‘Bitch,’ he hissed. The sword flew towards us, and we grinned at the shock on his face as his weapon burst into flames.
He shrieked as we twisted our hands, the violet urging us on. We fed the flame, delighting in how Romero fell to the waves, screaming, raw, wild. He tried to sink beneath the waves, seeking the blessed relief of water. The flames extinguished where the cool of the water hit his skin, only to spark again the second he met air. We shook our heads, grinning as we fed the flame. Trembling, his wide eyes met ours. The king spat curses, spittle flying from his blazing mouth. We sensed Matthias behind us, but didn’t turn. We had to finish Romero. The only way he’d leave this beach was as ash on the wind.
‘For Glesni,’ we said as he twitched, mouth open in a silent scream. His skin blistering and popping, decaying and burnt. ‘For Enfys, Pablo, Mama, Papa, my papa. For the years you denied Matthias and me. For Asmar and The Alliance.’
We were the most powerful Deviants to set foot on Eusan soil, and we were desperate to test our gifts. They hissed, engulfing Romero in flames. We didn’t hear his screams. We didn’t give him the chance. We tore through his lungs, his hollow heart. His corpse fell hissing into the waves, but still we burned through him. Flesh, bones, his corrupt soul, nothing more than blistering meat.
Resentment flashed through the coils of purple. Still they weren’t sated and they crept forward, slicing across the waves like a long boat, towards the smouldering remains of Romero. A new corpse lay ahead, and they craved its possession.
No,I warned them as Glesni’s body slunk to the waves.Not this.
They pushed forward, and his charred fingers twitched in the water. Gasping, I called them back, but still they prodded, still they hunted.
‘Sorrow.’ Fingers curled through mine. A voice deeper than home called to me. ‘Sorrow. Breathe for me, love. Breathe.’
The chill whisper of the salty breeze on my chapped cheeks brought me back to myself. My chest ached as though a diafol had torn through me, but a hand squeezed against mine; arms enveloped me. I heaved in a ragged breath, conscious of the rise and fall of my shoulders. A hand cupped my cheek, turning my face towards his. I scoured the green eyes, tears pricking in my own at the worry lurking there. My forehead creased as other images battled for control, till a name came to me.
‘Matthias?’
A smile, a promise of joy and happiness broke out on his face, and I threw my arms around him. My husband dropped his sword, dragging me into him, kissing my neck, whispering promises of love, a life.
‘I should start with what thefuck,’ he said, stepping back, his gaze tearing over me. ‘But we’ve got all the time in the world for that. You did it, Sorrow.’
A heavy breath escaped me. My body shook. His lips crashed into mine, awash with a mix of blood and salt that could have been honey on those lips of his.
He pulled away quickly, far too quickly, and I became aware of the others. My head hit his shoulder, and Matthias placed his hand gently on the back of my head.
‘You did it,’ he whispered into the shell of my ear, and my hands fisted into his torn shirt. ‘You wonderful creature. You did it.’
I swiped my nose and, peering at my fingers, found nothing but sand. I laughed into the fabric of his shirt, my eyes closed, ready to collapse into him. Gods, my body barely had the energy to breathe, but we’d done it. I’d done it. Romero was gone. Asmar was safe – for the time being anyway. We may have defeated the king of Drufaera, but we still had to face the?—
Asher screamed Matthias’s name and I twisted, expecting to see the scorched form of Romero lunging at us through the waves.
But he was gone. Nothing but charcoal and ashes. No. Romero was no longer our greatest threat.
We all froze as the woman, clapping her pale hands, skipped through the waves towards us, a dark-eyed Ifan stalking next to her, an army at her back and her armada cresting the waves.
She placed a kiss onto Ifan’s cheek as she kicked off her high-heeled boots and danced barefoot towards us.
‘Well,’ she said in a high, childlike voice, ‘is this any way to greet your empress?’
CHAPTER 45
I grow so insanely bored of waiting for your response, Asmar. Do you know, I recently acquired an Anomaly who can slit a throat from a distance of three feet? I can’t wait to introduce him to your wife. I’m not sure it’ll be a pleasant experience for you, though. So, for the final time, I await your response. Tick. Fucking. Tock. Tick. FUCKING. Tock.
— UNREAD NOTE FOUND BY KING ROMERO IV ON KING MATTHIAS’S PILLOW
Ifan dropped to one knee, head bowed, dark hair billowing. Blinking, I took in the blurry form of the Empress of Carush, ignoring the way my chest crumbled as she came into hazy focus. Her almost white hair flowed down her slender back in snowy waves. Bouncing on her toes, wringing her pale hands, she reminded me of an excited child on their birthday eve. Her lilac cotton dress was far too simple for an empress. A simple ruby glittered across her breast bone. Was this the woman who’d slaughtered and clawed her way through each of the three otherkingdoms on her continent, before casting her doe-like brown eyes across the sea?
‘I’m waiting, Asmar.’ Her head cocked as she stared at Matthias, her guards stepping in line behind her. ‘Tick, tock, tick, tock.’
Matthias threw his sword to the sand, grabbing my hand and steeling his spine. Realisation settled in my gut like a millstone. We’d expelled every ounce of energy defeating Romero. She must have watched from her ships. Waiting for the perfect moment to attack. The moment we had nothing left.
Refusing to bow to the empress was a death sentence.
I scanned the heavens, cursing the Goddess. I swore once my life was forfeit I’d ensure Evella would suffer as she’d forced us to do. Unless we bowed, lay down our throne and allowed her access to every land, we truly would die. Turning my head, so my good eye could see her, I expected rage to flare across her features, but instead, she giggled and clapped her hands.
‘I knew he’d do that. I told you, didn’t I, Ifan? I told you Mr I’m-so-very-noble-I’ll-die-first wouldn’t kneel.’
