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There’s only Violet's side or my side—no in-between.
“Hello, love.”
The three of us stand at the entrance and don’t move as we try to feel out the situation. He’s alone—I’ll ask him once to give him the benefit of the doubt, but that’s it. That’s all his kindness has earned him.
“We’re destroying North’s bones, stopping Violet’s reign, and taking back the Hollows. I don’t need you to break the bond anymore, I’ve figured it out. So tell us which side you’re on, Arulius. This is your last chance.”
He keeps his face impassive and considers me. His beautiful amethyst eyes falter for a second with pain. “I’m sorry, love. There’s no choice in the matter, not for me… I’m sorry for all the blood that will be spilled today.”
I’m fighting the urge to slap him to bring him to his senses, but I let out a sigh regardless. I was really fucking hoping he would come with us.
Kastian steps forward and his black wings stretch out slowly, looking larger than even Arulius’s. He holds his hand out and a blade as dark as a void of nothingness cuts through the air. His death aura lashes out ominously.
A true God of Death. He’s much stronger than he’s ever been and it fills my heart with pride.
He won’teverfall again.
Arulius smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. Being this close to him, I can feel the last remnants of our bond. It’s faded and just a whisper against my skin. It fills my chest with anguish. He really believes he’s doing what’s right. Protecting me fromherwrath.But he’s wrong. I’m not Talia and I’m not alone.
Rune, Wren, Moro, Kastian. We’ve built a better realm this time. I just need to prove it to him.
I cut the last threads of the bond. I can feel them as they slip weightlessly into the air between us. Arulius feels it too. His brows furrow at the sensation of me letting him go, and just like that… the bond is gone.
“Kastian, I won’t go easy on you and I’m not letting her go,” Arulius says dully. His eyes are sunken and he looks like he’s given up on everything. No longer the shiny and perfect god he was. He looks miserable.
My dark-winged Eostrix grips his aura blade tighter, his muscles flexing beneath his tight, long-sleeved black shirt. “Perfect—I intend to kill you after what you’ve done.”
Arulius opens his own hand and his golden aura blade lights the room as he lashes it out and points it at Kastian.
The gods don’t waste another second. They’re flying at impossible speeds at one another and their blades meet. The entire castle quakes at the ripples their auras send through the floors.
Their swords clash faster than I can keep up with but the waves of power that shatter the glass and ring in my ears are indisputable. Kastian lands a small cut on Arulius’s arm and flicks his eyes to me to see if I felt it—I didn’t.
I nod to confirm that the bond's been severed.
Their fight can get as violent as they want and I won’t be scathed. Kastian smirks and his aura surges with a fresh wave of pure dark power shrouded with shadows.
They really are trying to kill each other...
I shake my head, trying not to picture either of them dead, and look at Rune. “Let’s go!”
Rubble falls from the ceiling and crashes around us as we bolt for the basement.
I look back at my Eostrixes and Kastian catches Arulius on a hard left swing, his blade sending the gilded warrior straight out the windows. Blood and darkness whirl through the air like a parade of death. His black wings dart him out the windows in chase and I send a helpless prayer to any gods that will show me mercy to keep both of them alive.
Please.
The staircase is crumbling and Rune stands above me, taking a few hard hits from large blocks of stone.
“Hurry!”he growls as blood curls down his forehead. My heart hammers through my chest and I feel like I’m going to be sick.
We burst through the door and I charge for the blanket, throwing it off, relieved to find the skull and bones still here.
Thank the gods.
I focus my powers into my palm and my blade forms without trouble, but it’s tainted now. The once pure gold aura is now half crimson, wild and filled with hatred. I can feel it trying to keep me from shattering the bones but I grit my teeth.
“Fuck you, North!” I shout as I bring my blade down and destroy everything in that disgusting bowl. Blood sprays in every direction and across my cheek. Thank fuck my mouth was closed.
