“Are you threatening to murder me?” I chuckle at her obvious intimidation tactic. “Again?”
Lachlan murmurs, so only I can hear, “Focus on her movements, not her words. She’s trying to goad you into making a mistake.”
Odessa’s eyes slide to Tane and Mathilda, where they have taken up positions on one side of the throne room, and then to Mina and Evander on the other side. Their heavy breathing can be heard from where we stand.
One more fight.
One last fight, and then the throne is mine, and we will have secured our home. We just need to win this last battle, and then this nightmare will be over.
“I do not tolerate idle threats,” I grit out between clenched teeth.
Anger races through me at her threat and the hell of what I have already faced to get here. The life that they have cost me.
“I think you’ve misunderstood my presence here, Aunt,” I say louder. “I have no intention of leaving or being murdered. I’ve come to claim my throne and fix the problems you’ve so obviously left to fester.” I gesture towards the mud-splattered floors of the Great Hall, the dead demons in the streets beyond. The ghost of those battles is seared into my mind. “I had hoped you would agree and relinquish the throne willingly after seeing the eclipse for yourself.”
I take a breath, my voice softening a shade, when I remember that she is my family, my only family in this realm. “Odessa, please see reason. This goes beyond holding onto the throne. Look around you; the war is here. There are demons in our streets.”
Odessa leans forward on the throne, resting her chin on her palm, a wicked smile grotesquely marring her face.
“Is that what you believe, Helena? That I’ve ignored the signs of the war, that I mistook them for the realm needing you?No one needs you,” she sneers. “I knew all along what the signs indicated.”
My eyes narrow on her traitorous face, and she nods to Julius. She rises from the throne, pulling a sword from behind the crystal chair. Diplomacy is no longer an option, family or not.
My rage at her willful neglect by allowing the realm—my realm—to go to shit, sends tingles down my arms.
“It’s Lena,” I grit out. I jerk the ax from the straps on my back. “Or, Your Majesty.”
37
THE END
Wind tears through the throne room, and Odessa halts a step away from the bottom. My necklace chills slightly before plummeting into frigid iciness. The bitterly cold temperature burns my skin.
Julius takes a small step towards Lachlan and then quickly lunges at me to catch us off guard. But Lachlan jumps in front of his path, deflecting the blow that was clearly meant for me.
I’m confused that I didn’t see the move before it happened.
But if the guys can’t shift, power here must be blocked entirely. Lachlan begins to slash at Julius, forcing him away from me.
Their blades clash together and echo throughout the throne room. Odessa lets out a low whistle, and demons begin surging in from the hallways, their claws scraping against the floor. Evander, Mina, Tane, and Mathilda jump into action, battling them back.
Odessa smirks at me as she saunters down the last step. “It’s a pity it had to come to this.”
I glare while squaring my shoulders and tightening the grip on my axe.
“Yeah, it’s a shame you murdered my parents and turned out to be a raging bitch.”
She freezes, her mouth stretching grotesquely wide. “Helena, such language is unbecoming of awannabe queen.”
I snort. “Oh, and murder is perfectly acceptable?”
She throws herself at me after she reaches the last step, and I easily bat her sword away. Her movements seem sluggish, and I’m not sure if it’s just a tactic to get me to underestimate her or if it has something to do with magic not working.
Fighting her is easier than the demons we just faced, even without my powers. Her black sandals slide along the marble. She’s too weak to even pick her feet up.
“We don’t have to do this. Wouldn’t you rather just face up to your crimes? I’m sure we can construct a prison or something for you both.”
She rolls her eyes at my suggestion and slashes wildly with her sword. Her effort increases marginally, but there’s still little force behind her attack. She’s like a child playing with a sword that is far too heavy.
