Page 150 of Black Sea

Judging me.

Blaming me.

Condemning me.

They made me see that I was the monster who killed them. And soon, I would become the cause of all races in the Lands of the East and beyond being wiped out.

No.

That single word emerged within me as the strongest declaration, and the final spark of light within me boldly ignited in the darkness that consumed me.

I couldn’t let Mornon destroy everything. I couldn’t stand by and watch elves, humans, and witches perish in whatever terrible way the enemy had planned for them.

I couldn’t stay still just because I loved him with all my soul.

I had to find a way to . . . to . . . to kill him.

I had to, I told myself as another tear fell on my cheek, dissolving the blood crusted on it. Mornon would never let me take my own life—he would always manage to step in at the last second. So, I needed to find another way.

I had to, had to, had to.

Maybe that’s why the Spirits had bound me to him: Because I alone could end his life. But how?

With me, my strong granddaughter.

I gasped when I heard my grandmother inside my head. My eyes darted toward the Crystal, and I almost felt Calien’s hand caress me.

We will defeat him together.

Her deep, melodic voice resonated in my mind, battling to silence Mornon’s command. When she finally succeeded, I almost felt lighter and released a faint, freeing sigh.

“I won’t say it again,” Mornon warned me, slightly impatient. “It’s your last chance.”

But in that moment, as I looked at the Crystal, I realized that I had regained all my strength and that I would never give it to Mornon.

But above all, because of my grandmother’s presence, I realized I was ready to fulfill my duty.

So, I refocused on my enemy, my mate, and grievously declared, “I will kill you, Mornon.”

He remained silent, still as a statue. His black fingertips rubbing together were the only sign of his anger. After what felt like forever, he half-turned to me and, in a low, intimate voice, said, “I don’t like it when you call me Mornon.”

I flinched as if he had stabbed me in the heart.

As I sensed he was about to vanish, I couldn’t hold back and, using my elven speed, closed the distance between us in an instant. “Wait,” I called out, grabbing his hand.

But I couldn’t say anything more.

Yet, I wanted to tell him so many things. Things that were eating away at my soul. Things that would leave him utterly indifferent.

Because he didn’t care about me.

And I still couldn’t accept it, despite everything.

Feeling beaten, with silent tears streaming freely down my cheeks, I released his hand.

A moment later, Mornon turned, grasped my face, and pressed his lips to mine like a hungry beast.

His mouth swallowed my moan of surprise, and he pulled my hair to suck in another, and then another. I clung to his broad shoulders to resist the fury of his kiss, pressing myself against him to mold my body to his as much as I could.