Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms 3)

Eva was just as beautiful as the shimmering, golden creature, but she had dark hair and eyes the color of midnight. She shook her head. “You’ll have to take them from me.”

“If you insist.” The golden one nodded to two girls next to her—one with dark hair, one with light. “Take them.”

There was something wrong with Eva; she was pale and shivering. But even though she knelt on the ground before the golden one, she looked up at her with defiance.

The girls came forward and snatched up the objects lying on the ground before Eva—four small crystal orbs.

Lucia watched in stunned silence.

“Such a stupid mistake.” Eva shook her head. “You will regret following her orders.”

“Shut up, you fool,” the dark-haired girl snapped. “You wanted to keep this power all to yourself.”

“No. I wanted to protect you from it. But it’s too late now.”

Each girl held two crystals. They swiftly grew brighter in their grips until they blazed like tiny suns.

“What’s happening?” The fair-haired girl gasped, staring down at the spheres of amber and moonstone she was holding.

“Stop this.” Panic rose in the golden woman’s voice. “No! This cannot happen.”

“I warned you, Melenia. Over and over.” Eva clenched her fists at her sides. “But you ignored me.”

Lucia shot her gaze to the golden one, as if seeing her for the first time.

“I—I can’t let go!” cried the dark-haired girl, who held aquamarine and obsidian. “It hurts!”

Melenia rushed toward Eva and grasped her throat, digging her fingers in without mercy. “Stop this.”

“I can’t. It’s too late. This was your choice. Always remember that.”

“I’ve stolen your magic. You have nothing left. You should be dead already. This is the end for you.”

Eva eyed her with disdain, but didn’t attempt to free herself. “Do you honestly think it’s that easy? My magic is eternal. My blood on your hands seals your fate.”

“I want him back!” Melenia struck Eva across her face, the harsh sound of it making Lucia wince. “He belongs to me!”

Blood trickled from the corner of Eva’s mouth. “He doesn’t belong to anyone. He never has and he never will. He used you and you allowed him to, Melenia. If I hadn’t stopped him in time, he would have destroyed everything.”

Melenia trembled with rage, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I love him.”

“That is your greatest mistake. The love you felt for him wasn’t love at all—it was obsession. Real love means sacrifice, not selfishness.”

The two girls started screaming, shrieks of pain that sent ripples of sympathy through Lucia. But Eva looked satisfied, as if their screams were music to her ears.

The screaming finally ceased and Lucia’s eyes went wide with shock.

The crystals were gone. What remained were four symbols, burned into the palms of the girls’ outstretched hands.

Earth and water.

Fire and air.

Lucia could barely breathe. These girls were the goddesses Valoria and Cleiona. . . .

Suddenly, before she could soak up the realization any longer, her world crashed into darkness again. She fell backward, tumbling around and around, into a bottomless ebony pit.

“Lucia,” a voice said from the darkness. “Lucia! Wake up!”