Koen’s fists clench at his sides, veins swelling against them. “Enough before I slit your damn throat!”
My eyes fill with tears, everything has been nothing but a lie. “But, she’s right.” I suck in a deep breath. “I heard it with my own ears, and you know it.”
“So thisisher?” Lykia gasps. “Do the Darklands know you have her yet haven’t kept your promise?”
“Lykia, I swear to the Gods I am about to rip out your damn tongue,” Koen snarls, gripping his dagger as blood still trickles from his cracked lip.
Florian’s eyes widen in disbelief. “Did you make a deal with the darklings?” His voice shakes, breaking as he takes a step backwards.
“I didn’t know who she was!” Koen growls. “You have no idea what I have been through, Prince.”
“There it is.” Florian sneers. “The damn jealousy.”
“I’ll never be jealous ofyou.” Koen spits on the ground.
“I’ll never forgive you,” I say under my breath as I storm past him, purposefully ramming my shoulder into his with a force that sends a jolt through us both. “You can come after me, but coming after the people I care about…” I hold my tongue, feeling an undeniable force of pure rage prickling at my fingers. He should count himself lucky that my suit shields that shoulder from my skin.
“What do you want?” I raise my chin, standing directly in front of Lykia. “I need to know if my friend is alive. Nothing else matters.”
“Koen.” Her eyes glance from mine to him without hesitation. I notice the subtle movement of his head falling back as I glance over my shoulder, closing his eyes as he deeply breathes. “Never come around him again after today, or you shall die.”
“He isn’t some propert—” I go to speak, but my throat tightens. Air vanishes from my lungs within a split moment.
My stones brighten then dull, as if the dragons are trying to free themselves, yet can’t. I gasp desperately, my chest heaving as I struggle to inhale any bit of air, but it's no use. I fall to my knees while my hands clap around my throat. Lykia hovers over me, a sinister sneer forming along her thin lips. The world around me feels muffled. Koen's frantic shouts at Lykia are lost in the deafening, high-pitched ringing that blares in my ears. Her hands flicker upward, her eyes locking onto mine with a violent, deadly glare that sends a shiver down my spine.
What the hell is she?
As Florian charges towards her, she swiftly extends her palm. In an instant, he collapses to his knees. His fingers claw desperately at his throat, as if trying to rip away an unseen grip that suffocates him. I feel that same pain.
Any second, it feels as if my eyes could bulge from my face, and my soul will leave this world for good this time.
Dark shadows creep around the edges of the walls and swiftly move along the surface of the white dirt. They wrap around Lykia’s body, circling her in before reaching for her throat.
“You can’t use dark magic here!” Ivker bellows, hustling up to us as the metal in his arm scrapes against itself. “The Gods can rain fire on us all for this!”
Within seconds, the shadows weep away, fading back to light, and I can hear Kaine screaming at her and Koen.
Her eyes lock onto Kaine’s, a wicked grin forming along her lips. “Your shadows can’t stop this sort of power, dear Kaine. How cute it is that you thought it could!”
But then, I breathe in, my hands falling to the ground as I gag. My hand frantically goes to my chest, feeling my heart beat, telling myself that I am alive.
I will not meet our Gods today.
Florian coughs, his head hanging low as his shoulders rise and fall.
“You messed with the wrong Royal,” Lykia hisses as she walks towards me.
Koen darts in front of her. “You made your point!” His arms hold her back as her boots dig in the dirt to come at me. “Lykia, enough!”
She shoves his hands down, leaning towards his face. “You vowedto me. Not her. You will honor that vow, do you understand me? Or she dies.”
I glance up, heaving as I struggle to take in deep breaths. Florian does the same as he stands, catching his balance on Kaine’s shoulder.
“Serene,” Koen exhales. It used to make my heart flicker, my blood run wild, my chest heave. And now, all I want to do is burn them both.
“Do not talk to me!” I hiss through clenched teeth. “All I want to know is how the hell did Alice go through the stones, and if she is alive!”
I’ve lost my sister. Truthfully, I lost her centuries ago. However, I am unsure if my heart can handle losing someone else I love. Alice and I were always stuck together like glue. She was the missing piece to our puzzle. She might just be the sister I always needed.
