I pull back, only to find Morgana standing a few feet behind us with her arms crossed. “You might wantto hold off a moment longer. The battle is done,” she notes dryly.
Heat floods my face, and I scramble upright, but never let go of Sin.
He rises with me, pulling me back against his chest, and resting his chin on my head.
Clearing my throat, I try (and fail) to ignore my mortification and pretend I’m a somewhat functioning adult.
“So, I might have found you an army to replace the Forsaken that I reaped,” I offer, acting like I wasn’t just mauling Sin in public.
Morgana raises a brow, then shakes her head. “No, you haven’t. That army doesn’t belong to me.”
She jerks her chin at something behind me.
I frown, turning to see what she means.
My throat tightens. At least a thousand freed prisoners fill the courtyard.
Every last one of them is kneeling.
“What–” I start.
“They’re bowing to you, kitten,” Sin murmurs against my ear. “This is your army now.”
Shock floods me, but it only lasts for a moment. Something behind the crowd catches my attention.
Suddenly, I realize what the deafening boom was when I tried to pull back my power.
The castle looks mostly untouched, except for one minor detail. There’s a line running through the center. Through the empty space, I can distantly see trees from the other side of the castle grounds. There isn’t even any rubble.
The castle has been cut completely in half.
Part 2 – Threads of Power
“I have been bent and broken,
but – I hope – into a better shape.”
- Charles Dickens,Great Expectations
Chapter 35
Vivian’s Point of View
Rule thirty-five:Don’t be a bystander to family feuds.
“Kitten,” Sin growls, warning lacing his tone.
The battle ended hours ago, but much to my surprise, the work didn’t. The scents of blood and smoke still cling to the air, and my hands shake as I press a warm towel to a gash on a freed prisoner’s arm.
We’ve temporarily converted the dining hall into an infirmary, and Rosie is directing the care for the wounded. Many of the former prisoners were hurt during the fighting, and plenty were in desperate need of medical attention after their imprisonment.
We’ve settled into a good flow of work, and I glance over at my pink-haired friend. She’s been quiet ever since I told her Irena was moved. She spreads poultices over wounds, but her gaze is somewhere farbeyond these walls. There’s a shadow over her features that wasn’t there in the Shadow Realm.
Honestly, I think she’s holding up amazingly. I can’t even imagine how devastating it would feel to be separated from your mate for so long, only to have them ripped away from you when you finally get close.
Exhaustion rolls through me, and I hope my other friends are doing okay. There wasn’t time for a joyful reunion after the battle. But thankfully, between Ragna and Morgana, the post-battle organization has been running like a well-oiled machine.
I’ve never been more grateful to be demoted in my life.
