Not hesitating, there’s a wet crunch as I thrust my sword into his chest. I put all my weight behind it, forcing the blade to sink deep into the grass.
The cuts on his thighs have already healed, but I only need a few seconds.
Proud fury rises within me as I meet his loathing glare. “I will never belong to you.”
I make sure I have his undivided attention as I shove my second blade directly into his crotch.
His howling screams echo through the courtyard. They sound like music to my ears as I snap the magic-binding cuffs onto his wrists.
Blood streams down his crotch, and no matter how hard he thrashes, he can’t pull himself up enough to dislodge my weapons.
The sight sends a dark, delighted thrill through me.
Looking up, I finally lock eyes with Need.
“Your reign is over,” I announce, and it comes out as a threat.
She doesn’t look even remotely threatened. “No, Vivian,” she gives an impatient sigh. “Despite your pitiful attempts, I assure you my reign is far from over. The prisoners may have taken the castle, but you’re still collared. You’re still powerless, and whoever helped you escape will eventually be punished. But for now, I’m afraid you’ll be leaving with me. How painful that experience is for you depends on whether you agree to come quietly.”
At least twenty guards step forward, but I don’t move. I just smile.
Darkness ripples across the wards above us.
Sin has arrived.
Need notices too, and for the first time, her calm façade fractures.
“What’s pitiful,” I say softly, reaching for the collar around my throat, “is that you still think someone freed me.” My fingers curl around the invisible metal, and my smile turns bloodthirsty. “You really should have killed me when I still believed I was weak.”
Beneath my skin, silver Reaper threads surge into the collar, brushing up against the barest hints of golden Creator light.
Need’s eyes widen with disbelief as crackling purple energy snaps over my body.
My collar falls to the ground.
And for the first time, I feel a fraction of what I’m capable of.
Chapter 34
Vivian’s Point of View
Rule thirty-four:Try not to accidentally end the universe.
“Impossible,” Leon chokes out, gaping at me from a pool of his own blood.
Need freezes mid-step, staring as if she’s seeing me for the first time.
The darkness enveloping the castle wards thickens, and the courtyard is quickly being plunged into night.
The wards are still up, and mages throw magic into the barrier, trying to ensure no one can enter.
That just won’t do.
There isn’t room for self-doubt anymore. All that matters is that my family is on the other side of those wards, and nothing is going to keep me from them.
Without the collar, it’s easy to feel both the Reaper and Creator energies. It feels as though they’re contained in two separate wells, deep within me.
The Reaper energy is familiar and easy to call. But the Creator power still feels bound, like it’s pressing up against a sealed cap. Even with the help of my Reaper power, I only manage to siphon a drop.
