Peri breathed out as she jumped back from a slash of his sword. “Well, Nissa, I’m pretty sure he’s not inviting us to his birthday party.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Peri saw a blue light gathering.
“Alston, no!” Calthia and Yavon screamed at the same time.
Peri allowed herself a second to glance in her mother’s direction. She saw that the other high fae, Stallis, was glowing with a blue flame, engulfing his entire body. “Cold fire,” she whispered as fear trickled down her spine.
She turned back to Xoltan and doubled her efforts to take the fool out. She’d originally just planned to maim him, but Alston had just taken this situation from ridiculous to insane. He was willing to use cold fire because of his ambition to make his son a high fae. Alston believed that Xoltan was supposed to be on the council, though it was Peri and Nissa that the seer sprites had told her mother about. This was forbidden, but the queen had decided it was imperative that Calthia and Yavon know. More and more memories barreled down on Peri while she went toe to toe with Xoltan. She moved faster than she ever had and could see a glow on her own skin that she’d never seen before. Her blades lit up with the same light as she pushed him back. Peri ducked one of his strikes, reversed the grip on her blade, and spun around until she was behind him. She allowed the blade to rip across his side, leaving a deep gash. The male screamed,and she tried not to compare it to the cry of a child. That was an insult to children. When he turned to her, his face was contorted into something evil. The ugly that lived inside of him was now evident on his exterior features. He came at her, blade whirling, but Peri was faster.
Within seconds she had him on his back, kicked his sword away, and held both blades at his throat.
“Peri,” Nissa called, but Peri ignored her.
Her breathing came out in tight pants as she stared down at someone who could have been a comrade and fought at her side instead of against her. “It didn’t have to be this way,” Peri told him.
“Yes, it did,” he said through clenched teeth. “You’re not worthy.”
“Serapha, now!” Peri heard her mother scream.
Then the sky above them was suddenly filled with beating wings. Peri didn’t look up. She couldn’t take her attention away from Xoltan. He was dangerous even without a blade. She didn’t want to kill him, but what else could she do?
“Don’t, Perizada,” her mother said, but it was soft this time, gentle. “You don’t have to have his blood on your hands. You will bear so much more later. Don’t let him be your first.”
The hatred in Xoltan’s eyes was so disturbing, ice filled Peri’s veins.
“Kill them,” Alston ordered.
“What about your son?”
“Look at him, Stallis. Bested by two mere females. He’s dead to me,” Alston’s words were loud enough for his son to hear them, even above the beating wings.
Xoltan’s eyes widened as the anger dropped away in shock. Peri took this moment to look up and see dozens of draheim in the sky, hovering right above them.
“You will be remembered for your sacrifice, Stallis,” Alston continued, speaking to the fae beside him. “I will make sure of it.”
“Thank you, my lord.” And then the chill of winter took on a whole new quality. The blue light intensified.
Peri heard her mother again and turned to look at her. A flash of light flew at the woman, hitting her in the chest. Calthia dropped to the ground, the life snuffed out of her in a moment. Yavon was next. She fell just as quickly, crumbling next to the woman who’d been her best friend. Alston had killed their mothers.
Peri didn’t even realize she was screaming until she felt Nissa’s arms around her, holding her tight. “Perizada, I can’t flash. He’s holding us here.”
The wings above them grew louder. Huge talons wrapped around her and Nissa. Another talon kicked Xoltan’s body away. Then wings folded around them, but not before Peri saw Stallis throw out his hands and release the cold fire. Everything would burn to ash. Her mother’s body. Yavon, Xoltan, everything. But not Alston, because he hadn’t been standing next to Stallis. He’d escaped.
Peri felt heat, but the massive body of the draheim protected her and Nissa from its devastating power. She had no idea how long Serapha kept them there on the ground with her wings completely enveloping them, but it felt like an eternity.
The pain inside Peri threatened to consume her. When would it stop? When would ugly, horrific things stop happening? Would life always be a cycle of never-ending knives thrust into the heart, only to have them pulled out and then plunged back in? Couldn’t she just have her throat slit and be done with it all?
“This is not more than you can bear, beloved,”Lucian told her.“And if it is, I will bear it for you.”
“I knew my mother was dead. But the magic had blocked the memory of how awful it had been,”Peri responded.“Maybe it would have been better to leave the block in place.”
Two
“Suffering is never pointless. There is always a lesson to be learned, growth to be had, and wisdom to be passed on. Pain is the necessary pruning to bring the blossom of character. Hardship is often borne of a person’s own flawed nature, and the suffering reminds them of their flaws. This, too, is necessary so that pride will not take root. Pride comes before the fall, but it’s not only the proud that suffer. Anyone near also becomes collateral damage.” ~The Great Luna
“Perizada, open your eyes.”The Great Luna’s voice was firm, yet gentle.
Peri obeyed and found herself back in the present. She stood on the cliff with Serapha and Nissa. Peri looked at Nissa and saw tears running down her friend’s face. She reached over, took Nissa’s hand, and gave it a tight squeeze. When she felt the tremor run down Nissa’s arm, Peri understood the other fae’s emotions completely and continued holding Nissa’s hand. For the second time, they’d witnessed their mothers’ murders. Thememory had been blocked for a long time, but now it had been returned, and they’d each had to experience it all over again.
