Shadow obscured my vision and the sound of bones cracking, splintering rang through the air. Caelen took a few measured steps back, and my vision cleared. The back of a tall muscular male with inky hair now stood in front of me.
NO!
Morgana’s eyes were wide as she stared at Xavier, her fist now wrist deep in his chest cavity, that silver chain now wrapped around his throat. A blow that had been meant for me—for Caelan. Blood poured from Xavier’s lips and he gasped in ragged breaths as he smiled, a broken chuckle ringing in the air.
Morgana looked like she was in shock, her yellow eyes calculating, her mouth hanging open.
“One heir left,” Xavier sputtered and with a fast shove, he pushed away from her. A sickening, wet squelch sounded, and my eyes snapped down to her hand. There, slick and dark, was his heart pulsing feebly within her tightly clenched fist.
I screamed.
Jaxon was screaming too, and he was now on his feet, gaze fixed on his brother who was now crumpling to the ground.
Xavier’s emerald eyes were now vacant. Empty.
“Fools! All of you!” Morgana shouted, her power buzzing and building in the air around us. Her hand shot toward Jaxon and he was lifted into the air. A shield erupted around him, so thick and firm, nothing would be able to penetrate it. He was trapped inside it, thrashing, screaming with rage. Grief.
“Your reign ends now, Morgana,” Caelan barked, and Morgana merely raised a brow.
“I think it’s just getting started.”
An invisible hand wrapped around my body, surprise rippling through even Caelan as she dragged us forward, my feet dragging through the mud.
Do something!I shouted, but Caelan cursed.
I can't.
You are a god! Do something!
When I untethered your soul, I interfered.
What does that have to do with anything?!
My magic is already transferred.
Transferred? What are you talking about?!
This path is sealed.
Stop talking in riddles! And do something!
Morgana’s cruel face inched closer and I snarled, fighting to gain control.
She was right. We were all fools. They were naive to think this plan would work, that they stood a chance. Morgana was going to walk away from this battle alive, as queen over two realms. She would trap Caelan, find a way to conquer more lands, and gain more power. She had Jaxon… and she would force him to create female heirs, to continue her bloodline, continue this vicious cycle of pain and misery.
She had won.
Morgana’s smile grew as her slender fingers wrapped around my throat. I could practically hear her thoughts. As if she were still an echo inside me. She was going to do what she had done to his sister. Use him to gain more knowledge, more power, and make herself even more invincible.
Movement caught my eye and my gaze sliced over Morgana’s shoulder.
Surprise rippled through me as I watched Gormick’s blade arch down onto Morgana’s neck. She must have seen the shiftin my eyes as she moved last minute, the blade cutting through her neck but not nearly halfway.
That invisible hand that had been wrapped around us released, and we fell to our knees on the ground next to Xavier's corpse.
Morgana now had Gormick by the throat, and his gaze cut to mine. Untold emotion swirled in his depths, and with that one look, I realized that this entire time he had been just as trapped as I had been.
“How dare you,” she spat, and I watched as her tendons and veins knitted themselves back together. Much faster than should have been possible.
