boy and not a second spared for her, Paulinus plunged the dagger into his own heart.
Diana gasped and lunged backward as he began to slip from the altar. It gave her chills to watch him die in the same way she had. He’d plunged his blade more truly, though, and within seconds the life slipped from his eyes. His soul was beginning to disappear; she jerked her gaze up and searched for Cadan, but he too was beginning to fade. He, Vi, and the boy were disappearing before her eyes.
No. She ran for Cadan. The boy was the key to making it back out. His restored soul would lead them out of Erebus. She crashed through the clearing, her lungs burning as she pushed harder, faster. Please, oh please let me make it in time.
Cadan ran to meet her, arm outstretched, but just as they neared each other, he and the boy disappeared, Vivienne in tow.
Diana stumbled to a halt. No! She doubled over, helpless fear overwhelming her.
Now what? With Paulinus’ death, the portal was closed. She should have been able to make it in time, but he’d died so quickly.
Now she was stuck in hell.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Cadan fell to his knees in th
e chamber beneath Edinburgh, the boy still gripped in his arms. Vivienne’s soul had disappeared as soon as they’d appeared in the chamber.
“Where’s Diana?” Esha’s voice was frantic.
He opened his eyes to see Warren jerk the silent boy out of his arms. He surged to his feet and frantically searched the room. “Nay.” His voice was hoarse, desperate. “No’ possible.”
He sprinted toward the portal, but could see nothing more than he had earlier that morning.
“The portal is closed!” Esha’s voice was unusually high-pitched. “Didn’t she make it to you in time?”
Her hand hadn’t touched his. When Paulinus had been destroyed and the portal had closed, her hand hadn’t been touching his. They were supposed to have had more time!
He threw his head back and roared, “Diana!”
His hands clawed at the stone wall where the portal had been. He had to get to her. Diana was trapped. His heart thundered and his head pounded. Rage and despair fought for supremacy. The battle would send him into madness.
He couldn’t lose her again. Not to hell. She was conscious, not dead, and she was trapped in hell. She could be killed.
He spun to face Esha, who was frantically and almost blindly looking into the space around him.
“How?” he yelled. “How do we get back?”
Her panicked gaze snapped to his. “I don’t know. I don’t know how to make it come back!” She clenched her fists in her hair. “Fuck!”
“Is she still alive, Cadan?” Warren was bent over the boy.
“Aye.” Please gods, let Diana still be alive.
Warren turned toward Esha. “How much longer should your invisibility charm work, Esha?”