The man chuckled at my dagger as he inched his sword closer to me, the tip of it skimming the side of my forehead. I don’t know why, but I froze in place, unable to counter his threat with one of my own.
His head tilted as he noticed the jewels on my cheekbone. Smiling deviously, he placed pressure on his weapon, drawing some blood. “I should cut these little beauties right out of your skin. Then finish the job and leave you for dead,” he snarled, his voice gruff and cruel.
Was this it? Was this the sacrifice I'd been waiting on? Was this how I died? Was this why I couldn't bring myself to fight back?
“You know that it's not. Kill him. Get away. Come to me.”The goddess’ voice rang in my ears—a grave warning.
My reluctance was the curse of panic—my body trying to protect myself from the torments of the past. I couldn't function, though I really fucking needed to. My mind wouldn’t quiet. My brain wouldn’t untangle itself to allow me free will.
“My king would prefer you alive though, he has great intentions of creating more of you—that would be impossible to do without the woman alive to breed,” the soldier grumbled, his breath wreaking of malice.
My lungs ceased to expand in response to that cruel truth.
Beaumont wanted tobreedme? That's not how this even worked. The gods chose who they gave their powers to. You couldn’t just create more of us on demand.Could you?
I didn't want to find out.
My dagger shook in my quivering hand. I tried to summon my body into allowing me more motion, but my mind wouldn't allow it.
The soldier's blade twisted into my skin and my blood leaked faster, dripping down my cheek. He grabbed a hold ofmy arm before I could react, dragging me towards him. I ground myself into the dirt, fighting his strength.
“You have a gift, use it.”
Gods. She was absolutely right. What in the hell was I doing?
The soldier most likely had his shields up, but if I could get through Sebastian’s, then I could get through his.
I allowed my eyes to close, needing more peace than the war amongst us would grant me. My gemstones pricked at my skin as I summoned my magic, feeling it flood through every organ inside of me as it painted over my soul.
“Remove your weapon from my skin…”
I opened my eyes and watched the soldier pout in confusion as he did what I said.
“Now stab yourself in the heart.”
The Draemornian tried to fight my magic, but such a thing was not possible when I held onto it so tightly it could shatter stone. He angled his sword towards himself, then jammed it so hard that it pierced through the walls of his chest plate. His gaze went hollow as he stopped his own heart. Deep, red liquid pooled from the hole in his armor as he fell backwards, his sword sticking straight up in his chest.
I gazed blankly at him as I side stepped around his corpse, continuing on into the fog. My legs wobbled a bit, but I ignored the lingering ache the best I could. If there were ever a time to push through the pain of my weakness, it was now.
The sky started to clear the closer I got to the castle. Most of the battle has been centralized near the main gate. I could see the mass of Draemornians trying to break inside the wards, and it looked as though they were close to being successful.
“Hurry.”
I started off running, bolting through the damaged terrain and heading towards the courtyard. The smoke and fog made it difficult to see, but I put my head down to pick up speed.My boots kicked up crimson dirt as I ran, my pace continuous until my helmet met metal. My headgear rebounded off of my skull as my body crossed into something—or rather, someone.
The bleeding from my forehead seeped into my eyes, creating a red film over the world as I fell back on my ass. Anxiety placed its cruel hold on me as I recalled this moment, recognizing this same situation as one of my visions.
I’m on the right path.
I jumped to my feet, drawing my sword in preparation to kill whoever was in my way. Not even really looking, I aimed my weapon.
“Maeve, stop. It's me.”
I blinked out some of my blood, allowing the person to come into view, arms up in a sign of peace.
Kohen.
I sighed—in relief or dread, I was not quite sure.
