You look like… us.
I know because I have seen that look on my own face as well.
The deep hatred and the desperate need for revenge. That was exactly what Bane and Jessina felt after they were abused by that group of entitled fae millennia ago. It was those emotions that started the last war. And this one as well. Because now, it’s Isera who harbors those emotions. And me.
After Orion hit Bane with both his own memories and oursduring our last fight, Bane must have started to realize the similarities between us.
We all feel the same hatred and the same burning need for vengeance.
Bane and Jessina have been getting their revenge for the past six thousand years.
Now, Isera is going to get hers.
And after that, so am I.
“Orion!” I yell.
The Unseelie King seems to understand exactly what I’m planning, because he rushes forward without hesitation.
Bane jerks back, still trying to gather his composure again after realizing that Isera has the exact same look on her face as he and Jessina do. Ice walls shoot across the grass. Orion and I dive aside. Air escapes my lungs in a huff as I hit the ground with my shoulder first, but I roll with the motion and leap back up to my feat.
Isera screams in rage again as she hammers Bane with shards and spears of ice while prowling towards him like the queen of hell herself. Her furious attacks force Bane to back across the grass, his gaze darting between her and me.
Outside the wards, Jessina roars.
But I don’t have even a second to spare a glance at what is happening out there, because Orion and I sprint forward again.
Bane shoots desperate attacks at us to keep us all back, but we are all gaining ground on him. Leaping and twisting, I zigzag across the grass while walls of ice shoot towards me.
Isera gets closer.
Panic flashes across Bane’s features as he yanks up shields to protect himself.
A shard of ice shoots through the air.
And slices him across the cheek.
He gasps. Blood slides down his skin as a red cut opens up across his cheek.
“Now!” I scream, and make as if to lurch forward.
Bane snaps his gaze to me.
Isera rams a spear through his chest.
His black eyes widen in shock as the sharp ice pierces his body.
Somewhere outside, Jessina lets out a screech of raw panic.
Orion and I surge forward right as Isera lunges at Bane again. Leaping forward, she tackles him while driving the ice spear deeper into his chest. A choked breath rips from his throat.
Toppling backwards with Isera on top of him, he crashes back-first down on the ground with utter shock still flashing across his face. He tries to slam up an attack with his own ice magic, but Isera quickly dismisses the spear in his chest and instead blocks his attack with a shield of her own. Ice shatters as Bane’s shards slam into her solid defense.
Orion and I throw ourselves the final distance across the ground right as Isera summons an ice dagger and drives it straight towards Bane’s throat.
“Wait!” I scream, grabbing her wrist right before the dagger can find its mark.
She whips her head towards me, and the sheer fury on her face makes me flinch and jerk back. It looks like she’s going to kill me.
