Pallas
Iwas nearly gone; the edges of my vision were black, and my throat was raw.Myscreams were silent now, but they still tried to escape.Ifelt my heart giving out.Iwouldn’t survive much longer.
Thenit tugged, trying to jump out of my chest.Thesensation was so similar to the feeling in the hallway beforeIwas able to cling to it.
Ifelt it, something unraveling inside me, and then they were there.
We’rewith you,Pallas.
Fight,Pallas.
Thepain ceased for a moment asHadeonretracted his magic.Hethrew me onto the floor, and the side of my head cracked against the stone audibly.Myvision danced black again, and he stooped over me.
“Tellme what you know, my enchantress.”
“Idon’t know anything!”
Hishand snaked around the front of my throat, and he lifted me.Mylungs strained, and pain radiated from his tight grip asall my weight was forced into it.Iclawed at his hand with my own, but it did nothing.
“Perhapsa night in the dungeon will trigger your memory.Noneed to worry, my love; the men have been quite without amusement these arduous weeks.I’msure you won’t be alone down there for long.”
No.No, no, no, no.FightPallas!
Ikicked him hard in the stomach, and it stunned him so much that he dropped me and staggered back.Icoughed, trying to force air into my head.Hedidn’t move towards me yet, but his eyes burned like the heart of a storm.
“Youbastard!Ican’t believeI...”Iwouldn’t say it.Notto him.Hissmile broke into that wicked, knowing grin that haunted me whetherIslept or woke.
“What,Pallas?Doyou thinkIloved you?Me, theDivineEmperor, theGreatHero?LikeIcould love someone like you.You’reweak, powerless.Don’tinsult me.”Hishand shot out, andIwas consumed by lightning again.Italways seemed to find those old scars hidden away just below the surface, taking the same path over and over, century after century.Thepain was more familiar to me than kindness.Myoldest friend.Now,Ifelt different.Thatpain made a power inside me swell like something had been unlocked.Thecreature in my gut roared, no longer willing to be contained.Iwas scared, butIdidn’t want to cower.
“I’mgoing to kill the prince,Pallas.I’mgoing to make him scream and beg and make you watch.Whenthe light finally dies from his eyes,Iwant you to know you could have stopped it if only you hadn’t been such a naïve little girl.ButIwon’t let you go then.I’llkeep you, my little enchantress, forever.”
Iwanted to fight him.Iwanted to kill him.
Icalled to that animal in me.Shewas ragged and ferocious, but for the first time, she wasn’t starved and broken.Sheshined with that glowing blue light thatTorigave to me.Justa small seed, something she saidIwould need to make grow.So,Idid.
Icalled to her, and she purred.Thatblue magic grew into my claws and skin.Fora moment,Iwas free.FreeofHadeon’smagic, free of his hold.Islashed the blue flames of my claws across his face as his eyes grew wide.Redlines blossomed along pale flesh, andIcursed myself for missing his eyes.Islashed again and again.Moreblood welled up across his chest and arms.Hetried to strike me with his magic, but my skin was protected.Protectedby my magic.
“Don’tyou ever dare touch me again!”
Hiseyes were wild with alarm as he staggered back, trying to protect himself.Therewas nothing he could do.Icould taste his fear now, andInever had anything so delicious.Hismouth moved, and he might have been commanding me to stop, butIonly heard the blood rushing in my ears and the magic pouring out of every broken piece of me.
Iraised my hand, ready to pluck out his heart, when ice shot over my body.Theice cracked and broke every bit of myself.ThemagicIconjured was snuffed out like a light, andIfelt the harsh bite of metal around my neck.
“Seemslike these bitches keep surprising us with new tricks.”Icould barely hearLuxosvoice over the ringing in my ears, butIcould smell ash and rose, the telltale sign of his magic.
Aharsh metallic taste rose in my mouth as my hands clawed at my neck.Acollar, he’d collared me!
Ididn’t know if it was the enslavement magic or my shock, but my body shut down.Icollapsed back into the hard wall ofLuxos’ body, and my vision tunneled asIsaw nothing butHadeon’seyes glowing with rage as he came at me, hands outstretched.IfeltLuxoswave his hand, words floating in one ear and out the other, incomprehensible.Andthen there was nothing.Nolight, no magic, no hope asIblacked out.
Chapter 65
Hadeon
Whycouldn’t they see it?Pallaswas mine.Thiswhole world was mine.I’dsaved it.I’dstopped theWorldBreaker.Myreward had been the return of magic to be mine and mine alone.
Iwas more god now than those dragons had ever been.Theyhad shared their power with the world.Fools.Lookwhat it brought them, nothing but destruction.Ihad been weak once butIhad killed that pathetic creature long ago.Ihad molded myself into power, raw and undiluted.Ionly ever saw shadows of my former self in her eyes.
Ihad let that shadow linger there too long.Ilet her linger.Itraced my hand over the scab that still refused to heal on my face.Ihad been lenient with bothPallasandAbraxas.Thathad been my only flaw.Agod did not hold such worldly attachments.Itwas time to correct this long overdue error.
