And Venna—
She’s on the ground next to Skaia, on her back, hands closed around her throat, writhing in agony.
My heart skips, my vision blurry. For a second, I can only stare at her. Her face and Izabel’s meld in my vision, and it’s both of them in front of me, twisting in pain. Dying. Because of me.
I’m frozen in time, as if everything happening is in the past, a wrenching memory. My mind detaches, fragments.
Noemi has leaped to the ground, racing toward Venna.
“Stop them, Meryn!” she screams, her voice strangled.
“Behind us, Meryn.”Anassa’s voice breaks through my anguish.“At the tree line.”
Anassa wheels around. My eyes struggle, then focus on the edge of the forestto the west. A wall of Killian’s Bonded on wolfback waits there for orders, their wolves’ eyes flashing from the darkness between the trees.
Jonah has stepped out of the shadows. He holds a bow and is swiftly nocking another arrow. I can see his wide smile even from here, his white teeth flashing like fangs.
Another flash hits me, this one born of pure anger.
I willnotlet him take anyone else from me.I will not.
My shadow power rises, vengeance incarnate. But at the same time, I’m tired, so tired. My body strains tight as a bowstring, tight enough to snap.
“Meryn. It’s too much.”Anassa’s voice tears through my mind.
No.I will not let it break me.
Without giving myself time to doubt the decision, I thrust my hand into the pack at my side, pulling out the Tear that wreaks destruction.
The moment my skin makes contact, power rushes in my veins. My exhaustion is gone. My power surges high. It fills me, rushes through me and into the Tear.
I raise the gem above my head, and once again, that eerie light shines. Like a cold white sunrise.
Jonah falters. His raised bow lowers, and the whites of his eyes flash. Phylax magic lights up the canopy. The other Bonded erect massive shields because they know I’m coming for them.
Not my people. Notmine.
Magic ruptures from my chest with force that blows my hair back.
I’m ready to destroy.
The image of Linsfall caving in on itself rises in my mind.
I point my hand at the line of traitor Bonded and give a shout.
A massive cavern of darkness opens, a fissure in the land between us and them.
Wolves and riders are swallowed. Screams echo and fall, endlessly down. Trees tumble into the darkness, roots cracking and breaking. My power creates a maelstrom of wind, and the enemy line is dashed into the ground, many of them slipping into that slash of blackness.
I watch as the enemies disappear, that gap widening, widening.
Then comes the sound of Venna’s dying breaths.
Venna.I let my hand fall.
Anassa sprints to her side. Tumbling from her back, I hit the ground hard. I catch myself on my hands and use them to pull myself forward and find my feet. A desperate cry scrapes from my throat.
The others are already gathered around Venna. Noemi holds the hand that isn’t still clutching her throat, scratching the skin to bleeding.
