And her love. That had always been her weakness, too.
He didn’t answer, and she hoped that he listened.
“Unfortunately for you,” Mariah said, her words clear. “I already have that person. And he is most assuredlynotyou.”
Kol only chuckled. “I think you’re fooling yourself. I think with a little practice, you will learn to see right through our differences.” His eyes flashed. “I already fooled you once, after all.”
That morning. That dream.
Wrong. He was wrong. Sickness wound through her stomach, the same as it had that morning.
She lifted her sword higher, pointing the sharpened blade at Kol’s rotted heart.
“And you will never do so again.” Magic wound down the steel. “Not until the stars blink out of existence and the moons fall from the sky.”
Kol’s mouth twisted into a fake pout. “What a pity, then. I didn’t want this to have to come to a fight.”
“What a shame that I did.”
Mariah launched herself at the God of the Sun.
Chapter 87
Ksee’s nails bit into Anniliese’s arm. A whimper of pain slipped past her teeth.
“Quiet,” Ksee snarled, wrenching Anniliese closer. They hid amongst the few birch trees that hadn’t been burned to ash, shrouded by shrubs and vines that hadn’t been scorched.
Anniliese’s fire had done that. Had caused all that destruction. Had killed this beautiful forest, had burned that lovely cottage to the ground, had destroyed the stacked bodies of those who dared to question Kol.
She hated it. More than she had ever hated anything ever before.
Even more than she hated the vile priestess beside her, hissing in her ear.
Anniliese peered through the brush. There was just enough of a gap to make out the ruins of the Salis home and the seven figures in the clearing outside it. One of them—a tall young woman with dark hair and wrath on her face—stepped forward, a short sword and a dagger gripped in either hand.
Anniliese swallowed. Mariah. The queen had taken Kol’s bait.
It was what Anniliese had hoped for. But that had been before she’d seen how deep Kol’s plans went. She’d hoped then that Mariah would see. Would recognize that this was all a carefully laid trap set for her since the very beginning.
Anniliese didn’t know Mariah well, but something told her that even if the young queen knew, she still would’ve come. This was her home. This was about her family.
It was why Kol had chosen it, after all. Because even knowing all the risks, even seeing how obvious it was, Kol knew that Mariah would come.
Mariah spoke, her words too soft to reach Anniliese’s ears. She raised her weapons, rocking back on her heels.
Anniliese heard the snarl that exploded from the queen’s throat as she launched herself forward, the honed tip of her dagger aimed for Kol’s heart.
Anniliese held her breath. It was almost as if time slowed. She didn’t think Kol could die from any mortal wound, but what if? What if there was something Mariah knew that none of the rest of them did? What if that was why she’d dared to come?
Ksee’s nails dug deeper into Anniliese’s skin, but she hardly felt the pain. Not as Mariah’s knife grew closer and closer to Kol’s chest?—
Shadows billowed. One moment, Kol was there, less than a foot from Mariah’s dagger. The next, he was six feet away, red-gold eyes gleaming with his particular brand of madness.
His mouth moved, voice again too low for Anniliese to hear. His palms opened, a dark grin tugging at his lips.
Anniliese’s heartbeat quickened as shadows pooled off Kol’s hands. They didn’t spread, but instead wound together, coiling and tightening and sharpening. His fingers gripped the ends, settling into a fighting stance as he lifted his weapons.
Hisshadowweapons.
