It… it was my grandfather.
The Warden had turned him completely to ash.
Ava’s tormented cry died as Eldin dragged her through the portal. She had seen it all.
A chill spread across my skin as I felt the touch of a soul, and one last image washed through my mind. My grandfather’s spirit ran through me on his way to the great beyond, and I witnessed his kind smile as he whispered,“I love you, my grandson. I cherished the time we had together.”
Then… he was gone. It all happened so fast. I didn’t even realize he was dead until his voice had faded from my mind forever.
Tears streamed down my face as despair consumed me, and I let out a cry of sorrow. I understood what grief was, because I’d experienced it so many times, but this was different. I’d lost the light that had guided me, and now, I was surrounded by darkness again. My grandfather had made me feel like I was a part of something, and now that he was gone, I might as well be out by myself on the streets all over again.
The palace, my title… it all meant jack shit, because it couldn’t repair the damage my grandfather had left behind with his passing. It was an enormous loss, one that changed the fabric of who I was and molded me into someone different in a matter of moments without me realizing it.
I just wanted someone tobe there, and not go away. Everyone I loved died, and if they didn’t, they turned their back on me. I’d prayed my entire life to find a parent that gave a damn about me, and the second I got one, the universe ripped him away.
The Warden hadn’t just killed my grandfather. He had trapped him in the in-between, never able to move on to the Blessed Haven. The Warden had imprisoned him, like he’d imprisoned me. Except this time, it was permanent, and my grandfather would have no escape.
Pure agony turned to unadulterated rage. Cameron yanked me toward the portal, but I gathered all my strength to pull away from him.
“I’m going to kill the Warden!” I screamed. I didn’t care that I didn’t have any magic at my disposal, that I was alone, that this was a useless attempt to stop a god. I’d murder that motherfucker with my bare hands for taking my grandfather away. I didn’t need any demigod powers. I just needed my rage,and the Warden was going to feel every bit of my wrath before I took his worthless life. Every hurt and pain and bit of suffering that I’d ever been through, from the time I’d been born to now, surged out of me and begged to be summoned, so I could make someone else feel every awful thing that I’d ever felt in my meaningless existence.
I didn’t care if I died anymore. I only cared if the Warden went down with me.
“He can’t be beat,” Cameron said, his voice choked with grief. “I’m sorry, Charlie.”
A heavy blow hit me from behind, and that was it before the portal sucked us through and the camp disappeared completely. My mind went completely blank as I passed out.
My last thought was of my grandfather, and what he’d given up. He’d exchanged his life for mine, but it wasn’t a gift that I wanted. He’d made the wrong choice. My enemies could take my life, because I didn’t want it anymore. It wasn’t worth living if I experienced these short moments of happiness and had them stolen away from me. I was tired of always ending up alone.
So I swore to myself that I wouldn’t. Not ever again. No matter what I had to do, or what price I had to pay, I wouldn’t allow anyone else I loved to be taken from me.
If I had to become a monster to do it, so be it. By the ancestors, I swore, I wasn’t losing anyone else.
Even if I had to force them to stay.
Chapter Twenty-Four
AVA-MARIE
Life didn’t mean anything if it could turn out like this.
There was instant panic the moment we returned to Ilamanthe. We portaled back into the throne room where all my friends were recovering, sprawled out on the floor or hovering over their knees.
“Cassiel’s dead,” Ivy said weakly. “Fuck, fuck,fuck.”
Eldin set me down. I managed to sit up from my place on the floor, and Oberi slowly came around beside me. I gritted my teeth in pain as I pulled myself onto her back. She got to her hooves as the throne room dissolved into a mess of screams and chaos. Servants and Elvish nobles had received word that Cassiel had perished, and now, the palace was crumbling from the inside.
Charlie was still unconscious from Cameron’s blow. A group of servants carried him out, taking him to the infirmary.
I glared at Cameron with all the hatred I could muster. I knew he had to subdue Charlie to get him back to the city, but I wasn’t going to forgive him for laying hands on my husband. When I had a spare moment, I’d make him pay, too.
But that would have to wait, because first of all, we had to make sure Cassiel’s death wasn’t in vain.
Cameron acted like he didn’t notice my death stare and said aloud, “It’s over! Doctor Taurus is too powerful! He’ll be here any minute to storm Ilamanthe’s gates! The city is going to fall!”
Cameron was so pathetic. Cassiel was dead and Ilamanthe was exposed, yet he was losing his head when it was imperative we took action.
“We need to fortify Cassiel’s wards and boost it with a shield of our own,” I insisted loudly, taking charge. Charlie was down and Cameron was useless. If there weren’t any other competent royals around here to give orders, I sure the fuck would. The screams quieted down at my words, as I knew they would. I was the princess— these people needed me. The Elves in the throne room looked to me, waiting on my orders.
