He then sighs and adds, "I can’t wait to stare into your demonic eyes, see the filth you’ve become, and watch the life seep from you.”
I cautiously take a step back.
“You must have forgotten I’m not a darkling, so the magic doesn’t work on me.”
“But what if it does, my dear sister? You’ve sold your soul to the devil after all. I think it actuallydoeswork. Why don’t you come here, and we will find out.”
His malicious grin spreads across his face, and I do my best to keep my eyes fixed on him instead of the roaring wall nearby. Heat radiates from the fire, and I try not to react to the sensation, glaring at my twin brother. I try to will the dormant power inside of me to surface, the white magic that supposedly is part of me now, but nothing happens. Fynn charges at me and jumps on top of me, his clawing fingers aiming to grab me. I hiss as his digits press firmly into my skin, and my shadows attempt to help, their forms flinching when they touch Fynn. My brother lets out a roaring laugh, frothing at the mouth, his eyes pitch black as if he’s no longer human. I feel a knot in my stomach as I hear the low sound of sizzling. I break the staring contest between Fynn and me and turn my head toward the sound.
It takes a few seconds for me to realize that his hands are sinking into my skin, burning it away. The bonding with Emrys has turned me into a supernatural being after all. I need to find a way out of his hold before he kills me, burning me to death. A whisper of cold runs its nails down my spine as I begin to thrash against the pain that slowly begins to consume me, first barely there, but suddenly, it all comes at once, and I let out a piercing shriek.
It's enough for Emrys to find the strength to push through the cage of fire Fynn created. With smoke billowing from his form, he stands there, defeat and rage etched on his face—a dangerous mixture in an Umbra. Large shrouds of black smoke pulse around him, and I see the flash of fear in Fynn’s eyes as Emrys slowly walks toward us, a demon in the flesh, risen from the nine layers of Hell.
I try to make use of the momentum and give my brother a shove, but all I do is awaken his fury.
“You bitch, you are supposed to die!” he barks, with spittle flying everywhere.
He presses his fingers deeper into my flesh, tearing through muscles, breaking my bones, and I cry out in agony. The moment his hands are pulled out, it hurts even more, as shadows rip me from my brother’s embrace and I lose consciousness, no longer able to withstand the burning torment. A bone-deep ache takes my mind hostage.
“I’m so sorry, myLucem Mei,” Emrys whispers against my cheek.
“YOU!” he growls.
Emrys stands up, leaving me tucked in a cocoon of swirling shadows, his focus now solely on Fynn.
“Me?” Fynn says with a chuckle, as he pats his pants nonchalantly.
Without saying a word, Emrys summons a large black scythe in his hand, the handle and blade surrounded by swirling, furious shadows. The onyx blade glints in the bright sun, and Emrys moves smoothly toward Fynn as he aims the massive weapon at his limbs. Faas appears at Emrys’s side, but not to attack him; instead, he barters pride for survival as he begins to back away.
Unfortunately, the dhampir underestimates my monster’s raging inferno, the wrath that’s rising to take revenge. His ragetears through him like a storm at sea, and without even glancing at Faas, an ocean of black engulfs the dhampir, flinging him away once more. Emrys leaps toward Fynn, scythe in hand, the blade coming for his neck, when a small figure emerges beside my brother.
Fynn barely dodges the attack, and he snarls at Jodelle for suddenly popping up. Emrys battles the magic emanating from Fynn as he prepares himself to launch once more.
“Why are you here?!”
Fynn drags Jodelle away from Emrys, unsure whether she will survive the violent assault that is being unleashed.
“It’s the talk of the town, everyone knows what’s going on, holding their breath in anticipation. They are cheering for thatthingover there, and not you, or the dhampir. No, him!”
“Like it matters! I can take him,” my brother sneers.
“Together we know for sure we can bring him down,” she offers. “With both our magic, he doesn’t stand a chance.”
Regaining consciousness, I begin to panic. I can’t lose Emrys. I will not survive the heartbreak, nor do I wish to live any longer without him by my side. I want to call out to him and tell him to leave this place. I have no idea what happened to the witches, whether they are still trapped in the inferno of fire, but I need Emrys to be safe.
I know he can hear my pleas, but his instinct to kill my brother, to keep me safe, is all-consuming.
Seeing Jodelle standing next to my brother makes me frantic with despair. Being no longer human means I am useless, unable to take her out and save my beloved.
Hollowed Loss
Fynn
Chapter 16
With Jodelle gracing my side, I can feel the magic growing more prominent as it gains ground over the shadows it combats.
I hear my sister frantically cry out to her lover, to stop shielding her, to use the power to fight me, instead of trying to keep her safe and tucked away. I despise the dhampir, the coward taking refuge in reason. He was right beside the Umbra; he could have weakened him or attacked him, but instead, he stepped back. I saw the hesitation, the fear, and the uncertainty about whether I would win this war. His lack of belief is quite insulting, to be frank. I glance at Jodelle, the one who stands by my side through it all, no matter how many times I shout at her or hurt her; she will always forgive me. After this is over, I amgoing to put in the work to make this a happy ending. While I fight against the Umbra, I can’t help but turn to her, to give her a genuine smile, which she returns.
