A blade came out of nowhere, grazing her side. Pain shot through her, hot and immediate, her breath hitching as she stumbled. She could feel her strength waning, every ounce of her willpower fighting to keep her from collapsing right there on the bloody stone floor.
A macabre painting she’d see in her nightmares for some time after this.
Sin spun, her eyes catching the glint of a spear heading straight for her. She ducked. The spear’s wind brushed her hair. Desperate, she rolled across the slick floor, the cold tile against her skin.
Max’s voice came faintly, barely audible amidst the chaos.
Sin,he called, his voice broken. She ignored him, her focus unwavering. He called to her again, but this time it was a desperate, choked plea.
The snap came suddenly—an electric jolt that ripped through her chest, stopping her breath. It echoed within her as if the world itself had halted. For a moment, everything seemed to slow—the flash of many blades arcing towards her, her magic crackling in desperate response, her breath held, waiting for the impact that never came. Then, with a roar of pure fury, time resumed, and the blast of energy erupted from her like a dam breaking, the shockwave ripping soldiers apart.
Sin
Fear clawed at her insides, sharp and insistent. The bond had weakened—she could feel it, a fading echo in the back of her mind. What if she was too late? What if Max was already gone? Panic threatened to steal her focus, her thoughts turning frantic, her heartbeat a rapid pulse of dread. She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t lose him. Not now, not when they had fought so hard.
Her hands trembled as she raised them, and she screamed, a raw, primal sound that carried her agony and fury through the blood-soaked halls. The tempestum magic roared to life, writhing beneath her skin like a caged beast, each spark a violent burst of her desperation. It hurt, and she let it—needed it—to burn, to keep her moving.
She focused it on the stone walls, her mind commanding them to move. The walls groaned in response, as if the sentience within them defied her. But her magic would not be defied. She—would not be contained. The stone rippled like liquid, shifting, parting, creating a direct path that would lead her to Max. Nothing else mattered.
The castle walls shuddered under her command, groaning as if they carried her pain. Every shift in the stone sent shivers up her arms, the texture of ancient rock giving way beneath the relentless force of her magic.
As she charged down the hallway, she heard echoes of Max’s laughter in her mind—one of those rare, fleeting moments when his guard dropped. She remembered the heat of his body against hers, the way his breath tickled her ear in the dead of winter, the promises he whispered—promises meant only for her.
His hands, always a mixture of gentleness and possession, the way they traced her skin like he could imprint himself into her bones. Without him, the darkness threatened to devour her, the ghosts of his touch slipping through her fingers.
A sudden explosion from above sent chunks of stone crashing down, cutting her off. Dust filled the air, and Sin was forced to shield her eyes as the path ahead was blocked once more. She found a stairway, jumping down several steps at a time, screeching and shouting as she used her power to manipulate the castle walls, leading to a massive door that she threw open.
She was yanked back. The dungeons—full of the king’s soldiers, each face twisted with intent to kill. A tide of bodies, a wall of rage.
They shouted their war cry as they poured out of the door. The last obstacle to her mate, Sin thought as she raised her palms, gathering power.
Their faces were vicious, filled with fear, like they knew this might be the last moments of their lives. Sin could feel enough magic to kill the king if she had to, but if she killed all of these soldiers, she would be depleted, and they would all be fucked. Time was running out, the others were cursing over and over, unsure of what to do.
Sin was ready to do it, the last bit of magic that it would take, the magic she needed to save her mate. But if she didn’t do it, they would all die. She raised her hands and began drawing power to the palms of her hands, to the pores on her skin, when hissing erupted within the halls.
A soldier lunged at her, blade aimed for her head. A hiss—then chaos. Dozens of snakes slithered into the hall, their forms shifting mid-air.
The serpentine army joined the fray, their movements sleek as they struck down the king’s men. One of them caught her gaze, his eyes narrowing as he shielded her from an incoming blow. She wasn’t used to allies, especially not in a place like this. The instinct was to push them away, to trust no one but herself. But they fought for her, carving a path with her, and that tiny flicker of hope almost hurt more than the wounds she’d sustained.
Red hair stole her attention.
Hope turned to a heavy stone in her stomach as she saw the King on the other side of bodies. His hands were crossed behind his back, and he was smirking as he walked into a cell, shutting it behind him.
Molten rage flooded her bloodstream.
The muscles in her legs screamed for reprieve, her bones threatening to splinter beneath the force of each blow. But pain was a familiar friend, one she embraced as it whispered,‘You’re still alive.’
The sweet voice was back again, unnerving her as it reminded her,“Your future is waiting for you. Hurry!”
A soldier hesitated, his blade raised but not yet striking. His eyes met hers, and for a moment, she saw something there—fear, uncertainty.
A part of her ached at what she was about to do. But there was no time for mercy. Not when Max was waiting. Not when she could feel the bond fading. She gritted her teeth, swung her magic wide, and he crumbled. There was no room for hesitation. Not now.
Sin knew the lines she was crossing—the bodies piling up, each one another step away towards the person everyone saidshe’d become. She saw their faces, saw the flicker of fear before her magic struck. But what choice did she have? She’d become the monster they feared if it meant saving him.
Max was worth the darkness. For him, she would burn it all.
A soldier stepped in front of her, kneeling at her feet, his weapon lowered. His face was pale beneath the grime, eyes hollowed with sleeplessness. “I’m not your enemy,” he said, his voice barely audible over the chaos. “I have a daughter… she’s waiting for me at home. I can’t let her grow up in a world ruled by him.”
