This was…euphoria. Confidence and strength surged through every fiber of her being. A suddenrightnesssettled within her. The dagger belonged to her. It had been waiting.
The past several weeks flew from Isla’s mind. All they’d been working toward—it was inconsequential. Whatever their plans had been didn’t matter any longer. The dagger was her home; it would protect and provide for her. It would help her get her family back, help keep the kingdoms safe. She only needed to do one thing.
Isla cocked her head at Kai.
It was all so abundantly clear. The purpose of the dagger, the reason the Primeval gods had bestowed this gift to her ancestors. The yearning, the craving, thelongingto fulfill its duty ran through her blood, the same as it had with the other Vasileia.
Vanquish the immortals.
Chapter Fifty-One
Kai
Thisdidnotlookgood.
Thisreallydid not look good.
The Dagger of Volnus in hand, Isla stared at Kai from across the dank cargo hold. Something had happened when she touched the weapon, and Kai didn’t think the dagger was particularly friendly.
“Isla?” Kai didn’t want to use her element to harm her, but the look in her friend’s eyes warned her that Isla might not be in control right now. Her normal vibrant green eyes had turned steely and cold. Kai thought for a moment that perhaps Sebastian had appeared and was manipulating Isla’s mind, but then remembered that the girl was immune to him. This was something else entirely.
“I’m fine. Better than ever. You know,” Isla said, tossing the blade from one hand to the other. “Brielle was quite useful with that book of my ancestors. She found many things about this dagger from her readings.”
“Oh?” Kai asked. Her skin crawled at the raw power in Isla’s voice. Cruel power that didn’t belong to her and sounded strange coming from her lips.
Isla stalked forward, and Kai flexed her hand. “Do you remember the part about it being the only blade that can truly kill an immortal?”
A split second of panic sliced through Kai. “What are you getting at?”
“The dagger has…enlightened me. Like it enlightened many of my ancestors. I’ve been blinded by emotion, falling in love, making friends.” Isla sneered, and the expression was so foreign on her face that Kai took a step back. “I didn’t see the most obvious solution. The answer to all of my problems—it’s simple, truly.” She took another step toward Kai. “I just need to get rid of all of you.”
Kai’s eyes instantly went to the dagger as Isla snarled and lunged for her. Kai sidestepped the attack, alarmed by how quickly the girl moved. She kept her gaze on the blade, knowing that if even theslightestamount of her blood was drawn with it, her power would be gone. She would no longer have control over the water, and they would both drown here in this gods-forsaken grave.
“Isla—stop! You realize that if you hurt me, you’ll die down here, too? I’m the one keeping you alive underwater!” Kai swiftly put as much distance between her and Isla as she could without separating the girl from their air bubble.
Isla didn’t stop. It was as if the force and strength of the dagger blocked out all common sense, turning her wild and feral. She kept coming at Kai again and again, swiping at her with the speed of a well-taught warrior.
Isla shoved what was left of a rotting ladder into Kai’s chest, and she stumbled backward, barely able to block Isla’s arm as she brought a blow to Kai’s head.
Kai cursed under her breath. “Oh, no you don’t.” She quickly clenched her fist and the air bubble disappeared from around Isla. Within seconds, Isla’s eyes widened as she choked on the water, loosening her hold on the dagger to claw at her throat.
Kai winced as she carefully—verycarefully—plucked the dagger from Isla’s fingers. “You’ll thank me for this later, I promise.”
She had to act fast. Ripping away some cloth at her tunic, she wrapped it around the dagger and gingerly stuck it in her belt, making sure the blade couldn’t touch her skin. She grabbed Isla’s semi-conscious form, created a tight air bubble around the girl’s face, and ricocheted off the wooden planks through the openings in the ship.
Using the water to increase her speed, she shot like an arrow through the dark current and away from the shipwreck. Kai sighed as she propelled herself closer and closer to the surface, Isla’s body sagging against her and the hideous dagger pressing into her side.
They had a lot to figure out.
“Kai? What in the name of—”
“Woah! Hold on!”
“What did youdoto her?”
Their companions swarmed Kai and Isla as she hauled them from the water and onto the wet deck. A fierce snarl came from Kai’s right as Rynn appeared in her vision, rage lighting his eyes. Wind surged at her body, causing her messy braid to flail around her.
“I know how this looks, but calm down! I have to work fast!” Kai yelled and shot a blast of water from her fingertips at Rynn’s approaching figure. She didn’t have time to deal with his dramatic antics.
