Darkness shrouded the arena. Something was overhead. A giant serpent flew into the arena with a rider atop it—honey-toned curls blown back in the wind.
Sybilla…
Her presence returned some of my warmth.
“You are strong, so strong.”I tried to push the words to her and heard Caym’s internal growl again.
Then Caym faltered at the sight of the flying beasts. An opening.
I peeled back enough of my Shadows to release Ryn and then Elsedora. Ryn’s feet became unstuck, and he and Elsie began running toward the stage where Caym stood.
No sound left my lips as I tried to scream at them to stay away from Caym, to run from danger, not toward it.
Hope seemed lost.
They’d die by his hand or mine in this Sources-forsaken pit.
Chapter 64
Sybilla
The Origin of Death stood with his arms outstretched, atop a podium high above the pit—an orchestrator of chaos, the bringer of doom.
“Come out, little Isleen. You can stop this!” he boomed. All of this pain, all of this suffering, and for what? For unrequited love, for envy, for greed?
He’d lured me here.
I’d bite.
Isleen’s wings beat back the putrid amber smoke that clouded the arena floor. Through the dust, I could make out dark vines in the pit below—barbed and violent.
“Krait!” I called out. When the dust cleared some, I saw him; his arms were stiffly outstretched, matching Caym’s position. Dark tendrils were wrapped around Asterie, Hurley and Wyeth. They’d snared Emmerick’s and Firose’s ankles too. “Stop, Krait!”
“You can stop him…You know how,” Caym yelled. “Let’s make a bargain…”
Between the swarming Moirai and Krait’s Shadows, my friends were doomed. A lump grew in my throat.
I contemplated his words. I could give him what he wanted.Me.
“We do not bargain with Death,” Isleen hissed below me.
Sunlight and fire flashed below as Fenris and Amara fought into the arena, cutting down the Moirai, trying to get to their loved ones.
It all needed to stop before any of them were harmed.
The shriek of a Griffith pierced the air, and an East Corridor fleet joined Isleen’s children in fighting for the city beyond the walls of the amphitheater. I could hear Cassidee, shouting orders.
The way to end this today stood up on that podium.
“You told me not to fail,” I shouted to Isleen. “You know where to go.”
The beating of her feathered wings thundered. Caym stood, staring with an intent gaze down at the arena, a cowardly fucking puppeteer. Rage spurred me to grip Isolde’s sword tighter at my side.
As we descended, Ryn floated, levitating up through the amber smoke toward Caym’s podium. His form glowed brilliant white against the night sky.
“Ryn, stand down!”I tried to scream into his mind.
He either did not hear me or wished not to. Elsedora had almost scaled the wall. Her boots were about to hit the podium behind Caym. The two of them would get themselves...
