Lana
The battle around me disappeared from my senses as my chest constricted.
My heart dropped, stealing my breath with it as I watched Corbin’s body fall to the ground at Casimir’s feet.
“No!” I screamed. A dark one jabbed a sword at me and I spun, slashing him across the throat before shoving his body out of my way to get to my friend.
“You’re okay, you’re okay,” I chanted over and over as shock took hold of me. I couldn’t accept what logic told me. I wouldn’t accept it as true.
Casimir tilted his head back, laughing gleefully. The light inside me pulled taught, forcing me to stop before reaching Corbin’s body.
He’s not moving. Fates, he’s not moving. He’s?—
My knees shook.
Move.This time it wasn’t my own mind thinking the words. It was my light.Move now. Kill. Casimir is ours.
My focus pulled away from Corbin and shifted to Casimir. My magic swelled with power, halting the pain just long enough to push me forward.
Casimir stuck out his hand and crooked his fingers, beckoning me. He didn’t know my secret though.
But he would.
The light flooded my body, filling every part of me.
I screamed, the raw anguish bursting from my throat as I sprinted toward him and threw my hands onto Casimir's chest.
I let everything out, feeling the light obediently pour from my body. Every part of my magic flowed from my hands into Casimir.
As it flared from me, his eyes widened. “What? What is this?” He tried to take a step back, to push me away, but my light was stronger. It had hooked itself into him, crawling through every part of his vile body.
He screamed, unable to move. Unable to escape.
Nothing could stop me, my light growing brighter, even more intense than I’d seen it before. I vaguely heard voices calling my name, but nothing mattered in this moment other than eliminating Casimir and saving Corbin.
The torrent of magic rushing from my palms burned, and I shouted against the pain, until Casimir’s entire body was shrouded in my light.
Let go now, my light whispered in a soft, soothing voice.
I obeyed, stumbling back as the energy encasing Casimir inflated once, like a breath, before disappearing, exposing his dead body on the palace floor.
Shivering, I looked around and noticed all of the dark ones on the ground. Dead.
I knew I should feel shocked, or at the very least, some sort of guilt. Instead, all I had was a hollow ache in my chest.
I fell to my knees and crawled to Corbin’s body.
I reached him, my vision blurring with tears, and brought my hands to his chest. “Corbin,” I urged. “Open your eyes.” I shook him. “Come on, wake up.”
Panic rose in my throat, and I cried his name louder, shaking him like I could somehow bring him back.
“Lana.” Kade’s breath brushed against my ear as his shadows and arms wrapped around me from behind. A few dark strands lifted to Corbin’s neck, resting on his pulse.This is good. The shadows will give us hope.
Kade sighed in defeat. “Sweetheart,” he murmured in my ear. “He’s gone, my love.”
“No.” I shook my head as if keeping the words from my ears would make them less true.
“He’s gone, Lana.” Kade’s shadows rushed around me, ardently attempting to bring me comfort.
