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.And then I somehow stood in the family room.I must have flashed because Tristan hadn’t touched me and I’d felt nothing push me there.I stood in the kitchen in front of him and then I didn’t.The suddenness disoriented me and I lost my balance, falling into the chair.Tristan bowled through the kitchen island, smashing through the wood and granite as if they were hollow props.He stood where the island once had, the fire-eyes on me, his muscles twitching and jerking.Mom and Owen stood in fighting stances, their hands held out toward Tristan.They had some kind of power on him.I didn’t know what, but knew it couldn’t be good.“Stop it!” I yelled, jumping to my feet.“You’re hurting him!”But Tristan’s face showed no pain.Only fury.He flicked his hand casually and Mom and Owen flew backwards several feet, their powers released from him.Tristan flashed into the family room, less than five feet from me.He started to lift his hand toward me.“I have to do it!” Owen yelled.The air in the room whooshed upward, followed by popping noises as four more people appeared.They immediately crouched, hands and wands out, focused on Tristan.“NO!” I cried, throwing myself in front of him, my arms held out protectively.“Don’t hurt him!”Tristan roared.I heard more popping outside and then cackling.Daemoni! My old sixth-sense alarms weren’t sounding.I had a feeling my new “gift” replaced that other sense.Instead, I identified the Daemoni with an instantaneous conviction.I could physically feel their evil energy nearby.The noises outside momentarily diverted everyone else’s attention.Tristan took advantage of their distraction.He snarled ferociously and his arm suddenly snaked around my waist, pinning me to his body.Evil! Good! Evil! Good! Again, not my sense, but a physical feeling of the powers battling within him.I remembered the pain I’d suffered as the same forces had battled inside me only hours before.I had to help him win.I had to bring him back to us.The protectors’ eyes flew from Tristan to me to the glass doors.The popping outside continued, like popcorn in a hot pan.“Go!” Mom commanded the others.“Outside! Owen, we need more help!”“Already on it!” Owen yelled.“Alexis, you can do this,” Rina thought calmly.“His heart is yours.His soul is yours.Use your Amadis power.”Confidence filled her silent voice.Confidence that felt unworthy.I knew the truth in what she said about his heart and soul.They belonged to me.Or, at least, they had.I didn’t know what, if anything, remained.The evil energy—the demon, the Daemoni force, whatever raged inside him—was so strong.Even if I could beat it, I couldn’t help but wonder what the evil power had already done to him…what would be left of him…if he would still be my Tristan.The energy in him is so strong, Rina.Stronger than Sheree’s.I can’t do this.You and Mom have to.“Use your Amadis power,” she repeated.It’s not strong enough! I’m not risking our lives again.I can’t do it, Rina!“Yes, you can, darling.Your power is stronger than even mine.You can do this, Alexis.”Tristan put the debate to an end.He flexed his bicep and forearm, squeezing me tighter so I could barely breathe.One more move like that and he would crush my ribs.Maybe even snap my spine.But because he hadn’t done so already, I knew he still fought for us.Somewhere deep inside, he resisted.“Trust me, Alexis.I am here if you need me, but only you can reach Tristan.”I closed my eyes, inhaled as deeply as possible and focused on harnessing the Amadis power.I could feel it concentrating and then expanding, creating a bubble within me.Then I heaved the air I’d been holding and forced the bubble outwards from my core.A growl rumbled in my own throat as I impelled the Amadis power away from me.The bubble exploded from my body.Electricity zapped between Tristan and me, violently separating us.I flew into the shelving against the wall.Glass shattered around me and rained to the floor.Tristan flew to the opposite wall.He crashed onto the couch, which broke with a crack under his force.He raised his hand [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]