Her mark of the dragon had never reacted so strongly to sunlight, but she’d never been so bathed in it before. As her skin absorbed more of the sun, she shone brighter and brighter until those around her had to cover their eyes and turn their heads away.
Her glow, and the sun, chased some of the shadows away from Cole, but many retreated to hide within his soul. A soul they’d claimed a part of.
But as they devoured what remained of Cole, she became blinding. Closing her eyes, she tipped her head back and opened her arms to the sun blazing down on her.
And beneath her feet, a growing vibration rose from the earth to seep through her boots and intoher. The warmth spread up her legs, through her belly, and out through the rest of her body. It was such a powerful,welcomingsensation.
She knewexactlywhat it meant. Dragonia was welcoming her home.Thiswas where she belonged, the place where her parents fell in love, and it connected with her like the shadows did with Cole.
Except with her, instead of filling her with darkness, this land filled her with light until it burst out of her. At that moment, she knew the truth; Cole hadtrulybecome the darkness while she hadtrulybecome the light.
And they would either coexist or destroy each other. Tears slid down her face, but the sun and her glow burned them away before they could fall from her chin.
“Holy shite,” Skog muttered.
In the distance, a dragon roared. Another and another took up that dragon’s call until they all bounced off the rocks surrounding them and echoed throughout the land.
Something inside Lexi broke free and soared like a bird on the currents as their calls struck straight into her soul. Her heart hammered in rhythm with the dragon’s cries, and the power thrumming from the land increased her glow.
And then, the dragons came.
CHAPTERSIXTY-NINE
The dragons glidedlike eagles as they swooped, spun, and dove through the air. Except, they were far larger and fardeadlierthan any eagle could ever be.
They could kill most of those gathered around her with one breath of fire, but Lexi felt no apprehension about the magnificent creatures. Instead, excitement thrummed through her as the sun glinted off their scales. Their colorful bodies dotted the sky as their talons gleamed, and those golden eyes shone brilliantly.
Alina’s wings blew back the hair on the giants as she swept over them and up the side of the mountain they sat beside. The red of her scales resembled blood, and for a disconcerting second, Lexi had to close her eyes against the ominous image.
When she opened them again, Alina was soaring over the top of them. Her passing tugged at the hair that had fallen free of Lexi’s braid. Awe enveloped her as she tipped her head back to take in the yellow flecks on Alina’s belly before the dragon swept out of view.
More dragons darted and danced overhead, acting like they were playing or rejoicing. She couldn’t know, but they seemed joyful, which was…wonderful.
“It’s time for you to go,” Cole said in that strange, guttural voice shehated. “Return to your army and bring them here. We will end this today.”
His words sent a shiver down her spine as she tore her attention away from the dragons. Whereas they were so amazing, what stood before her was true horror.
Did the shadows want their army here so they would have more to kill once they finished with the Lord? Or was it so they could fight against the Lord?
She no longer trusted the intentions of the man before her—something she’dneverbelieved could be possible. Cole had been ruthless to others sometimes, but she’d always known where his heart and true purpose lay.
Now, she had no idea what to make of him.
Gone was the man who held her so tenderly while they waltzed around the palace. In his place was a creation that could unleash hell upon this land and all the other realms.
The only thing they had going for them was the sun. It kept most of the shadows somewhat contained around Cole. But that wouldn’t always be the case.
When Cole shifted, the shadows parted enough for her to see his profile, but the darkness shrouding him didn’t dissipate. He’d come here wearing dark brown pants and a green, fae tunic. What remained of his pants had turned as black as the shadows slithering over him.
Blackness crept across his face as theshadowsburrowed like worms beneath his skin and slid through his flesh. It was the creepiest thing she’d ever seen, and it was happening toCole, the man who owned her heart, who she planned to marry, and who would one day be the father of her children.
But as she recalled all those beautiful plans, they crumbled like a sandcastle beneath the onslaught of the encroaching ocean. The Shadow Reaver possessed no such plans and didn’t understand love.
Whereas others had declared Cole the Shadow Reaver before, they’d been wrong. What stood across from her now was the real thing.
Cole turned away again, but though she had no idea what the Reaver intended for all of them, they couldn’t retreat from this battle. They’d come this far—she’d drawn the dragons away from the battlefield, and Cole had sacrificed himself.
They could only continue.
