Chapter 69

"Through me you go to the grief-wrecked city.

Through me to everlasting pain you go.

Through me you go and pass among lost souls."

-Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

I refused to believe that Ronan had advised me to forget about my baby girl. He always believed that I'd made a mistake keeping her, but Maxine Brodeur wasn't the kind of person that could simply give up. I didn't know how, but Alexis had disabled Ronan, and that must have left a permanent mark on his magic.

He was scared, aware that if he continued helping me he could be summoned down to hell too. I didn't blame him that he was ready to wash his hands of this. After all, Summer was my problem, and she was no longer a secret. I thought about Ricky-his time was running out too. There was no way I would let him die alone. I was going to get that spell, no matter what.