Page 69 of How to Woo the Undead

The red eyed, antlered, tentacle mouthed rabbit stood up on his back legs. Almost as if begging her not to, almost as if screaming it was a bad idea. But she sobbed harder, “Go Snuffles! Get help!”

And then she threw herself into the fire.

One foot after the other, she lumbered up a shifting hill of uneven wooden logs. One cracked and split underneath her. It shot flames up her leg. Hyacinth screamed. Her hands tried to grab another one, but her palms missed. She forced herself on, despite the searing pain, or the heat blurring her eyes.

This is all your fault, Sabine!She sobbed, despite not being able to cry, her body stumbling forward.This isallyour fault!If she hadn’t killed Janus, then she’d still be alive and Hyacinth wouldn’t have been made. If she hadn’t fought Hyacinth from the beginning, they wouldn’t be in this predicament…because Hyacinth might have shared. What did she care for the actions of her body while she slept? What is missing a few hours here or there when they could be home. Safe in Rosemont Manor, knitting scarves or learning to make pie crust or letting Greggory read her another story? What did she care about a little possession when she had Austin smiling at her. Leaving little kisses on her forehead or cheek, holding her hand, or even just sitting with her.

We could have worked together!Hyacinth shrieked louder as she lost her left hand. It turned to ash mere seconds after her stitching gave out. Her body stumbled into a firm pillar and she gasped.We could have been happy! We could have shared.

But Sabine didn’t want to share. Sabine wanted revenge. Death. Blood. Her tree.That damn tree! I hope it burns!

Hyacinth glanced up into the burnt skull of Austin. Her heart stopped beating. His eyes were closed, his tusks barely hanging on.No—No! NO! NO!Hyacinth wrapped her working fingers around the chains. Her legs were simply bones and sinew, barely holding her up as she tugged. “No!"

She screamed and screamed and screamed as she pulled on those chains. The fire shifted around her. It roared louder,claiming more of the temple. Wooden roofs caught with golden flames as it devoured everything around her. The smoke was so thick it made her eyelids stick open, burning her eyes directly.No! Please! No! You can’t have him!

With one last beat of her wings, she tore the chains free of his body. She went sailing backward. His heavy body collapsed over her as they splattered to the cobblestone beyond the pyre. The last thing she saw before the night took her was a flash of lightning…purple lightning.

It didn’t come from the sky.

Chapter Thirty-Four:

Sebastian

“NO-no-nonono!Austin!Hyacinth!”Dahliashrieked, legs kicking out beneath her. Smith held the lich’s beloved back with a trembling arm as Sebastian stepped up to a devastating scene. His heart lurched, stopped by time itself as he stared at a burning cliffside.A cleric’s temple…so close to the manor? To the city?It didn’t make sense. But, then again, many things didn’t make sense in the last few days.

Divine flames were fickle. They required an incredible amount of arcane talent to start, and even harder to contain. The effort and magic required to bring about the devastating scene before him was impressive. Flames danced on the lens of his mask as he stepped through the screaming stone archway. What little wood there was left on the temple was turned to ash quickly after. Only stone continued to stand, and even it was being eaten away. Sebastian flicked his hands quickly out to his sides, his lightening snuffing out the magic. Plumes of smoke danced between clumps of necromantic smog.

A byproduct of one of his creations being burned.

Tears welled in his eyes as he stepped up into the courtyard. The little rapscallion named Snuffles skittered to a stop at his ankle. There, a foot from him, were the remains of Austin and Hyacinth. What was left of them was a mockery of hismagnificent creations. A cruel, unforgivable mockery. He sank to his knees by the top of their heads. His hands trembled for the first time in a long time as he cupped the back of Austin’s head.

His skull wasso fragile. His body burned clean of most of his flesh and fat. What little was left was tough muscle and bone. Hyacinth was missing a hand, her wings just hollow frames.

Sebastian sank full against his calves, tears pouring down his face. The wail that escaped him was foreign to him…as it’d been ages since his heart broke like that. His gloved fingers lightly traced the melted seams of Austin.

“My boy,” he whimpered, lower lip trembling. “Myboy…why were you out here…I told…I told you! Not to!”

Lightning snapped off his body in sharp bolts. Purple light ignited the angry storm and snuffed out the last few flames. He devoured every last one till the temple was just a steaming pile of ash. Bent over his lap, Sebastian howled into the night. Pain escaped him as he put palms to both of them, cupping them as tightly as he was capable. Their bodies so frail…so light…so lifeless.

“Sebastian?” Dahlia hiccupped from behind him.

He snapped up, twisting at the hip to find his beloved stumbling forward. Her knees cracked against the cobblestone as she dropped beside him. Tears streaked down her cheeks, her pale palms shaking like leaves in the wind as she tentatively touched the top of Hyacinth’s wings.

Smith approached like a ghostly whisper, a cool breeze on his burning hot skin. “My lord?”

“Smith,” Sebastian swallowed hard.Austin, you were the one I never expected to lose. You were the only one I took for granted. You were mine. You were to stay by my side. My proof. My boy…you…

Only for Austin to gasp and the three jerked upright. It was less a gasp and more a rattle, as he was reduced to a charred skull. Sebastian ripped his gloves off his hands and placed them against the burnt flesh clinging to Austin’s torso. Pumping magic through him, he used what he could to stitch the tissue around Austin’s face back together.Enough that he can breathe or speak.His boy coughed hard once, wheezing for air. “Sir.”

“Austin!” Dahlia squeaked, cupping his cheeks.

“Sir…” Austin wheezed, his bones rattling.

“Smith!” Sebastian roared, turning back to the slender who was already working on a portal from the rings he kept on his person.Just hold on, my boy.

Chapter Thirty-Five:

Austin