Moros drags Opal toward him by her throat, the tops of her feet scraping against the floor, her face turning purple and her eyes reddening, unable to get air.
With my magic waning, there’s only one thing left to do.
I yank out the dagger, twirling it in my hand and lifting it in his direction.
“Do not touch her.” My voice drops to a low and deadly hum.
His pull on Opal pauses. His eyes widen, but instead of fear there, I findinterest. He looks to Opal, a brow raised. “You gave this to her?”
She sputters, trying to answer but unable.
“That wasn’t yours to give away,” Moros says. He clicks his tongue. His gaze moves back to me, briefly falling to the dagger. “I’ve been struck by this before.” He grins. “Do your worst, girl.”
I smirk, rage fueling me. I just need alittledistraction before I do far worse than he can imagine.
Adrian is still ramming against the door, trying to get it open. I wait for the beat of silence that indicates he’s moving back, preparing to charge.
The moment I hear his shoulder connect, I release my shadows—far weaker than my flame—and barrel them toward the handle. They wrap around it, snapping in place and yanking the door open.
Adrian bursts through, stumbling forward and falling into Moros’s back. They both tumble to the ground, and I don’t waste a second. Opal coughs from beside me as Moros’s hold on her finally loosens.
With quick fingers, I snatch the shard out of my vest. It heats up in my hand, already warm through the cloth.
Moros and Adrian struggle on the ground, Adrian shoving him down with surprising force. Neither seems to notice what I’m about to do.
I hastily unwrap the shard and let it fall into my palm. Itsears into my skin, the faint scent of burning flesh filling my nose. My eyes water from the pain, but I hold it tightly.
Nightfall rests in my right hand, inches away from the jagged shape in my left.
I swallow. The two pieces hum in my palm as if they can feel their nearness to each other.
Shadows erupt in front of me, sent out in all directions—Moros using his magic to get Adrian off of him. Moros jumps to his feet, his rage set on Adrian.
I have to do this.Now.
The dagger buzzes in recognition as the magic swirls in the room, burning hotter in my grasp.
Moros’s magic pushes Adrian against the wall. Moros sneers at Adrian with a growl. “You little?—”
But I don’t hear the rest.
I shove the shard into the side of the blade, pushing them together to reunite them.
Something shifts in the room—a cool breeze that slices through Moros’s rambling.
He spins around, blinking at me and the blade in my hand.
But nothing happens.
No burst of magic or flaring heat from Nightfall.
In fact, the warmth coming from it instantly cools—the feel of it now icy in my right palm. It looks like a normal dagger, nothing special about it. Maybe I used all of its power when I harnessed the shard, or maybe I’m not the one who can wield it.
My heart sinks. The warning was fake. It isn’t going to replenish my magic, and the blade isn’t going to help us.
Moros grins.
“Another unworthy of wielding the blade.” He laughs, Adrian going still behind him as he watches us. “Maybe Vidaris was wrong about you, after all.”
