“I do too,” Nicoli replied, his tone void of all strength. He took a staggering step forward before he fell to her side, unable to support himself any longer.
“What’s going on?” Odette cried out in fear.
None of us could answer. We’d never seen anything like this before.
Tears dotted the corners of Helena’s eyes. “Nicoli, I’m scared.”
“Don’t worry, my mate,” Nicoli gasped out. “We’ll be together soon.”
Helena reached out to grasp Nicoli’s hand. The moment they touched, both of them began disintegrating. Their forms became dust in the blink of an eye, bodies drifting away into tiny fragments of nothingness, becoming piles of ash on the floor. It was as if they were never there at all.
Milonna’s warning had come true. We’d failed to stop this. Our last-ditch effort had come to ruin. The portal to Edinmyre had closed forever, and all of the fae were doomed to a slow demise now. It was only a matter of time before each of us turned to dust.
The door to the armory opened. Defeat pressed in on me as I saw Gabby, dressed in her finest armor, enter the room. She was flanked by dozens of soldiers, each of them the walking dead. They did not attack her, but moved on her orders and marched in formation. She put up a hand to stop them, and they halted in place, waiting on her command. The Unseelie stone hung around Gabby’s neck, suspended there by the dark necklace.
Moments passed before the ghostly spirits of Helena and Nicoli appeared in the place where they’d died seconds ago. They floated over to join Gabby’s dead army, their expressions lost of all feeling.
Gabby’s mouth was thin as she stated, “You’re too late to unite the Crystals. I suggest you surrender now, so I can show you mercy. If not… prepare to face a fate worse than death.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Emma
The sight of Gabby wearing the dark necklace made my insides churn, and it wasn’t with fear. It was fury. I could hardly stand the sight of the smug bitch, standing there acting like she’d already won.
We’d failed to unite the Crystals in time. But you know what? If we were already doomed, I might as well make Gabby pay for the havoc she’d wreaked on this world.
I remembered what she’d done to Ozzie and Jasper, and an undeniable rage welled up in my chest and threatened to spill out of me. I could turn to dust the moment Gabby’s heart was crushed underneath my blade, but not a second before.
I immediately turned to make a break for the Crystals of Harmony. But Gabby made a mocking noise, and cast her hand out. The circlet that held the Seelie stone hovered until it nestled into her hair. The dragon, alicorn, and griffin stones ripped out of their weapons, making them useless. They hovered in the air, until they forged themselves into the breastplate that Gabby was wearing, a sizzling sound filling the room as the smell of melting metal resonated throughout.Lodburzanspun through the air, and Gabby latched on to it, holding the sword that contained the wolven stone with an iron grip.
The sight of my sword in her hand made me want to rip her apart muscle by muscle, bone to bone.
“I don’t like people who steal my toys,” I growled. “Give the Crystals back.”
“You can’t win this fight. I’ll be kinder than Droga. This is your last chance,” Gabby warned.
I looked to Ethan, and to my friends. Without their magic, they were virtually defenseless, especially against an army of the dead. They couldn’t kill them, only hold them off long enough for me to… hopefully… defeat Gabby.
It would be heartless of me to ask them to do such a thing. Yet Ethan clutched on to the hilt of his sword, and at the same time, the others lifted their blades. They didn’t have magic anymore, but they still had their weapons. They wanted me to keep fighting.
I steeled myself and said, “I’d tell you to go to hell, but you know what? I’m already sending you there.”
Gabby’s face flushed red with rage. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t quit. You and your friends are stupider than you look. You can’t even admit defeat when it’s right in front of you.”
“You're awfully confident for someone who’s lost to me in a duel,” I reminded her.
“I’m a goddess now! You don’t stand a chance against me,” Gabby yelled.
“I mean,of courseyou have to cheat to be able to beat me,” I said, giving a careless shrug. “Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair.”
Gabby wrinkled her nose in disgust. “I’ve spent months lying awake at night, dreaming of killing you in a million awful ways. I can hardly believe my dream’s about to come true.”
“You sure about that?” I gave a cold laugh. “You know, I’d hoped we’d find your little daughter on the way up here. Princess Signe should get to know her family.”
“You threaten to touchmydaughter?!” Gabby screamed. “I’llendyou.”
Apparently we were done talking, because Gabby sent a killing curse straight at me. I dodged the red flare. It slammed into the stone column beside me, blowing it to bits.
