I gulped. “But you’re stealing so much from them. Isn’t your power enough? It’s already stronger than any other gift, isn’t it? The power of death? Can you give theirs back and let them live in peace?”
“Rummy, Rummy, Rummy.” He shook his head and pulled my hands into his. “How do you not see it? The kingdom can only continue in peace ifweallow it. You and I are meant to rule together with our gifts. Why else would we wield this power? Our fate is written out for us!”
Fates entwined in a web so thick,
A story of magic, folly, and trick.
He was wrong, I saw it clearly. In another world, maybe Cornelius and I could have worked together. Maybe he could’ve shown me what my power was truly capable of and we could’ve bonded over what it was like to bedifferent.And who knows? Maybe I actually would’ve fallen for his attempts at flattery, for his venture to make me feel like he was the only one who could truly see me.
But in this world? He was too late. He already took too much from Pericius, and he wasn’t planning on stopping anytime soon.
Cornelius did not want my power because it was aligned with his goal to raise the dead. He wanted my power because he wanted to dominate. He wanted to look down on those around him and remind them what it was like to be weak. To be lesser-than.
“And that’s why this cannot continue.” The tears that welled in the back of my throat were real. “I’m sorry, Cornelius. But some wicked things are not worth saving.”
Before he could pull away, I reached into the depths of my being for the root of all that magic. All that power. All that pure essence, those gifts from my friends, from the most powerful beings I knew.
And blasted that fucker with everything I had.
Chapter 38
Jessiah
Idoubled over and braced myself on my knees. Rummy’s shock wave of power echoed through my bones and it did not stop. She poured and poured that magic, and I discerned the scene around her like I was physically there myself.
She’s doing it. It’s really happening.
Still doubled over, I anchored myself to the earth beneath my feet. Rummy would need to strike hard and fast for this to work—Cornelius couldn’t see it coming.
Rummy wielded extra magic now, but so did Cornelius. We couldn’t possibly know exactly how much he absorbed over the months he’d been king. What we did know, however, was that it had been enough to cause an entirerebellionamong the kingdom.
A rebellion desperate enough to attack the castle.
But if anyone was strong enough to put an end to his corruption, it was Rummy. He wanted Rummy’s magic for a reason—because it was strong. Powerful.
Because she wasspecial.
The force of our bond was tight, but being so fresh, it pulled at every fiber of my being. Rummy would need it all, so I let hertake it. I let her channel my strength. I let her pull from the core of my ancient angelic magic.
Go, Rummy. Kill him. Show no damn mercy.
It was working. Hope sparked in my chest—Rummy’s hope. Her emotions flooded me and forced me to dig deeper. Harder.
He didn’t see it coming. He really thought she was coming back to help him, and that gave her the chance to strike.
But all at once, it stopped.
The magic tingling my bones ceased.
The bond ran cold.
Rummy’s presence disappeared like a storm cloud in the night.
No.
My plan was to stay put. Was to wait here for Rummy to signal that everything was okay.
But my feet were moving before I could stop them.
