Jeremy was still crying, shoulders shaking as the weight of his world crashing down settled on him. His mind reeled, realizing there was nothing left for him anymore — except the piercing thought that hit him like a blade: his mother.
He hadn't even asked about her. His poor, widowed mother, left all alone — tired, afraid, possibly dead at this very moment. The thought twisted his insides until he felt he might be sick.
He glanced over at the others. Hadrain stood close beside Lamia, who looked pale and exhausted, leaning against Catherine. The three of them were talking softly, smiling, seemingly oblivious to his agony.
He blamed them. He blamed Lamia most of all. If Lamia was truly as powerful as everyone claimed, how had Desdemona managed to possess his body? Was he really that weak?
Jeremy's fingers curled so hard into his palms that blood beaded under his nails. His voice, trembling with grief and rage, cut through the air:
"How do you feel about this? How do you feel about destroying the only joy left in my life? Did any of you even think about the people waiting for him to come home?" Jeremy lashed out.
Lamia, tears gathering in his eyes, stared back at Jeremy, speechless.
Hadrain's jaw tightened. He hated seeing Lamia's eyes grow sadder under Jeremy's accusations. His voice barked out harsh and sharp:
"Keep your goddamn mouth shut, pretty boy."
But Catherine grabbed Hadrain's shoulder, holding him back.
"No, dear. Don't be like that. Can't you see the boy is in love? What would you have done if it were Lamia in his place?"
Hadrain glanced back at Jeremy, whose trembling hands clutched a silver chain. Asher's other hand was wrapped around it too. It was Ezekiel's chain — the chain of the man who'd held all their hearts. Now Ezekiel was gone, and so was Asher. Yet the one who caused it all seemed to stand there, alive, as though he'd get a happy ending.
Jeremy's hair hung wildly around his face like a bird's nest, tears streaming as violent sobs tore from his chest. He hiccupped and coughed so hard he nearly choked.
Hadrain's anger melted, replaced by pity. He reached for Lamia, who tried to rise from the ground but stumbled, utterly drained. As Lamia forced himself upright, a sudden stream of dark liquid spilled from his nose, dripping onto the floor.
"Hadrain… what's happening to me…?" Lamia gasped weakly.
Hadrain's chest tightened, but he tried to wave it off, focusing instead on Jeremy's grief.
Catherine moved closer to help Lamia stand, but Lamia gently pushed her aside.
"It's fine, love. You've done so much already. But what about them? I… I have to talk to them."
Lamia limped forward, determined despite the trembling in his legs.
Hadrain gave a faint, proud smile at Lamia's courage — but Cathy suddenly froze, staring at her hand, where some of Lamia's dark blood had splattered.
"Hadrain… why does this smell like something decaying?" Cathy's voice rose with fear.
Catherine's face turned pale as death. No. She refused to let her mind go to dark places. Lamia couldn't be dying. He couldn't be.
Hadrain wiped a fingertip through the black substance on Cathy's skin and brought it to his nose. The moment he caught the scent, his vision spun, nausea gripping his chest. It smelled just like the rotting stench of the armies of the dead.
No…
Hadrain whirled toward Lamia, panic twisting his features.
"LAMIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
But suddenly, something began to glow — a brilliant golden light bursting into the air. Hadrain gasped as the radiance flared brighter and took shape.
It was Asher. Yet… he was no longer just Asher. He radiated an otherworldly presence, eyes shining like suns, a celestial power pulsing from his entire body.
Lamia screamed as the golden glow engulfed him. He fell to his knees, clutching his head, agony ripping through every nerve.
"HADR-AINNNNNN!"
"LAMIAAAAAAAAAAAAA — NOOO!" Hadrain and Catherine cried out together, but they couldn't move. Their limbs were frozen, rooted to the ground by some invisible force.
Asher began to float, the golden brilliance swirling around him, his voice echoing like thunder from the heavens:
"Time for judgment from Heaven."