Olienna’s eyes softened, and her head nodded softly.
“Block her out,” Astraeus breathed, straining to keep his shield up and his power pulsing through me. “BLOCK HER!”
Olienna’s face snapped to him, and her lips curled into an ugly snarl as she threw her hand toward Astraeus. His cry punched through the valley as she tore through his shield, both mental and physical. He slapped something hard into my hand before he crashed to the ground, and I staggered as my own shield fell.
Olienna snapped her attention back to Dark King Daimos, his arms wide as he threw the Ramadiel power at Bayne and Nerissa, tearing screams from their lips.
“STOP!” I cried.
Daimos cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at Olienna through his shield.
“Will she save your Bellators, Daughter of Darkness?” Daimos asked quietly, a soft smile stretching across his bloody lips. His eyes slid from Olienna’s to my own.
“She’s a Bellator,” I said, remembering that warm connection, that confidence and love.
Olienna’s eyes slid to Bayne and Nerissa, whose bodies writhed and bled beneath the twisted Ramadiel power.
“Ah, yes. She has the power of the gods,” Daimos murmured as his smile grew. “And what secrets does she hold? She’s taken the life stretcher. Or did you give it to her?” he choked out before Olienna took another step toward him.
I blinked.Life stretcher. I snapped my head to Olienna, eyes traveling along the length of her braid, which seemed darker somehow. Were there fewer grays? Her eyes were brighter…younger.
She’d taken the Aeterna Bone from Aedrialis.
“And there’s a Conduit with us now,” Daimos continued, his bloodshot eyes slicing to Astraeus. “Has he been with you all this time?” A chuckle escaped the dark king’s lips, more specks of red dotting the accumulating snow at his feet. “And you didn’t know? History seems to be repeating itself, Olienna.”
I glanced at Olienna, who stood with a dazed look on her face. She licked her lips as her eyes darted to Astraeus, and back to Bayne and Nerissa in animalistic greed.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, dread seeping through my system.
“Olienna. Queen of Nivis. Prophet. Bellator. And the ultimate Betrayer,” Daimos spat as he sent another blast of Ramadiel power into Bayne and Nerissa, whose screams turned to whimpering moans.
“STOP!” I wailed, tears streaming down my face. Astraeus’s body lay unmoving in the wet snow.
Tiberius! Help us!I called in my mind.
“Historydoesseem to repeat itself. The queen of the Starlings under your nose, all those years ago. And one of her sentries, now found his way to your little death digger.”
I blinked, glancing down at Astraeus’s bloody body and noting the rise and fall of his chest.
“Olienna has claimed two powers. And now, there are four others, here in this valley,” the dark king continued. “Ripe for the taking. TheConduitlaying at your feet.”
Olienna’s hands shook as her eyes swept over Bayne, Nerissa, and at last, landed on Astraeus. Daimos’s bloody eyes were fixed on Olienna. He wasbaitingher. I slid my eyes to the Tauruk, who circled behind Daimos, the dark spaces in his giant, horned mask pinned on Olienna.
Movement to the left caught my eye, to where the pile of bodies lay strewn on the side of the hill, where Aeriden crouched next to Vulcan. I whipped my gaze back to the king and queen in front of me, hope sparking in my chest at the sight of my brothers.
Here.Hurry, I called into that well of threads before I lunged, grabbing Olienna’s hand and sliding the rubelline cuff Astraeus gave me into place on her wrist. Her face went blank for a moment before igniting with rage.
Her scream echoed through the valley as I barreled forward. I unsheathed Honor as I hurtled toward the dark king, whose eyes were wide on the blazing red cuff locked on Olienna’s arm. The massive form of the Tauruk rose to my left, his arms widewith a hatchet in one, his other outstretched toward me as Aquila’s massive form dove from the clouds.
The Tauruk’s swing was cut short as the flare of a sword caught the metal of the hatchet. Aeriden’s face was a portrait of pure vengeance. He whipped his blade free, swinging to the right, but the Tauruk was fast, dodging his blade with a bellow of fury. Aeriden ducked, palming his dagger, and he shoved the tip beneath the mask into the soft part above the Tauruk’s throat.
The creature roared, his massive, gloved hands reaching for the hilt when Aquila’s blade-like claws wrapped around his arms and ripped him from the ground. The hawk’s battle cry reverberated through the valley as he lifted the Tauruk into the air and sliced through his arms, the monster’s massive body crashing to the wet, slushy ground.
Daimos’s shield dropped as he whipped his head around, spearing twin blasts of Ramadiel power toward Aeriden and Aquila. Aeriden collapsed, a scream forming on his lips as a shriek of pain ripped through Aquila’s giant beak before he fell from the sky.
Selvina sprinted across the field, unsheathing a thin blade and heading toward the dark king as the familiar thunder of hooves drummed from behind.
Tiberius’s dark form broke through the clearing fog behind Daimos, and my heart stuttered in relief at the sight of him. The dark king spun, cutting off the Ramadiel power from his targets, and raised his hand toward Tiberius.
