“I cannot wait to reclaim my realms and erase your name from history. All your work, all you’ve done, no one will remember. I’ll make sure of it.”
Her face tightened in hatred, and her eyes flashed red. I grinned and twisted my wrist, swinging my sword in front of me.
“I’m going to enjoy splitting that head from your shoulders,” she said and lunged at me, all swift, deadly rage.
The floor erupted, lightning shooting from beneath with a loud, thunderous crack. Nismera screamed, her form burning a painfully bright silver. Thunder roared, and hundreds of spiky bolts sparked against the ceiling and walls, consuming the stone and exposing the sky. I turned and fell to my knees, covering my eyes, the heat making my skin burn.
Samkiel appeared at my side, covered in layers of stone and soot. He slid his helmet back, his hair dark and plastered to his head with sweat, and his eyes were molten silver, brimming with his power. He held his hand out, and I took it, allowing him to pull me to my feet.
“That was cool,” I said, turning to look at the remains of the room. Half the building was gone, and a cool wind whipped in from the growing storm he’d created. Thunder echoed, mixing with the sounds of battle outside.
“Thanks,” he said, kissing the back of my hand. “I actually got the idea from you.”
“How?” I snorted. “I never burrowed my way under a building.”
He shrugged. “I’m sure you did something similar. I can’t remember.” He ran his hand over his head. “I think I hit my head pretty hard.”
“Poor baby,” I crooned. He rolled his eyes and led me toward her burned ashes. “So that’s all that’s left of her?” I glanced at him. “Don’t yell at me, but I expected more.”
His face flattened. “I swear to gods, Dianna, if you—”
And just like that, the universe laughed at us.
The silvery ashes at our feet shot straight up and swarmed us, coalescing to wrap around our throats and lift. Her form rebuilt, flowing from bone to muscle, and then skin until she was whole and undamaged once more, holding us both off the floor.
“You think you can kill me?” she snarled. “Fools. Nothing can.”
She tossed us away, and we crashed against one of the remaining walls.
89
DIANNA
Icoughed as I came to and started digging my way out of the rubble. The sound of clashing steel spurred me on, knowing that Nismera and Samkiel were locked in battle. The palace shook with the force of their strikes, and I pushed myself up as she tossed him back. His armored boots slid across the floor, and he buried his sword into the stone to slow his momentum. Gods, he was amazing, but I could tell he was barely holding against her.
He leaned heavily on his sword, and when he tried to stand up, he stumbled and fell to one knee. He had fed me earlier, and I could smell his blood leaking beneath his armor. She must have cut him, and if he hadn’t already healed, it must be deep. Fuck.
I darted across the floor before dropping to my knees, sword out as I slid to her. She turned toward me, dodging at the last second as my blade sang through the air. I spun and hopped to my feet as my sword met hers. Nismera bent, and knowing what she was about to do, I raised my knee, slamming it into her face. Her head snapped back, and she cursed me. She raised her sword, and I dropped mine, falling to the ground. My palms met the polished stone floor, and her eyes widened a fraction before I used the momentum to land a kick to her chest with both feet. Her sword clattered to the ground as she went sailing into a thick column, the archway above her cracking and falling atop her.
I spared no time, turning away and running to Samkiel. He was already on his feet when I reached him. I turned to keep an eye on where Nismera had disappeared beneath the stone. She’d recover fast, but the open ceiling meant we could escape.
“Baby, you’re bleeding,” I said, my hand touching where he held his side.
He groaned as he forced a half smile. “Sometimes that happens when you fight with swords.”
“Ass.”
I pulled his hand away, looking at the damage. If it was too bad, he may not be able to hold the spike along my back to ride out of here. The silver armor I thought was damn near indestructible had a huge gash in it. Fuck, Nismera had swung her blade hard. But it was the blood pouring from the wound underneath that worried me. I might have fed too much.
“We have to leave. Now,” I said. “We put up a good fight, but we can’t beat her. Not here. Not today.”
“Putting my pride aside, I agree,” he said.
“Hold your side,” I instructed before wrapping my arm around his back. “Let me help you—”
She’s fast. Samkiel had told me over and over again, yet I’d still never learn. It was only a second since I had checked that rubble, but a second too long. Nismera stood only feet away, coated in dust and debris, holding her golden spear. My eyes widened, and my heart thudded, time slowing. Her smile was crooked and cruel, her teeth flashing brightly in her blood-covered face. She pointed the tip of the spear at Samkiel’s back, and the power along its edge grew.
I knew what it would do, what it would take, and how fast it would eat through him. Was this what the poets wrote sonnets about? Was this what Gabby had meant when she spoke of a love that far outweighed yourself?
