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An offending arrow, a massive splinter of death, struck Kelyn’s chest.
“NO!” I should have shielded him. Oh, Deian. No. The arrow might as well have been in my chest, for all the pain I felt.
Kelyn’s eyes were paralyzed. In his shock, his hands went to the arrow and wrapped around the shaft.
I stumbled toward him. “Don’t! You’ll bleed out.”
He didn’t have a chance. Kelyn dropped. Lifeless.
Around me, the enemy, with bows drawn, surrounded us. Kelyn’s men surrendered their weapons, which landed in the mud with a finality.
I glanced at Kelyn but glared at my attackers. I carried no weapon on me. I was the weapon. I closed my eyes.
You will not die in vain.
Light discerned light.
I will avenge you.
The bandits possessed no light worthy of my notice, so I separated the fear of Kelyn’s men from the evil in the bandits.
The sentence is passed. I judge you guilty.
I spread my arms wide. Fire burned in my fingertips. In my mind’s eye, the attack was careful and calculated. In reality, I reacted in two seconds.
Daggers of flame shot from my hands as I spun.
Dazzling streaks—lightning strikes to their hearts—dropped every bandit dead before they hit the ground.
In my outrage, in my fury, I killed them.
First time for everything.
It is done.
With my hands throbbing, I held them out from my sides as if they were caustic.
The world spun in a hollow tube around me. I was trapped in a funnel. I heard nothing. I turned my sight within, trying to ground myself.
It is done. My stomach heaved as I saw my core.
My heart-center was black, as if I had struck myself with the lightning. Charred. My beautiful, glowing, violet heart-center hid underneath a shroud, as if my deeds had shamed it.
My breathing grew shallow and rapid. My lips tingled. Like paint across canvas, my vision smeared. My mind was detaching from reality, attempting to cope as I gazed at the blurring corpses I had made.
Niawen, Seren said. I’m with you. Hold on.
My father’s prior words haunted me. “The mortals are corrupted. If you ever leave Gorlassar, you’ll become like them.”
Black. Ugly.
Corrupted.
“But why’s the rift there? Why is the way opened?” I had asked.
“It does not matter. If you leave our realm, there is no return.”
Ringing. Whooshing in my head.
