A smirk tilted my lips, knowing that the dark sorcery only responded to that of the mind of the witch it was summoned with. My shadows were proof of that.
“Go to hell, Azenna.” My words were that of the most soul-freeing wrath.
Her jaw locked in response, the false plea for mercy in her eyes vanishing.
Power surged from her, ready to break her free. I appeared in front of her then, taking my taloned hand and digging it into her chest, pushing through cloth, flesh, and then bone, until my fingers wrapped around her beating heart.
She screeched in agony, lashing around frantically as I held the life of the all-powerful High Witch in my hand and then ripped it from her chest.
Azenna’s body instantly burst into flames and plumes of smoke. Ferocious cracks of all-consuming lightning erupted from the immense power she possessed as High Witch. Midnight-slick gore rained down on the city below, her screams still echoing through the wind.
However, the power from her eruption crashed into me, and the lightning struck my chest, ripping my breath from my lungs. The force of it had my shadows seekingshelter back into my palms, and my body began free-falling, descending rapidly toward the ground below.
My power was depleted, exhausted from the efforts of everything I had done.
The rushing wind threatened to deafen me while my body plummeted to the unforgiving terrain. My gaze locked on my hand, drenched in slick, onyx blood—and between my taloned fingers, the High Witch’s heart remained, still beating.
And then—as the lightning fizzled out in my veins—my own heart was reduced to ash.
Chapter seventy-six
Elianna
Citizens were emerging fromtheir homes as blasts of shadows erupted in the sky—where Veli and Azenna unleashed their powers on one another.
Avery and I shoved through the crowds, begging them to return to safety, not knowing what would happen between the witches that fought in the sky and the blazing battle just outside of the city.
I turned to my sister. “They listen to you, try to get them at least under some form of cover. Don’t let them know the queen is dead yet. We need to handle everything carefully.”
She grabbed both of my hands in hers. “Be careful.”
“You too,” I whispered, and then we both took off into a run in opposite directions—me toward the city’s gates, and her to its center.
The tall gates of Isla were chained and barred, as if they were never meant to be opened again. I looked up at it through furrowed brows, annoyance sizzling through me. “Gods-dammit.”
With a grunt, I raced to the steps of the tower. Unsheathing my sword, I climbed the tall stone stairs.Guards stood atop it, and they noticed me the moment my foot was placed on the steps.
“It’s Solus!” the one closest to me on the tower roared as he descended the staircase, aiming straight for me.
Our blades collided, sparks flying from the clash of steel on steel. I wrapped my foot around one of his ankles and maneuvered my body around his, sending him tumbling over the railing and down to the cobblestone streets below.
His scream echoed through the air until his body slammed into the ground, cutting it short.
“Actually, it’s Valderre!” I called over the rail as I raced up the rest of the high steps.
At the top of the tower, I encountered three soldiers who were once under my command, a memory from what felt like a different lifetime.
Their gazes were fixated on me, and I blew out a breath as I lifted my sword back into a fighting stance.
What happened next surprised me.
They exchanged quick, nervous glances and threw their weapons to their feet. My brows creased in confusion as they all leisurely lifted their hands in surrender. I warily lowered my own blade as my eyes wandered over the three of them.
“Does she live?” one of them asked.
I swallowed, my grip tightening on the hilt of my weapon. “You’re going to need to be more specific.”
“The queen,” a different one answered, bringing my gaze to him.
