He'd always known the source of Death's magic was the souls, but he'd never seen his predecessor wield the light of the souls. Shut off from the underworld, he could only hope he had enough soul power here on the mortal world to reincarnate one Immortal.
The earth beneath him trembled, which he took as a good sign. The soul sank into the ground. Gabriel grabbed at it, until he saw the shape of a man form beneath a haze of green. He stood and stepped back, breathing hard from his swim. His death-dealers were fading into the shadows of the forest as the ground shook.
Gabe sat down on a boulder, a thrill working through him. He'd been ignoring the extent of the power available from the souls for fear of violating the Code, which he now understood was not binding in the face of a threat like Darkyn.
If this worked, could he do the same for Deidre? Kill her, remove the soul and revive her? Gabriel's gaze went to the lake. The souls were barely glimmering; there was no way he'd be able to pull the amount of power he needed to save Deidre.
He needed more than access to the underworld to save her; he needed the medical advice of someone like Wynn. From what he knew, if they brought her back, she'd be however she left the earth. He couldn't have the tumor - or half her brain missing - when he revived her.
Gabriel shuddered at the thought of hurting her.
Was this why Darkyn hadn't grabbed her? Had Wynn unknowingly protected Deidre by linking her life to that of the soul in her head?
The haze cleared, and the earth settled. Gabriel rose and approached the still form. The night-skinned Immortal appeared to be either dead-dead or sleeping. Squatting, Gabe shook him. Tanzanite eyes opened, the familiar blue-purple making Gabriel smile in triumph. He was going to win this round against Fate, Darkyn and anyone else who stood between him, the underworld and his mate.
"Welcome back, Andre," he whispered. "A little reminder. I brought you back. I pretty much own you, at least temporarily."
Andre sat, steady gaze on Gabriel. Gabe knew he must look half-wild: drenched, muddied and sizzling with power.
"It looks like a few things changed while I was gone," the Immortal said with the calmness Gabriel remembered always admiring.
Gabe nodded. Soul power rippled through him and with it, the sensation of the invisible shackles he'd worn his entire adult life melting away. He was alive after a lifetime banished to the shadows. Things would be different from here on out.