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She wanted to cry out, but all she could do was allow the gate to absorb what it needed from her to awaken. If it took too much and killed her, that was on Cirel’s conscience. Not that he would really care. Her rapidly decaying body sagged. Her breaths escaped in raspy pants. Something slithered under her skin along her shoulder blades, but she didn’t have the nerve to reach a hand back and examine what it was.
All she could think about was Gireth lying in the desert, his body shattered. Renton and Hakkan, swallowed up by enemies. Vesara and Aeyis, suffocating in a mound of writhing Corrupt bodies.
This sacrifice was worth it. She knew that. But it wouldn’t have been so damn difficult if Renton hadn’t shown her another path. A future she now wanted more than anything else. One she could never have.
Her Corruption was worth it.
Tenah dug her split fingernails into the grooves of the stone arm, wincing at the inky blood welling from her extending claws. The gate arms were almost entirely illuminated with dark energy, a heaving mass of black magic swirling between them.
The rain picked up, slamming into her with ancient fury, matting her hair to her head, ears, and neck. She could hardly see when the portal had been opened, only sensed that her job was complete when the surge of magic through her channels came to an abrupt halt.
Her arms dangled at her sides.
She stifled a maniacal laugh, the march of Cirel’s armies through the portal a harmonious song to her ears, knowing they wouldn’t resurface in Firesteep.
Rain slithered down her face. She tasted briny blood on her lips, but from where? She honestly didn’t care to know.
When enough of Cirel’s armies had vanished through the portal, she drew in a heavy breath and severed the link between the gates, effectively trapping them inside the Void.
“Fuck all of you,” she muttered, dropping to her knees.
It was a small act of redemption in a large scale of damage she’d caused in her lifetime. She just hoped the Ruzgorn could handle the last of the armies that had managed to spill through the desert rift. Hopefully, it would seal itself soon enough.
A fist collided with her jaw, sending her tumbling down into the graveyard of skeletons. Vision swimming, she rolled onto her hands and knees, struggling to crawl away from whatever had struck her.
Icicle hands gathered her up. She stared back into the white eyes of an Ashen with curved horns. Chaos markings covered his face like war paint.
What did you do?he demanded.
Tenah offered him no response. Her head was pulsing in time with her heart.
The Ashen shook her, nearly spitting with anger. She couldn’t hold back a scream at the brutal crunch of his magic on her mind.You might as well admit you tampered with it, he said. I’ve already sent word to Cirel.
Tenah braced for another violent attack, tears leaking from her blurry eyes. The Ashen dropped her suddenly, his body jerking upright. Crumpled on the ground, she watched as black dust funneled into his ears.
You need to get out of here, Tenah, Aeyis said.
Her entire body went rigid.
No.She scanned the remaining armies in the bone valley.Where are you? Why are you here?
Frigid magic drew her up on unstable legs and propelled her away from the gate. Her fingers rose against her will, tearing a small rift. More skin dissolved from her arms, and she could feel her bones aching to crack.
Aeyis, she cried out.If you’re here in Adra, you are coming with me.
Your sacrifice won’t be for nothing. It’s okay. Go. I’ve survived this long on my own. I can hang on a while longer and buy you time to reach the temple.
Her gaze locked on a hooded figure, white locks curling out from beneath it. When his head lifted to hers, Tenah’s body slumped in horror. Aeyis’s eyes were stained black as a starless night.
Go!he urged.
Heart sinking, she had no power to deny him and no time to waste as Cirel descended like a furious god from the clouds on his winged mount.Stumbling into the Void, thick, hot tears rolled freely down her cheeks.
I’ll come back with help, she said. I promise you. I won’t leave you behind.
The world would not be robbed of another kind, generous Ashen like him. Shadows might see him as nothing more than a threat—an entire war had been fought because of that misjudgment—but Aeyis deserved his life.
Why did she get to have two?
