Fuck. Fuck. Every single part of the plan had gone off without a hitch. Had gone perfectly.
Until now.
Our soturi had infiltrated the fortress before Dario’s team arrived. Every soturion still loyal to my father and on-duty inside Seathorne had been bound and moved to the dungeons.
It was Sean’s men who stared back at me now, refusing to strike, refusing to harm me.
Lyr had removed her glamour, willingly getting captured by Harman and Sean when she entered Seathorne. Sean’s hair had been glamoured to a white blond, and my father hadn’t noticed. Hadn’t recognized the green of his eyes.
But Meera and Jules were supposed to be back by now.
And there was no sign of them.
We knew as soon as Dario and Aiden got near my father, their blood contracts would reactivate. And we had counted on him using them to hurt Lyr. To be convinced he was still winning.
But I was supposed to have my strength now. I was supposed to have my magic back.
And now, the fear in Lyr’s eyes wasn’t feigned anymore. I knew the difference. It was real. Because Dario and Aiden had been given direct orders. Orders they couldn’t refuse.
Dario was struggling, trying to hold back his knife as Aiden looked ready to vomit. They were trying, trying to refuse, to not hurt Lyr. But their strength was failing, and Lyr was bound, her body exhausted from calling onRakashonim, using enough magic to glamour an entire army for the day.
“Dario,” my father roared, and even I could feel the thrall of the blood contract. “Slit. Her. Throat.”
“NO!” I screamed and watched in horror as Dario had no choice but to push his knife against Lyr’s neck.
I ran, racing for them when suddenly something heated against my chest, illuminating my entire torso.
My armor. The shard. I had a sudden memory of being Auriel. Of him putting the armor on, trying to save Lyr from the Wall of the Prince. Of the armor starting to glow and heat, the shard activating. But it hadn’t been him doing it.
It had been me. My soul returning to my body, coming back to life. Connecting to Auriel.
And now, this time …
That’s right. I’m back,Auriel thought in my mind.But I can only hold on so long. So let’s make it count, shall we?
The room exploded with green light and suddenly Dario and Aiden yelled out, as did a dozen others. Aiden released Lyr. Dario turned away from her, his eyes like daggers, pointing his knife at my father, and drawing his sword.
“It’s gone,” gasped Aiden. “The blood contract. It’s just … gone.”
I nodded at Aiden. “Unbind her.” I turned to look back at the Council. “All of your blood contracts are gone now.”
Lyr’s ropes vanished, and she drew the red shard from her back.
“Surrender, Devon,” Lyr ordered my father, her voice full of venom. “It’s over for you now. You’ve lost.”
His eyes were wild, searching the room in horror, looking for any of his soturi, anyone still loyal to him.
But no one would meet his gaze. Instead, they were focusing on me, like they were offering their support. Like they’d taken my side. My heart thumped, and I realized it was the first time they’d done so. Because it was the first time they were free.
“No!” my father screamed. He withdrew his sword and tore across the room, launching himself at me, tackling me to the ground.
As we fell together, the hilt of his sword landed on my face.
Stars and then darkness filled my vision. I groaned, a splitting pain running through my head. I hit the ground with an agonizing thud. My blade slid across the floor from me, and I strained to reach it, my vision blurry.
“If I die, you die with me,” he seethed. “And this time, it will stick, because you are powerless. Like you always were. You were always weaker than me. Pathetic. Nothing.” Spittle flew from his mouth and sprayed across my face.
“You. Are. Nothing,” I gritted through my teeth. I was panting, and out of breath. His body weight shifted and for a moment I thought I would be able to reach my blade. But before I could move, his hands wrapped around my neck and squeezed.
