Tua bolts towards Kane, reaching him in a few strides and slamming him against the wall. Kane’s groan of painreverberates out into the chamber, and I watch the female and Niko’s grins widen.
“Exactly,” Tua seethes. “All you had to do was eliminate the only threat to a future whereyouruled, and you couldn’t even do that right.” Tua slowly exhales, leaving Kane to come back and stand in front of me. “It doesn’t matter, however, because in the end, your life as well as Bahira’s will still serve a purpose to our cause.”
“Whatever you’re thinking, it won’t work. You might as well kill me because Kai will not care either way. You can’t use me as leverage against him.” The confession stings, and I squeeze my eyes shut to hide the gathering tears.
“That’s the plan,” Tua says softly, having the audacity to look regretful about it when I glance up. “Though youarea hard woman to kill, Bahira. I’ve tried three times now, and you’ve managed to evade them all. I imagine thatthistime, however, will stick.” He sends me a wink as he gestures with both arms to the rebels on either side of him.Fuck,I need more time.
“Three?” I question, keeping hold of the shackles as I draw my heels back and force myself to slide against the wall and come to a stand, my thighs burning with the movement. All three shifters watch me, Niko stepping closer and lifting his sword.
Breathe.
Tua takes the bait. “Well, there was the attack in the forest, during which you stopped these two and their friend quite easily,” Tua sneers, looking from Niko to the female. “Then there was the attempted ambush in your room. Killing that male for his failure was a personal joy of mine.”Of course.It had been Tua who offered to bring my attacker to the dungeons. “There was also the poisoning on the ship.”
“What poisoning—” My mouth snaps shut. Kai had remarked that he didn’t know I was sick, that Tua never told him. I only started feeling better once Kai began taking over.
“You didn’t think you were merelyseasick, did you?”
I growl as I slump against the wall, the chains rattling in my grip. “Why bring me aboard the ship if your plan was simply tokillme?”
Tua smiles, his hands clasping behind his back. “Who do you think gave Kai the idea to bring a mage onto our island to help? I don’t want my people to suffer—a kingdom is no good without people to protect it. But my brother’s notes and the magicexperimentshe did intrigued me. The plan was simple: get a mage and have them try healing the shifters before forcing them to recreate what my brother had done. I wanted to make a sonworthyof ruling over this kingdom. I had heard rumblings from my informants of the Daxel siblings—a son more powerful than all other mages and his magicless sister. I hadn’t dared to dream that we’d get your brother, but I hoped a mage withenoughmagic would suffice. Yet, when you were chosen, the timeline to kill you moved up. You were worthless to us without magic, so there was no point in keeping you alive. But I underestimated you, Your Highness. You managed to survive all three attempts. You convinced Kai to listen to the people, to try and be a better ruler. It was all in vain, of course, but impressive nonetheless.”
“Youmurdereda mother. A child! How do their deaths factor into yourinterests?”
Tua’s smile stays in place as he answers, “They were peasants who showed allegiance to Kai. I’ve spent years—decades—building my relationships with those of the Crown and court. It is much easier to convince the real people in power to do your bidding when they are promised even more than they have now.”
“And the common people? You would have them suffer and call it somethingbetter?”
He simply shrugs, walking into the darker part of the chamber, just out of my view. “Betteris in the eye of those with power, and to me and my interests, ridding the island of those who support my nephew isbetter.” Just out of view a door opens with a long creak, and then Tua is gone.
The female and Niko glance at each other before the latter takes a step towards me. I hold the shackles more tightly, debating when I can attack.HowI can attack. I force my breaths to slow, each drag of air into my lungs held for a second before I let it back out. Niko glides his knuckle down my cheek, my glare only intensifying as he does.Let him drop his guard, let them both assume they have the upper hand.I glance towards his sword, noticing his lax grip on it.
“Shame that we have to kill you,” he purrs, leaning in so that his lips are only a few inches from my own. Desire expands the gold in his eyes until his irises are tinted in the color.
“Niko,” the female growls in warning, but I’m already moving. The sword is easy to steal from him, even without the use of my thumb. He doesn’t have time to be shocked before I swing the blade at his neck. Blood spurts out, directly onto the female and I, as Niko’s head is severed from his body.
Her expression morphs slowly, shock giving way to fury at the same rate her eyes turn fully gold. Moving the sword into both hands, I jab it forward, the tip driving into her chest and going in about an inch before her hands reach out and cover my own. She squeezes, either knowing that I’m injured or just doing it to stop her own demise. A scream ravages my throat as I throw my weight behind the sword, pushing as hard as I can. The female’s nails elongate into razor-sharp claws, piercing into my skin. Her body ripples in a pool of shimmering blue light as she prepares to shift.
I have to kill her now. It has to be this moment while she’s still mortal—mostlymortal—as I’m already too weak to fightoff an animal predator. Gritting my teeth together, I dredge up every last ounce of strength, grab onto every feeling of rage and worthlessness and disappointment, andpush. Tears line my eyes as the image of Nox and my parents filter into my mind. This isnotwhen I will say goodbye. I may be made of more failures than victories, but I am BahirafuckingDaxel,and I am not done yet.
The shifter’s golden eyes widen, the light surrounding her body flickering brightly as her features blur along their edges. Digging into my heels, my muscles scream in protest as my vision goes hazy.
“You’ve got this, Bahira!” Kane shouts.
“This is for Jahlee.”
The female stumbles back a step against the force of my strength, ofme, and then the hilt of the sword meets her chest. Her eyes glow with the last bit of her magic before it sputters out and she tips towards me with her mouth hanging open in a silent scream.
My hand plants on her shoulder to hold her back before I jerk the sword out, blood blooming down the front of her tunic. Then I step out of the way to let her fall.
Breathe.
It’s agonizing to let my lungs take in what they need, my chest rising and falling too quickly. I drop the sword and lean over, placing my hands on my knees before the flaring pain reminds me what I’ve done to myself. My eyes squeeze together while tears wet my cheeks, my body feeling as if it’s made more of agony than flesh and bone.
“That was incredible,” Kane sighs.
“Shut up. Justshut up.”
Time feels like an illusion as I stand there, hunched over myself and struggling to get air in. But I know that I need to warn Kai of what I learned here, of just how many people maybe sabotaging his role as king. Of who is trying tomurderhim. I make it a shaky step before the dripping sound rings ominously in my ear.
