Screams pierced the air, but I ignored them, the corner of my mouth hitching up an inch as I watched Adreona’s army disappear into the ground.
“That should hold them off for a while,” Luka said from behind.
An exasperated scream pierced the air. “She’s here,” I muttered. “Adreona is here.”
“You’re certain?”
“Yes.” I’d heard that scream of frustration more times than I could count. “We need to get to her.”
I removed Minerva from its sheath once again. “Let’s go.”
Luka and I fought our way through the remains of Adreona’s army, our friends at our backs with the rest of our small legion following behind them.
I could feel us getting closer to Adreona with every step we took. I didn’t know how, but by some twisted turn of fate, I could feel her.
When we reached the sinkhole I created, I used my magic again to manipulate the earth, along with my water magic to make a bridge across the cavern.
As we crossed the ice bridge, I didn’t look below at the soldiers who pleaded for our assistance.
Adreona’s soldiers were waiting for us on the other side, the ones that had managed to escape my manipulation of the earth.
“There she is.” I spotted their leader at the back of their legion,
Adreona’s gaze slid to me, her few remaining soldiers parting to clear a path between us.
“Where’s your witch?” My voice rang out over the battlefield.
“I’m right here.” Keziq made her presence known as she appeared out from the shadows.
“This ends here,” I told the pair.
“What are you asking for? A fight to the death?” She let out a harsh laugh.
“That’s exactly what I’m asking for.” I tightened my hold on my sword. One way or another, this ends today. Not all of us would walk off this battlefield.
Luka’s swords glimmered in his hands as he stood at my side.
I heard footsteps crunching behind me. I knew without looking who it was.
Blood and dirt crusted Kara’s face, her blonde hairwindblown. Luce’s staff glinted in the sunlight, her black rotting vein pulsing against her skin. Nico had shifted back into his wolf form, his silver coat crusted with blood and dirt. Declan’s wings were spread wide, his black feathers still shining.
Together. We’d meet the end together.
Whatever end it would be.
Adreona’s guards closed in, we were outnumbered, but we had something they didn’t have.
A thirst for blood. Vengeance.
They’d put me through fucking hell.
This went even farther back than my parent’s death, and my brother being held for three years as a hostage.
It went back to Luka’s cousin Este’s disappearance, her death.
All of it—I’d get vengeance for it all.
And we’d come out on the other side with a better Lethenia.
