“I won’t consign you to death either, sister,” her brother whispered softly, comfortingly.
Katia stood staring at her brother with a great pain twisting inside her heart. That feeling of certainty that she would be with Luc again was crashing and burning up inside of her. It seemed less and less likely that they were all going to get out of this alive. Katia took a deep breath and turned to Uriel with a look of resolve. If she was going to go down, she was going to do it swinging and would take out as many of Satan’s minions as she could.
“So, what’s our next move?” Katia said with a level of steel in her voice that took her by surprise.
Uriel swallowed hard before he replied, his voice rough with emotion. “We have only one move. We fight our way out.”
“And if we’re captured?” Keir asked quietly.
“If you’re captured, you can refuse the binding. But be warned, if Satan has both of you, he will use the most heinous torture to bend you to his will,” said Uriel with a catch in his voice. “You must remember what’s at stake should he succeed.”
Katia nodded solemnly. “So we have two possible outcomes – escape or suicide. And suicide in Halja is the gift that keeps on giving, right?”
“What do you mean?” Keir asked.
Turning to her brother, Katia replied, “You die in Halja and your soul is stuck here eternally in a deep abyss with millions of other trapped souls with no hope of release.”
Katia watched as her brother sucked in a breath and held it for a moment before expelling it loudly.
“Yeah, not exactly the reunion any of us wanted, so let’s hope we can get our asses out of here in one piece.” Katia smiled wryly at her brother. “Welcome to the family.”
Uriel laughed as he reached out to rest a hand on each of his children’s shoulders. “Let’s hope this doesn’t become our regular family bonding activity.”
“No shit,” Katia muttered.
“Once we enter the courtyard, you two stick together.” Uriel said firmly. “I’ll provide as much cover as possible for both of you.”
“Sounds good,” Katia nodded.
“Daughter, you absorbed combat knowledge from the Jinn. I can sense it. You should pass that on to your brother.”
Katia turned toward her brother and reached out, placing her fingertips on Keir’s temples as Amir had done to her. “Okay, Keir, I need you to relax and clear your mind. Once you feel a connection, just try to zero in on battle tactics and weapons. You’ll know what I mean once it happens, all right?”
Keir nodded, unsuccessfully hiding his apprehension. Katia stared into her brother’s eyes and felt a pull like they were magnets being drawn inexorably closer. She was falling into a mirror that would surely shatter upon impact. A split second before she was certain she would break apart, Katia felt a buzzing power run through her. Her cresting panic began to subside as the warm electric current ran from her heart, up her chest, and down her arms. As the current reached her fingers, a bright flash lit up the dim hallway. Keir’s head snapped backward but his eyes remained locked on hers. The falling sensation returned, but this time Katia felt like she was falling directly into Keir’s eyes. The green and blue coming closer and closer until they swallowed her whole. And then it happened. They were connected.
Katia could sense her brother’s thoughts and feelings. The loneliness and sadness inside him almost brought her to her knees. Behind that was a bright flare of hope that made her smile. The world inside of him was changing and shifting, she could feel the positive emotions running through him, gathering momentum and preparing to crest like a great wave full of love, belonging, and peace.
When she had merged with Amir she had remained separate, had seen flickering images and fuzzy sensations from Amir’s life, this time she and Keir had merged into one. Katia could feel her own memories flowing through a separate part of her mind like sand through an hourglass as they trickled through her into her brother. They had completed some kind of circuit. Their soul was merging. Katia wondered what Keir was feeling as he stood witness to her life.
She had no idea how long they remained locked together, but suddenly the images stopped, frozen like a DVD put on pause. A blur of information flickered in her mind’s eye. Keir had found what he needed. Energy began to brew deep inside her, Katia knew what was coming and braced herself as a flash of power ripped her and her brother apart, flinging them onto the floor. Katia shook her head and blinked to refocus her eyes after the blinding flash. As her vision cleared, her brother's face came into focus, he was staring at her in wonder.
“You’ve lived a big life,” he said, awe lacing every word he spoke.
Suddenly embarrassed by the thought of her entire life being an open book, Katia blushed and looked down at the ground as she dragged herself to her feet, scuffing her boot on the flagstone floor. “Not really. The music was an outlet. I never planned on becoming famous...it just kinda happened.”
Katia peeked up at her brother and saw him shake his head. “It’s not just that. You’ve known the love of wonderful parents, the love of your music...you always felt like an outsider, but it didn’t stop you from achieving many things in life...and you’ve finally known the love of a man who would risk his own life to save yours. Your desire to save me is so strong. I felt it hammering at me through our connection. You’re a strong woman. I’m thankful to be your brother.”
Tears pricked her eyes as Katia embraced Keir. “We can both live a big life now that you’re free.”
Uriel cleared his throat and the twins turned toward their father as one. “I’m sorry my children, but we cannot tarry
