Page 179

Elyria’s eyes widened, fear racing down the bond into Cedric’s chest, overriding his agony. He bellowed her name, clawing at his own hands, tearing his flesh further as he attempted to rip the obsidian shards from his skin.

“We would have loved for you to see the new world we will create.” Malakar sighed, wistful. “You will have to settle for knowing you died in service of making it great. Now come, let us show you how one steals power from the celestials.”

Shadows consolidated in the dark sorcerer’s hand as Elyria lay on the ground. She grunted as she fought against his hold, her muscles vibrating, limbs quivering against the invisible force keeping her still. Malakar’s shadows elongated—a sharp point, a curved edge, a black tanged blade—and he plunged it into the Line.

When he withdrew it, the turquoise mana coating the shadow-made sword was marbled with black—like ink spooling through water.

He positioned the mana-dipped blade of shadow over Elyria’s heart.

She closed her eyes.

Cedric could not close his.

He would watch. He would see the exact, precise moment her beautiful, perfect soul left this world.

And then he would follow her to the Hereafter.

He drew in a final breath.

Malakar raised his hands.

Black streaked across Cedric’s vision, too fast to make sense of it.

Cedric whipped his gaze to the side, but the motion had his head pounding and momentarily erased what remained of his eyesight.

There was screaming, crashing, a deafening roar.

Muttered words that he could not hear over the rush of blood in his ears.

The bond went taut in his chest.

Another scream sounded.

And only terrible, terrible silence remained.

57

SOMEBODY’S FATHER

TENNY

Sid was a brilliant blur of shadow-misted black soaring across the cavern. She collided with Malakar in a frenzy of claws and teeth and screams—Elyria’s, Sid’s, the dark sorcerer’s.

Not just a sorcerer. Not anymore.

Tenny could hardly believe what she was seeing. It was like her father’s body had been born anew, stars birthing and dying over the violet expanse of his skin. Power pulsed from him even as he staggered back from Elyria, who was frozen on the ground.

Well, not frozen any longer. She had been, when Tenny and Sid had first emerged in the cavern, having flown down through the crater to help their friends.

Tenny didn’t know how she was supposed to help, really. Not in a battle between star gods. But the instant the shadowcat had recovered from the blow she’d sustained above, it was clear Sid was intent on going to help Elyria and Cedric below.

And Tenny could not let her go alone.

Thankfully, Sid’s attack seemed to have distracted Malakar enough to release whatever magic he was using to keep Elyria restrained and immobile, because she leapt to her feet as soon as they collided. She cast a look at Cedric, who, Tenny realized with a pang, was collapsed against a blood-streaked wall.

Elyria lifted her chin. Took a breath. Clenched her fists. And attacked.

The ground cracked open, thick roots crawling up from the center of the world, swarming Malakar’s boots. Shards of swirling rock whistled through the air, slicing at his arms and legs. Ribbons of gold-edged shadow ripped from Elyria’s hands as she thrust both arms in front of her with a primal yell.