Fury coils through his muscles as he observes her vulnerability. She is positioned between Lavinia in form-fitting armor, her hair pulled back, and an ethereal Makt resembling a Salt Warrior with braided hair and leather armor.
Thora and Edmund stumble in behind him, accompanied by a small group of Drengr flanking them.
Lavinia’s expression brightens at his sudden appearance. “Welcome, my son. I hope you have made a decision.” She strides toward him with a deranged smile to match her wild eyes.
“Guard the door!” Thora commands the Drengr.
“You face the might of a god, Sigvidsson! Your Drengr are nothing!” Lavinia’s arms quiver at her sides.
Makt's Great Axe rests on Calder’s shoulder as he approaches his godly father. Before he can take five steps, Lavinia has a sword at Aura’s throat.
“You lose leverage that way.” Calder cracks his neck.
A commotion at the door draws Lavinia away from Aura, who spins to look up at Makt with arms spread at her sides.
What is she doing?
“I, Princess Aura Sigvidsson-Redwood of Treland, accept you, Makt, God of Power. I agree to be your vessel.”
Calder roars as everything slows down. Lavinia stumbles away, shocked as she watches Makt throw back his braided head and cackle at the high ceiling.
“Don’t mind if I do.” His form explodes into the black mist before shrouding his beautiful girl in darkness.
The Iss Drengr’s chest tightens until he thinks his heart may give out. He had carefully considered every scenario.
And yet, Aura accepting Makt was not even a thought.
Vivid memories from a decade and a half ago resurface, reminding him of how this situation ended so long ago.
Once the mist dissipates, Aura's body is left untouched. Everything about her is stunning, except for her gorgeous eyes, which now seem like a demonic void. Her arms lift, caressing her exposed skin as Makt gropes her lovely flesh with a wretched grin.
“She will do, for now.” Makt’s gruff tone corrupts her beautiful voice.
“Fuck! What do we do?” Thora cries.
I need a new plan.
Lavinia's scream pierces the scene, and everyone turns to her just as the tip of a sword runs through her chest.
“Hello, love, did you miss me?” Argnier steps around her.
He must have abandoned his post and slipped inside the Keep!
He yanks the Skalor Sacred Stone, a jagged piece of obsidian, from her neck and tosses it unceremoniously to the floor.
As quick as his actions were, Lavinia possesses just enoughseidrleft in her wretched soul. She slips a dagger from her hip and embeds the blade into his side. Although he doesn’t release his hold, she pulls away from his blade and stabs him again.
This time through the heart.
Her final action leaves her breathless as she tumbles to the floor, her blood pooling from her back.
Calder darts to his friend’s side, catching his body as he crumblesto the floor, supporting his head. “Stay with me, old man. We can heal you.”
Argnier waves him off even as Lavinia lies sputtering beside him. “Calder, you are the son the gods never wanted me to have.”
Calder’s forehead touches Argnier’s as his body goes limp.
At their side, Lavinia’s body undergoes a horrifying transformation. Instead of the vibrant woman she has presented to the people of Skalor for more decades than should have been allowed, her hair is now a snowy white, and her skin appears saggy and loose. Her eyes bore into him as she heaves her final breaths.
