Free Ascension of Evil (Battle for Souls Book 3) by Ciara Knight Page A

and she wanted to pull him into her arms.
    “I’ve missed you so much.” Her voice sounded soft and light, unlike her normally squeaky tone. She fought the urge to move closer to him, but the presence had taken control of her actions and she was forced to sit and watch as her hand glided up his arm to his cheek.
    He leaned into her palm and closed his eyes. “Charlotte?” he murmured. His hatred vanished, only love remaining in his eyes. Then he shook his head and shuffled away. “No, it’s a trick.”
    “I’m here because there’s still a part of you left that wants to be with me, to have me in your arms again. Do you remember the night we spent on the beach, under the stars? You told me you loved me and nothing would ever tear us apart.”
    Forras slumped back and beat his head against the lockers until he left a dent. “No, I don’t remember,” he muttered before slamming his head against the lockers once more.
    “Only because you won’t let yourself. Listen to my voice. You use to say it sounded like a song bird.” Gabby’s thumb drew circles on the back of his hand. “Feel me. My touch. Remember how we slept in each other’s arms. We didn’t want to let go, even when the morning sun rose.”
    Gabby struggled against the swirl of emotions inside her. The girl—Charlotte’s feelings overwhelmed her. Forced to be a bystander in her own body, a frightening connection merged between her and Forras. Love. A deep, life-altering love for him caressed her heart. She fought to regain control, but Charlotte was too determined. “If you don’t remember that night, then do you remember the night when you told me you’d take on Satan himself if he ever touched me?”
    Pain swelled inside, and she connected with Forras’s sorrow. His heart was black and cold, yet possessed a glimmer of sadness.
    “Yes,” Forras whispered. “But that was before.”
    “You lied to me,” Charlotte accused. “I thought you loved me, but not enough to protect me.” Agitation ebbed from him. “That was the night before her father murdered you.”
    “You mean the night you killed me.”
    Horrific swirls of devastation rolled over her. Sorrow clutched Gabby’s middle, and she doubled over from grief.
    “It wasn’t me,” Forras murmured. He stepped away from her, pressing his back against the far wall, hovering between the end of the bank of lockers and the trophy case.
    “Yes. You were the one who became so consumed with hatred that you turned into the one thing you despised. I could have been saved. But in your fiery rage, your claw dug deep into my chest, penetrating my heart.”
    “I didn’t! I tried to save you. It was him,” Forras choked.
    “No, my love. It was you. Remember.”
    In that moment Gabby knew why Forras had fallen. He couldn’t forgive himself.
    “Now you’ve been given a second chance to fix the harm you’ve done. To fight for what you once believed in.”
    Gabby held her breath, hoping, praying he’d help them.
    He’s a guardian, meant to protect and serve. But even if he agrees, you can never fully trust him, Charlotte warned.
     
    ****
     
    The image of Forras wrapping his arm around Gabby, leading her away from them, repeated in an endless loop of torment in Alexander’s mind. Heat pulsed to his eyes. Hatred throbbed inside him, and he allowed it to flow, yet not consume him. He’d worked so hard to control his emotions, now he had to embrace them if they were going to save Gabby.
    “Yeah, that’ll do.” Sammy laughed nervously.
    Boon smacked him on the back. “Don’t worry, this should work. We just need to distract them long enough for Grace to get Bruce out of here.”
    Sammy planted a kiss on Boon’s cheek. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”
    Grace smiled. “Don’t worry. You two won’t have to stretch too far to quarrel. I’ve seen you two go at each other more times than I can count.”
    “Thanks,” Alexander grumbled. He refocused on Forras’s plan to sacrifice