The gods had created Kol’s dagger using a drop of all their power, including Kol’s. But he hadn’t contributed that power willingly.
And after it was forged, Kol had turned his malice on Zadione.
Because, somehow, the Goddess of Death had stolen from him to create the very weapon that would end his existence.
If Mariah wanted to end this—for good, this time—she knew what she had to do.
Mariah forced herself to relax. She released her grip on the grass, slowly unfolding her body. She stood, the muscles in her face dropping, the snarl she’d held onto so tightly falling away. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, tugging her lips into a soft smile.
“Fine,” she said softly, almost coyly. “I confess. Ididsteal something from you.” Her smile pinched higher. “Do you want it back?”
Kol froze. Her skin burned as those red-gold eyes surveyed her. She held herself still, refusing to so much as flinch, even as his expression glimmered with a hint of hunger.
“I’m glad you’re finally seeing reason,” he said. “How do you plan to return what I’m missing?”
Mariah took that as her invitation. She stalked forward, steps light as they treaded over the grass. Flame and shadow flickered in Kol’s eyes. She didn’t stop until she was nearly in his embrace, until she could smell his scent of ashen rain and burned sandalwood.
He was still as she leaned into his space. Her chest brushed his, sparks shooting over her skin. The beast in her grinned as her lips ghosted over the shell of his year.
“Like this,” she said in a lover’s whisper.
And slid her grandfather’s dragon-winged dagger between the hollows of Kol’s ribs.
Chapter 93
Andrian’s past few moments had felt like a waking nightmare.
Matheo falling.
Sebastian’s broken cries.
Mariah’s agony rolling down their bond like a suffocating wave.
All the blood had drained from Andrian’s body when he’d watched Mariah stand, a coy smile on her lips as she’d sauntered slowly toward Kol. If felt like shards of glass were twisting in his gut when he’d seen the way Kol had smiled back at her, the way he drank in her body like it was just for him.
Until Andrian had seen the flash of steel hidden behind her thigh.
He’d forced himself to stay still. To put his last bit of trust in her, to let her bring this final, desperate plan into being.
After all, what else did they have to lose?
The world fell still when Mariah’s dagger sank into Kol’s chest.
It hardly seemed real. The way the steel was buried so deep in Kol’s flesh only the black dragon wings on the cross guard were visible over the fabric of his jacket. The dark god slowly blinked,as if he, too, felt the chilling effect of time. His gaze drifted down, landing on the worn leather hilt.
Mariah released the dagger, taking a staggering step backward. Nausea roiled down their bond. Her chest heaved, knees and hands trembling.
Was that it? Gods, was it over?
“You did it,nio. You did it.”
Andrian thought he might’ve shouted his thoughts down their bond. His mind was too open, too frayed, too exhausted to know the difference. Could he dare to let himself feel relief? Could they dare to celebrate the end of all this?—
Kol’s dark, rumbling laugh tore like thunder through the clearing before the ruins of the Salis house.
Any hope that had been building in Andrian’s chest died, snuffed out like a candle in the dark. The hairs rose on the back of his neck, a storm of dread rolling into the blood-stained meadow.
Kol slowly pulled the dagger from his chest. There was no blood, no residue, nothing. Only a small flash of red-gold light before the clean silver tip left his skin. Kol flipped the dagger in his palm, cocking his head at the simple weapon. A curious expression washed over his face, flickering in the pale afternoon light.
