It meant a second of time to fight him.
My breaths came faster, heart pounding with resolve. “Let me say goodbye,” I said, taking a step back. “At least give me that.”
Dante sneered, but he nodded. “Make it quick.” He nodded to one of the soldiers, who came up to me and clamped a familiar chain to my collar. I flinched from the shock of it, from the shouts that sounded behind me. But I held up my hand, turning slowly.
My gaze met Maeve’s first, who staredat me like I’d betrayed her. Then Elias, who shared a similar look of shock and betrayal as Maeve.
Goddess, please let them understand.
Instead of going to them, I walked directly to Thor.
I cupped his cheek, meeting his stare.When I get to Dante, I said, leaning up to kiss him,attack. Get the students out of here with Damon. Warn the others. I’ll distract Dante as long as I can.
I pulled back and prayed he understood. That they would all understand.
Dante was weak. Desperate.
Just as Sable said he’d be.
When my gaze went to Adrian and Hawk, they both seemed to have the same moment of realisation. Like they knew what I wanted without needing to ask.
Pressure built in my chest, bile rising in my throat as the soldier pulled me away. My hearing went fuzzy for a moment as I was led to Dante, vision blurring as my mind went back to those initial days in the cages.
The cold pain biting into my skin.
The rawness of their losses.
The agony that was the collar as it stole everything from me.
The moon hanging above us was red, and the skull in Dante’s hands started to glow.
“I knew you would see sense,” he murmured as I was brought to stand in front of him. “Your reign has to come to an end.”
A shiver rolled down my spine. “And yours?” I asked as he released the skull and planted his hand on my throat.
“It must begin,” he murmured, heat flaring from his fingers. “The Queens have had the crown for far too long. It’s timeweruled.”
There was a hint of truth in those words, a truth I doubted anyone wanted to hear before now. Maybe Dante had a point—maybe the creatures of Nyx didn’t need a Queen anymore.The world was so different to the one Pandora had ruled. Her job unifying the creatures under Nyx worked centuries ago.
The collar burned before clicking. I felt a rush of cool air as it fell from my neck, then the fire within me crackled, stoked by my own anger. By the reconnecting of my bonds.
One by one, they came back to life. The threads that linked me to my mates flared, golden lights snapping as one by one, they reconnected me to my mates.
For a brief moment, I felt them all; the fragile calm that belonged to Maeve, fraying by the second as her bloodlust rose to the surface; the pull of Elias’s beast as both fought for control, each tug creating a tumultuous storm inside my mate; the unexpected fury coiling within Adrian, not just at the collar, but at the sight of his brother; Rowan’s unease as he prepared for the inevitable bloodshed and his worry that every vision he had would come true—again; Orion’s shift from mate to warrior as he slid into the role his father created—a role he intended to use against all around us.
My new mates, their bonds so bright and welcoming, gave me insights into them all. From Damon’s icy fear as he battled against the dark, deadly power begging to steal the lives of the soldiers around us; to Hawk’s pulsating magic that fought to drain the male who threatened me and drink the power brewing nearby; to Xerxes and his beast, each fighting their natural instincts to come to my aid, somehow staying still despite it all; and my gentle Thor, terrified of losing himself to the shift once more, but prepared to sacrifice it all for me.
Without warning, Dante shoved the skull into my chest, eyes wide and shining with his magic. Under his breath, he muttered something. Something I couldn’t hear over the thrum of magic in my veins.
“The magic is mine,” he whispered.
And through the bonds, as I grabbed hold of Dante’s wrist, I whispered:now.
96
Adrian
Ivy’s whisperednowwas the only warning we got before she exploded.
