The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash 4)

“Get to her!” Millicent shouted as she grabbed Malik’s arm, thrusting him to the side. His armor had been splayed open by dakkai claws, as well. My breath caught as Millicent went flying backwards, a dakkai on top of her. There was no time.

Shutting down my senses, I whirled back to the altar. Isbeth had retrieved a sword.

Shouts went up from behind us. I skidded to a stop, looking over my shoulder to see the guards along the Carsodonia Rise rushing the battlements, arrows lit with fire as they aimed. Instead of at us, they fired upon the dakkais climbing the Rise. My heart stuttered. If the dakkais got into the city…

Letting my will stretch out to the draken, I saw Nithe’s midnight wings turn sharply as he aimed at the Rise. I didn’t look for Aurelia. I couldn’t. I couldn’t let myself do that as I started running, leaping over a body. My grip tightened on my dagger. Every part of my being focused on Isbeth as she lifted the sword, her hands and arms trembling as the blade hovered above Malec’s throat. My heart lurched as I realized what she had planned. I cocked back my arm and let the dagger go.

I held my breath as the blade flew through the air, headed straight for Isbeth. Her head jerked up, and the dagger spun backward.

“Shit.” I skidded, slipping as Delano crashed into me, knocking me aside.

Air punched out of my lungs as I hit the floor—hard. Delano landed half on top of me, and I groaned, planting my hands on his shoulders as I lifted my head to meet his bright blue eyes. “That was unnecessary. I would—” Something hot and wet dripped against my hand. I looked down at the streaks of red in his fur. With dawning horror, I saw my dagger protruding from his chest. The sword slipped from my hand. “No.”

Delano shuddered.

I tapped into the eather, channeling all the healing energy I could. I didn’t care about the dakkais. I didn’t care about Malec or Kolis because I couldn’t lose Delano. I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t lose—

The fur thinned under my hands, replaced by skin. Pale blond hair appeared, flopping into eyes that didn’t blink. Didn’t focus. Didn’t see.

“No!” I carefully rolled Delano onto his side, grasping his shoulders, shaking him. There was nothing. I reached for the dagger but halted. “Please. Please don’t do this. Get up, Delano. Please. Please.”

There was nothing.

Tears blinded me as silvery fire erupted over my head, rippling over the dakkais racing toward us. Sorrow rose sharply, crowding out everything else. Grabbing Delano, I pulled him away from the edge as someone screamed. Emil stumbled back, his swords slipping from his hands as he went down on one knee in front of the Revenant who had speared him through the chest. Kieran was suddenly there, his mouth open in a roar as he swung his sword through the Revenant’s neck.

Casteel spun then, his fangs bared as he skewered a Revenant. Blood drenched his face, his armor, and beneath my hands, Delano’s skin was already beginning to cool.

“I told you, my daughter.” Isbeth’s voice was soft but clear through the madness. “I said you would give me what I want.”

That fissure inside me that had broken open upon Vikter’s death tore wide now, coming from that hollow place inside me. My entire body jolted as grief-laced fury poured out of me, icy and endless. The sword fell from my hand as my other slid away from Delano. Rage joined the essence of the Primals, pressing at my skin as I rose and slowly turned.

I looked at Isbeth as she raised the sword above Malec once more, and I screamed.

Energy pulsed out from me, crackling and spitting as it spilled across the floor and slammed into Isbeth, knocking her back. She lost the sword as she caught herself. The Temple shuddered as eather pulsed from me, smacking into the dakkais drawn to me.

Isbeth rose, backing up. Bracing herself, she lifted her hand. “Don’t make me do this, Penellaphe.”

“I’m going to kill you,” I said as I stalked forward, and it was that voice, the one full of smoke and shadow. “I’m going to rip you apart.”

Her eyes flared wide as she skidded back several feet. A burst of eather left her.

And I laughed.

The energy hit me, and I took it in—the fiery pain, the burn of it—letting it seep into my skin and become a part of me. And then I sent it back.

Isbeth flew backward into the pillar. The impact cracked the marble as she fell forward onto her knees. “Ouch,” she snarled, lifting her head.

I smiled even as blood dripped from me—from the hits she’d landed—and hit the stone. Roots spilled out from new fissures in the stone as I walked, my eyes narrowing on her.