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I cleared my throat. “People of Sanmorte.”
I froze as I looked at their faces, remembering each of them was mortal once. I wasn’t just fighting for my family, but for them too. This world would descend into chaos if we didn’t remove Salenia. A part of me just wanted to die, so this could all be over. But Sebastian hovered close by, as if sensing the fleeting thought. I wished there was a different way to kill her, and he swore we’d undo the blood tie. Even if we did, which was unlikely as the one who created it was dead, and according to her it was unbreakable—we were still left with finding a way to kill a goddess, who was in every way immortal and undefeatable.
I couldn’t be pessimistic. We had to try, and I had to have hope. If I could bond her with Azia’s and the others help, then maybe we had enough sorcerers here to undo it. Azia was powerful, more than most I knew. I closed my eyes, having faith that we could win.
We just had to capture her.
The city silenced, everyone listening for my next words. I’d never commanded the attention or a room before, let alone this many people. I searched for the words, something maybe my father would say to rally the forces.
I wasn’t a warrior like him, so I hoped speaking from the heart would be enough, wishing Sebastian could do this instead. He would be better. But he shot me a look, shaking his head slowly as if sensing my thoughts.
It had to be me.
I sucked in a deep breath. “I stand before you today, willing to die for the people I love,” I shouted. “Like all of you, I too was torn from my home, which was Baldoria.” I hoped to link them to remind them of their mortal lives. “My mom, dad and best friend were killed. I was betrayed by a man I once loved, then told of a prophecy where I would bring death to all vampires. I’ll tell you the truth. I didn’t want any of it.”
Hushed chatter grew louder, and Erianna’s eyes widened, but I quickly continued. “I tell you this because you deserve an honest ruler, someone who will not lie and tell you what you want to hear. It wasn’t really until today that I believed in Sanmorte. I saw past all the blood, murder and terrible things I’d once held against you all and saw something more. You are all here, ready to fight for the people you love, the city you love, and for the kingdoms you once came from. I see your bravery, loyalty, and strength today. I see men and women ready to die for their kingdom, for the people they care about it.”
I sucked in a deep breath. The words rising from my chest as my confidence grew. “The prophecy about me is true, but it is not what you think. I am supposed to bring the ability to you all to die. I am meant to destroy the underworld,” I said, and Sebastian winced, knowing capturing Salenia wouldn’t fulfill that part. They needed hope, something to fight for, and we would fulfill that promise once we had her captured. We just needed a little time.
I continued. “Your souls will go to the afterlife once she is dead. The woman out there cursed all of you. She is the reason many of you have lost your loved ones, are here, why you let your darker instincts prevail. She does not care about any of you. She never did. The underworld was a prison made because she got jealous. It’s nothing more than a revenge family stemmed from betrayal that she has taken out on our world, the world she helped build and swore to protect. As we speak, Asland along with Baldoria are invading the south and west of Sanmorte, fighting alongside us to remove the aniccipere who kill for pleasure, including vampires. The side you have chosen will dictate where we go from here. Because without all of you, we won’t win. But with you, we will, and I promise I will fight with every ounce of magic and strength I have in me. Because being your queen has become more important to me than I ever thought possible. Nothing else matters here, not the gods, only us as we stand together today, against the goddess who would destroy us all for her own gains.”
I paused, goosebumps covering my arms. “She killed your king, my father, a man who was loyal to you all for centuries. If we fail today, there won’t be anything left of this world to rebuild.” I swallowed hard, then gripped my sword, my powers sparking in my veins. “Tonight, we fight. We show Salenia we are more than the vermin she thinks we are, and together we will bring pride to Sanmorte. You were once the most powerful people on this planet. Let me see that strength today. Let’s show everyone what we can really do.”
Zach glanced at me nervously as I finished. For a second there was silence, and bile climbed my throat. Then slowly, they kneeled, line by line, bowing their heads in front of me. My lips parted, a breath whooshing out of them as goosebumps covered every part of me.
They were bowing to me. Tears welled in my eyes—the moment bigger than I ever thought it would be. I looked back at Erianna, noticing she too, along with Zach and Anna, was on their knees. The walls trembled again, and I realized they were waiting for Sebastian and me to lead the charge.
Shaking, I turned, my heart filling up as I stared at the crumbling gates. “Brace yourselves,” I shouted, as the mark on my palm seared.
Everyone rose to their feet. The clashing of swords and the whipping sounds of wings erupting filled the air as the gates fell and the barrier spells dissolved.
Aniccipere snarled, smiling sadistically as they ran into the city, speeding quickly across the long plain of dirt toward us and the buildings. Azia shot a spell into the fold, setting three of them on fire, Charles holding his arm as I assumed Azia siphoned his magic to gain more power.
Elizabeth, or Anastasia, even, sped forward with Niall at her side. She kicked against one, her dagger in its stomach, while Niall came up behind it, wings out, and pulled on its head.
I called upon my magic and weaved a spell of protection, protecting as many of us from the attacks, giving Erianna and Zach a few extra seconds before Salenia walked within the city's walls.
I looked around at the carnage and destruction as vampires screamed, aniccipere’s teeth sinking into their necks and arms, a few torn apart. The smell of death filled the air, the darkness of night suffocating. Sebastian wielded his sword, and I pulled out mine. The aniccipere spotted me, but did not attack, as I assumed Salenia ordered them not to.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t attack them.
Salenia shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. The aniccipere cowered at the sound of her, and I realized just how tied to her they were. She was the mother of demons, therefore their maker too.
She marched closer, with hordes of creatures in tow. More guards joining behind them with each passing second. Vampires, I noticed. My breath came in short, shallow bursts as I prepared to fight.
We were outnumbered, even with Asland’s attacks.
Adrenaline surged through my body, and Sebastian’s fear was palpable as he lunged forward, sword in hand. With a loud, fierce cry, I raised my sword as one monster made its move towards him. Gripping the hilt of the sword tightly, I felt power rushing through my veins like lava. In one swift motion, I brought my sword down and recited a powerful spell from Charles's book, summoning a wall of ice that rose from the ground in an instant and towered over everything else. The aniccipere who had not reached us yet slammed against the ice, several stumbling back.
Salenia’s laugh tinkled into my mind, nauseating me as she launched a wave of fire over it, and I watched the ice melt before us.
Swords clashed against each other as she stepped through, and spells flew wildly around us. I moved swiftly across the battlefield, slashing my sword at every aniccipere. The smell of blood was everywhere, accompanied by deafening howls from the aniccipere that reverberated through the air.
The battle raged on for what felt like hours, and we pushed back. But everywhere I looked, there were bodies strewn across the ground, fueling my anger further at the creatures who had brought so much death.
Salenia finally reached me through the bloodshed, her white hair wild around her face, her body coated with blood. A darkness emanated from her as she raised her hands, blinding everyone as she grabbed me, then held me to her body and Sebastian dropped his sword.
Blackness enveloped us all, vampires fighting blindly as aniccipere ripped them apart through the thick, dark fog. My scream shook her, as I pushed against the mark on my hand, realizing it affected her as much as me. Her fingers lost their grasp on my arms, and she stumbled back as I dug my finger in further, heat searing through my arms. I yelled as the pain throbbed in my body, and Sebastian ran at her as the fig slowly lifted.
