Her fury continued to rise at the sight of him, but she felt no fear. Even here, in the bounds of this nightmare, she knew Morkai was dead. Teryn had witnessed the mage’s soul being consumed by light. It had devoured all that was left of him.
This was merely a facet of Cora’s mind, nothing more.
This she could face.
“If only we could meet again,” she said through her teeth, “just so I could see your expression when I told you you were wrong.”
“Wrong?” He arched his brow.
“You were too confident in your own findings. You didn’t even question them when the answer was a kingdom away. You chose the wrong girl. Tormented the wrong girl. You failed in every way.”
His lips widened into a cruel grin. “Did I?”
In a flash of movement, Morkai’s arm shot out to the side, toward one of the shadowed walls. As he drew the arm back to him, he pulled a figure along with him.
Mareleau.
It was like he’d dragged her from the shadows. He shoved her forward, and she stumbled to the ground at Morkai’s feet. As she lifted her head, her eyes found Cora’s. She reached for Cora, but the sorcerer’s hand closed around her throat from behind. He hauled her roughly toward him until her back slammed into his front. He wound his arm over her middle, caging her against him.
“Did I torment the wrong girl, Aveline?” Morkai taunted. “Perhaps I should remedy that.”
Mareleau’s eyes were wide and frightened, pleading with Cora. “Help me,” she got out before his fingers, impossibly long now, tightened further around her throat.
Cora let out a strangled cry. She may have escaped her fear before, but now it grew tenfold, spiking her pulse at the sight of her friend. She tried to remind herself this was a dream, but this was the first time someone other than her—someone alive, someone she cared for—was in danger in one of her nightmares. It battled reason and logic until all that was left was terror.
“Let her go!” Cora shouted.
“Will you take her place then?” Morkai asked. “Will you suffer what she suffers? Will you allow me the pleasure of strangling the life from your lungs in her stead?”
Cora opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound. The answer should be yes. The answer should be…
It should be…
“You said I chose the wrong girl.” Morkai thrust Mareleau away from him, closer to Cora, but his fingers remained around her throat, ever extending until they took the shape of claws. One pointed tip dug into the flesh at the base of her throat, drawing a line of blood.
“Stop,” Cora said.
“Make up your mind, Aveline. Who should I have targeted? Who should I have hurt? Her? Or you?”
“Neither.”
“Oh, but you must choose. Which of you shall burn?”
The scent of burning hair flooded her nostrils, and Cora noticed the ends of Mareleau’s pale strands blackening. The light of the flames grew higher, their heat almost unbearable, but still she couldn’t see them.
Another claw sank into Mareleau’s neck. She whimpered, fighting against his hold. “Should it have been her all along?” Morkai said. “Should I have cursed her? Framed her for murder? Drove her into the forest?”
“No!” Cora shouted.
“Would you trade places with her then? Here? Now?”
Again, Cora couldn’t bring herself to take Mareleau’s place. Why? Why couldn’t she do the right thing?
But…was it the right thing?
The dark resentment she’d felt earlier sparked in her chest.
I don’t need to suffer in her place.
