Then Ezra drives the end-all blade upward, deep into his father’s heart, impaling the king on his own weapon. A wince and a groan tear out of Ezra’s mouth, his arms straining from the effort as he brings his second hand around the hilt and drives the blade deeper.
Ethan’s eyes widen. “Son—” Blood dribbles from the King of Light’s chin, and he smirks. “Well done. You’re a winner, at last.”
Ezra’s jaw ticks. “To the seven hells with you,” he mumbles.
Ethan falls to his knees, and Willow whispers something in his ear before slicing his head clean off with her sword.
Her injured arm is coated in blood and melted metal, one of her wings stained red and missing a chunk of feathers. Sweat glistens on her forehead, and her good arm trembles around the pommel of her sword as she struggles to keep herself upright.
Devi lands back upon the terrace with Damian in tow, one hand pressed to her bleeding side. The Shadow King barely spares the scene a glance before sprinting back into the castle.
Ezra is on all fours, panting in front of his father’s dead body, his hand still locked around the hilt of the end-all blade. Then he wrenches it free, and the weapon slips from his trembling fingers, hitting the stone next to Ethan with a loudclank.
That’s it.
It’s over.
I rush to Ezra’s side.
“Are you alright? Let me see.”
He promptly falls on his ass. “Hey, little fox. I’m okay.”
“You’ve been stabbed.”
“Don’t fret. I’ve known worse. He didn’t use his end-all blade.” He grins through the pain. “Not on his precious heir.”
“You—you cocky bastard.” I shove at his shoulder, only to grab hold of him instead, burying my face against his chest as relief crashes into me all at once, turning the panic and adrenaline that carried me through the fight into a hot, heavy sob.
He wraps his arms around me and holds me close, one hand stroking my hair while his heartbeat thumps steadily beneath my ear.
“Shh,” he murmurs. “It’s okay. We’re okay.”
Next to us, the hawthorn remains blackened and smoking, its leaves shriveled by my fire.
“Is it dead?” Willow asks, staring at the tree.
She moves to touch the trunk, and a brilliant light suddenly envelops both Willow and Ezra, bright enough to make me squint and burn my retinas all over again. As I blink away the afterimage, a halo rests atop her auburn hair.
The Crown of Light.
It remains there for only a few seconds before vanishing, but a ripple of magic cracks several darkened branches, and Ezra’s new burst of power thrums through my veins.
Ezra smiles up at his wife, looking more relieved than disappointed. “I’m glad it’s you. You know I never truly wanted it.”
Willow’s expression softens, and she pats his shoulder. “It’s ours to share now.”
“What happened here?” Devi asks, staring up at the burnt tree.
Ezra brings my hand to his mouth and kisses my knuckles. “Max happened. She saved us.”
Devi stares at me, her gaze bordering on awe, and heat creeps into my cheeks.
“I had to dosomething. You guys weren’t winning this fight anytime soon,” I blurt out.
Ezra chuckles softly and pulls me closer before pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “So humble.”
Devi crouches beside her father's body and reaches around his neck. “Ethan used this to destroy the jewels, I think.”
