“Only your bloodline can wield the dagger to extract their powers or kill them, Isla. Now, it can be given to someone else once the job is done, but you,”—he brushed his knuckles against her jaw—“are the key.”
She had suspected as much, but if he expected her to take their powers—to do his dirty work for him—and present the dagger to him on a silver platter, he was sorely mistaken. His lips twitched upward into a cold grin as he stood there and watched her. He was once again the malevolent king, but this time, she knew it was a mask forced upon him. At least, she hoped.
This was her last chance. She lifted her fingers to his cheek, barely grazing the skin, as she whispered, “Tell me how to stop this, Sebastian. I want to help you.”
“I do love it when you say my name,” he purred, but his eyes sparked with hesitancy before he blinked it away. “You stop this by giving me the dagger.”
“Youdon’t want the dagger. Last night, you said there was only one way to stop you.” The wind whipped around her, causing her hair to fly in her face. She hastily moved the loose strands away with her hand as she continued. “I don’t want to have to—”
He suddenly grabbed her elbow as she extended it, his touch surprisingly gentle even with the rage glinting across his face. “What is this?” he asked, motioning to the purple bruise on her forearm.
Isla flinched.
He carefully turned her arm over to see the full mark and stilled. When he looked back, his eyes were a startling blue. Her breath caught in her throat.
“Didhedo this?”
She ignored the question and reached up with the same arm to lightly touch his temple. “Your eyes…does this mean you’re fighting it? Whatever’s controlling you? Is it near us?”
He sucked in a breath and backed away from her, shaking slightly. Unfocused, he blinked, and when he opened them again, his eyes had returned to their dark state. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said through gritted teeth. “Give me the dagger so I can end this.”
“This isn’t you!” she cried.
“One kiss and you think you have it all figured out? You don’t evenknowme, love,” he hissed. “Is this your choice? You will not hand over the dagger?”
“I—I don’t—” She looked desperately behind her at the waiting elementals, confusion and fear written on their faces. Except for Rynn, whose glare she could feel even across the beach.
She forgot he could hear things on the wind. He’d heard their entire conversation.
She whipped her head back to Arden and Papa. Even gagged and restrained, her father met her eyes and shook his head, as if to say,“Don’t do it.”
Isla loved her family more than life itself, but if she gave Sebastian the dagger with the elementals’ power inside of it, whatever foe was behind his actions would have access to them. And if that being was willing to manipulate lives simply togainthat power, Isla couldn’t imagine a world where they dominated the kingdoms with it.
Reading the decision in her eyes, Sebastian dusted off his shoulders and straightened his tunic. “So be it.”
He cocked his head, a frostiness creeping across his features.
That’s when she heard the first scream.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Aidan
Heslippedamongthemlike a spirit.
One moment, Aidan was standing with Kai, watching Isla talk to Sebastian, unease flowing through him as the two conversed very heatedly and…very closely.
The next, the king was before him, wisps of black smoke fraying at the edges of his pale form. He uttered two words.
“Burn her.”
Aidan’s body instantly twitched toward Kai. His fire burned a hole inside him, demanding to be unleashed upon the goddess at his side. He sent a scorching ball of flames rushing at her, his anger purring at the scream that escaped her lips as her arms flew up, a wall of undulating water appearing from the tips of her fingers.
“Aidan, what the—”
He stalked to her, both hands ablaze in a ring of flames. His fire flew like darts in quick succession, but they all melted against the female’s water. Aidan roared in frustration.
“A little help here?” she yelled. Aidan didn’t know or care who would answer her cries, only that he would burn them, too.
