1
VEXXION
The king released me from the wall where he’d pinned me, masked me, and I fell to the tile floor of the throne room, biting back my groan. I hadn’t cried out when he dealt my mother the final blow, and I would not do so now.
Rising to my feet, I staggered down the aisle until I stood in the open area between the wedding guests and the dais where the monster who called himself my father stood in front of the chair where he’d pinned his new bride, Brenna. After grinding his thumb against her forehead, he reeled backward, spinning to glare at me. “What did you do?”
So much more than he knows. My cryptic laugh erupted from my throat. His collar cannot control everything.
Ivenrail stomped toward me.
When he dropped me to my knees with his magic, Fury cried out and raced toward me, thrusting herself between us.
He flung her aside, and she rose from the floor, slashingthrough the room, whipping him and the guests with her power. She was beauty personified. She brought quiet joy to my soul. Without her, I’d cease to exist.
He knocked her down once more, storming toward me.
As I’d hoped, he watched me while she got to her feet. A flick of my hand sent the final collar to Brenna. It wrapped around her neck, freeing her from the one Ivenrail had recently placed to control her.
Ivenrail snarled at me about his brother, Camus.
My feral smile grew wider.
His hand snapped out, his thumb hitting my forehead hard enough to fling my head backward. Pinning me with his other hand, he drained my power.
And I let him.
Come for me. Let me distract you while my love, my fury, takes you from this world forever.
Vexxion, no,Fury wailed, breaking through the walls I’d built around my mind.Please.I need you.
Wait.It will be over soon, love. Soon.
I struggled to cling to the last bit of what made me the man she loved, but with Ivenrail sucking down all of my power, I couldn’t hold on.
Before he took what little I had left, I needed to show him I was as strong as my mother.
“I give you nothing,” I cried out, my voice wrenching through the room.
“You give me whatever I ask for.” Pivoting, Ivenrail stalked back to Brenna, thrusting his thumb against her forehead. She shuddered and screamed. I wanted to help her. Ihadto helpher. But I . . . couldn’t.
Now,I called out to Fury.With a guttural groan, I toppled onto my side, landing hard on the marble floor. Even in this, I didn’t whimper. I didn’t groan. I held everything inside just like my mother had all those years ago.
Tempest rushed over, dropping to her knees beside me.
“It’s time,” I growled. “Before she died, my mother . . . infused our family blade with her blood. I did . . . too. Today.”
No. Vexxion, no.
“Brenna’s . . . safe. I . . . removed her collar.” I found the strength to reach up, to stroke her face one last time. “I love you. Have from . . . the moment I met you. Always.Always.”
“You knew what would happen. You knew, and you didn’ttellme.”If I kill him, you’ll die,she snarled.
Fury. My fury. I love you. Please do this for me.
Everything was slipping away. Storm clouds rushed in, enveloping my mind. The king had taken too much.
I couldn’t pin myself to this world much longer. The ether called, eager to drag me into its sweltering embrace.
