Sin’s breath hitched. She nodded, seeing the fear and determination in his eyes, recognizing a reflection of her own resolve. “Then fight with me,” she said, her voice fierce. He nodded, raising his sword—not against her, but for her. A few more of the king’s soldiers followed suit, unnerving her.
Serpentine soldiers noticed them. Becoming wary, several neared closer to her, helping to try and force a path through. With the help of her heightened senses, she was able to duck, and evade strikes aimed for her head.
Tears and blood were blinding her at the thought of losing the only good thing that came into her life. And it wasn’t only good, it wasn’t perfect. He had his demons, and they played so perfectly well with hers.
The silence in the bond was suffocating. Sin forced herself to keep moving, refusing to listen to the voice in her mind that whispered it was already over. That she was running too late. Her magic lashed out, wild and dangerous, like her heart.
“You’re stronger than you think, Sin,”Max’s previous words echoed in her mind, and for a heartbeat, she almost believed it was real. She remembered the warmth in his tone, the steadiness in his gaze as he had said those words. She clung to that memory now, let it fuel her, even as the walls groaned and the soldiers closed in. She had to be stronger. Strong enough to save him.
She thought of his smirk as she slit the last throat standing in between her and the dungeon cell door.
The battle continued behind her as she gathered all the magic within, and she absentmindedly made the door compact, falling to the floor. She met the face of the male she loved, met the gaze of one green eye, as the other was missing, and everything went quiet.
Sin
Guards within the cell rushed at her, but didn’t make it two steps before their bodies imploded, Sin using her magic to compact their armor. A small smile curved her lips at the carnage coating the King, ruining the pristine image he portrayed to the world.
It unnerved her, however, because the king’s face never slackened. Not an ounce of fear was on his face. The king’s expression was a familiar mask, one that hid something far darker underneath, just like her. The lack of fear—it was a reminder of how dangerous he truly was, how dangerous even she could become.
In fact, his arrogance reminded her of someone. Someone who was too cocky, too cruel, and had never been told ‘no’ a day in her life.
Pathetic and weak, Vivienne’s voice sounded in Sin’s mind before the king spoke. “My, what a portrait you paint.” He looked over his shoulder towards Max, as if she weren’t a threat to him in the least. “I tried to save you from this, son.”
His one eye rounded in fear at Sin, and his mouth opened, but nothing could come out.
His throat had large puncture wounds. They removed his vocal cords. Sin nearly died at the sight of Max, at how much beneath his skin she could see. How almost unrecognizable he was in the face.
Sin grunted upon impact, not realizing in her distraction, she had been flung back against the wall. Pain exploded through her back, the sharp crack of bones reverberating in her ears. Her vision blurred for a moment, the disorientation making it hard to breathe. The world spun, and every nerve screamed in protest as she tried to move, her body aching from the brutal force of the impact.
The King approached, still with his hands behind his back. As if he were refusing to dirty them by touching her.
With the fae magic he wielded against her, she felt as if her bones were being crushed together.
Spitting out blood, she used every bit of magic she had left in her arsenal, and thrust it at him.
Power pulsed around him, causing a golden glow around his skin to shine. Sin’s heart sank at the sight, a mix of despair and anger welling up inside her. The glow was almost beautiful, a cruel reminder of how far out of reach victory truly was. She clenched her jaw, fury simmering beneath the surface—how could he still have this kind of power when she had nothing left?
Her face slackened, and defeat washed over her at the realization. He had wards upon him. Of course he did, she thought. He was the fucking king. And she just used every ounce of magic she had remaining.
There were no voices near the outside of the dungeon. Which meant they were all occupied or dead.
Her gaze met Max’s. His eye was wide with mania as his father used whatever power he had to make every bone in her hands snap.
The scream that escaped her was scratchy, echoing Max’s panic as he thrashed against the chains. His eye was wild, his expression a mix of rage and terror, his mouth opening in a silent roar.
Every scream that tore from her throat was an anthem of her failure—every bone that snapped in her hands brought her closer to a realization she wasn’t ready to face: she was losing, and Max was watching her crumble. Tears stung her eyes, frustration gnawed at her insides, but she couldn’t stop—wouldn’t stop.
She felt him in her mind, as she was in his, when she looked down upon the king before her in disgust.
His smile broadened, but his eyes were filled with rage.
He opened his mouth, but Sin spoke first. “Your reign is collapsing,my king.”
A snarling expression washed over him, matching his eyes. “My reign will never fall, only to my son when I get rid of you, and he marries his bride.”
Sin growled. “He will never marry someone else, or I will kill him too, do you understand?” She could feel Max’s amusement at her words, like he knew that would never happen, regardless.
Sin reached for the well of power, searching for only a spark.
