“Kalan!” I can’t leave Ever unconscious, but Crimson needs me. “Kalan?” I look around but can’t see him anywhere. He’s gone.
As gently as I can, I set Ever on her back and brush the loose curls of hair from her face before trailing my finger to her throat to check her pulse to double-check she’s still breathing.
She’s fine.
She’ll be fine.
Crimson’s fighting Fenix when I look over to them, just a blur of shadow on shadow.
With everyone knocked out, why is Fenix still conscious? Where’s the Usher? My mind jumps through questions, coming up with information, layering it over and over again. Weirdly, it’s like our magic is back to normal—normal for Kirrasia, anyway.
It’s the first time I’ve been able to think clearly in weeks, but there are so many questions, and it’s time to get some fucking answers.
I close the gap between me and the fight, making out more than just the silhouettes of the figures now, and it’s clear Fenix isn’t at full strength. He’s not using any of his tricks, so maybe he’s not such a threat. Kalan was right. His magic is tied to the day.
In a blink, they’re grappling, no longer trading punches.
I know how viscous Crimson is, and for all these weeks, she’s been biding her time. Before I reach them, I watch as she strikes. So fast. Thrusting the blade into Fenix’s chest. But he doesn’t go down.
Everything around us goes still, including me, as I watch.
But, almost like a premonition—as if his intent is there for me to read, I know what he’s going to do.
“Crimson!” I warn, but I’m too far away. He grabs her neck with his hands, the blade still shoved into his chest, and he twists.
The crack is audible from here, and Crimson drops to the ground.
“No!” I watch as her body crashes and lies still—frozen—where she falls. At least Fenix slumps into the dirt next to her. “No. No, no, no…”
I reach her, skidding to my knees just as I did before Ever, a few moments ago.
Her face is turned to the sky, her eyes wide open, vacant.
She’s gone.
As simple as that. All this time. All this pain, the trials in the ring, just so he can do this to her! White-hot rage races through me, threatening to detonate, and I scream up at the sky, venting the anger.
I look over at Fenix, already bleeding out, the blade still oozing where she left it.
She did it for her brother, for revenge, as any Warrior would. But I know she’s only here because of me. She did this for me, and it got her killed.
This is on me.
“We have to go. Now,” Kalan’s voice is suddenly back.
“Where were you!”
“Leave her. She’s gone.”
“I can’t leave her here.”
“We can’t take her and Ever. Ever’s alive.”
Crimson isn’t.I finish his thought.
My hand brushes her eyes closed, and I send up a prayer to Aslendrix to watch over her.
The ruby-red stone in the hilt of the Ciro knife winks, as if mocking me, buried in the chest of Fenix. I snatch it and rip itfree, the hurt and grief like an avalanche, threatening to pull me under.
