Quazar took a step toward me.
“If you help?—”
“I haven’t!” Quazar thundered. “Keep pushing me Zamarien,” he challenged, his voice dangerously quiet.
Farasee Kaelthos kept quiet.
“Ninety-nine,” Lilithine cried.
I fell to my knees. It felt like I’d shattered my kneecaps.
Face first, I fell into the pool of blood.
“Starling…”
“Don’t. I…I’ve got this. Imustdo this. On my own.”
By some miracle, before Kaelthos’s bloodthirst could win, I pushed to my knees. Then my palms. Then onto my ankles, and slowly, stars, so slowly, I stretched up to stand. Through the tears. The blood. The pain. With my shattered mind and my broken hearts.
“Do. Not. Yield. Starling.”
Quazar’s words stunned me.
They anchored me.
“One hundred.”
A fierce, final,fatalstrike ripped into my spine. One of the Dragontails wrapped around my waist. It ripped the fabric open as sharp scales tore through my skin over my ribs. Blood gushed from my rib cage, pooling down my gown.
That was the blow that finished me.
As if slipping through water, my body tumbled backwards. My eyes rolled into my head, my arms flung in different directions carrying the momentum of my body with them. The whipscracked, andsnapped, jerking me into a spiral, releasing me into the air.
Several reptilian roars erupted from above outside the cathedral. Then the roof overhead shattered as the Dragèth—bonded to the Xadari Legionnaires—dove into the cathedral.
“Dragons!” the Disciples screamed.
Some Disciples took off flying. The moment they were airborne, the black dragon with the silver eyes flamed them,burning them to a crisp until there was nothing left. Not any skin, bones, or even their spirit.
Endless screaming filled the building. A bright light settled like a film over my eyes, as I felt myself drifting far away. Like I was leaving my body. Like I was leaving this life.
I heard the sound of bodiesfyusing.
Of Ellabeth swearing vengeance.
When gravity began to yank me down, strong arms, corded with muscle, grabbed hold of me before I fell to the floor. The gentleness with which they held me brought fresh tears to my eyes. Shadows covered all my open wounds and helped to hold my head.
“Safah Eloise Anathelle, don’t you dare yield. Not even to the Ellelights.”
Quazar’s voice was shrill. Filled with panic.
Choking.
Like he was fighting tears.
Like he was racing against time.
His delicious scent of mint and sandalwood filled my nostrils. I hung limp in his arms. I felt light. Weightless. As if I was being flown to somewhere else. Somewhere away from this blood chamber the Farasees had the nerve to call a Sanctuary.
