Thesarkiashad begun to retreat at Wrune’s—and hisdarukkars’—approach. Even when cornered, they were fierce. They struck out at the barrier with daggers they pulled from their waistbands, daggers of Dakkari steel. Unbreakable.
Still, my shield did not falter.
Wrune was within a sword’s length of thesarkia, with her cut skin and glowing eyes. TheVorakkarwaited until she struck out with her power again.
And when it retreated, he struck out with his own sword.
My gut churned but I steeled my spine as the blade penetrated. It cut through the shield but her power came in waves. She had nothing left. She was depleted. She could do nothing as he landed that fatal strike, with a speed that she could not defend against, right into her heart.
In that moment, I witnessed her despair. Her grief. Her shock. It widened her eyes as Wrune slid his sword from her. A moment later, she fell. He’d been merciful at the very least, delivering a killing shot where she would not suffer. Though hisdarukkar, Natevik’s brother, had no doubt suffered. Though her coven had preyed on us, though they had played with something they didn’t truly understand with blood magic.
They had killed one of their own. One of their sisters. And for what? For power?
And yet, Wrune hadn’t allowed her to suffer, though I wondered if a part of him wanted her to.
I felt it when she died.
The pain of it bowed my back, as a deep rumbling from underneath the mountain seemed to erupt.
No!
“Rowin!” I bellowed, panic infusing my veins, mingling with the tightness of my limbs, and the light bursting in my vision. “The shield! Get everyone out!”
I felt the barrier keeping the fog at baycracking.
Like cracks that tunneled under my own skin, splitting apart my flesh and veins and muscle.
Thesarkia’sdeath had triggered it. And I knew why.
Balance.
Balance in all things.
Her death had tipped the scales again, a powerful force gone from this world, and my own gift was reacting to it.
It wasweakeningfrom it.
The deal I had made with Kakkari was done. Ended. I only wondered if she would allow ustime.
When my eyes met Wrune’s, for the first time, I saw fear in his gaze. But not fear for himself. Fear for me. And I wondered what it was he saw.
“Get out!” I screamed, just as my vision started to darken. “Get out now!”
Chapter Fifty-Three
Thedarukkarswere carrying humans from the throne room, slung over their shoulders. The humans that were still conscious ran behind them, trying not to fall to the ground as the mountain trembled.
As tears of blood streamed from Mina’s eyes.
“ReiMorakkari,” I rasped, going to her, cupping her face within my hands.
Immediately, the flow of her power entered my body and my back bowed with the pain, my eyes going wide, my heart tripling in speed. Pain so extreme that I wondered if it would stop our hearts entirely.
“G-get everyone,” she started, sobbing, “out. My barrier isweakening.”
She took my wrists and flung them from her.
And I roared to the ceiling because I could not take the pain from her. My wife suffered and I waspowerlessto stop it.
