Page 147 of Of Realms and Chaos

Sensing him there, as I always did, my head whipped around. I watched in horror as Bellamy got up off the ground, his nose bleeding and one of his arms hanging limply at his side. Mia was not much better, her black leathers stained and her hair caked in mud. She, too, bled. Her cheek leaked red, her throat sprouting bruises where Bellamy must have choked her with something. Preparing to jump to my feet, I readied the last dregs of my magic.

As Bellamy braced himself again, Malcolm appeared at my side and grabbed me by my hair, yanking me downwards so hard that some of the strands ripped free. I screamed out, falling back and causing Jasper’s grip to snag on my necklace and the silver chain to break. Bellamy’s eyes locked on mine, and I watched his focus crumble. At the same moment, I heard Mia cackle, and when my eyes turned, they caught sight of a small log spearing towards the distracted prince.

My fingers went to Malcolm’s eyes, my feet pushed me up, and my legs carried me forward, all of it happening so quickly that I did not quite understand what the sting was at first.

But when I looked down to find the wood sticking out of my stomach, the realization hit. Bellamy was only a couple of feet from me, his face contorted in horror at the sight of me. My hands flew to the wood, holding it still to combat the pain that would otherwise consume me.

“No!” he screamed, running towards me.

Above us, the thunder had gone quiet, the lightning absent. Even the rain had slowed to a drizzle. It allowed for everything to be seen in grim clarity. My resolve both crumpled and rebuilt itself, and I knew what needed to be done.

For the first—and likely last—time, I shattered Bellamy’s mental shields, dousing his flames with every bit of magic I could call onto. My desperate determination was likely the only reason it worked. I shrieked in pain as I gave all I had to the task, my chest hollowing out and my heart racing. He reared back, stunned by the action. My focus remained on him, even as Malcolm and Mia slowly closed in.

As if to taunt us.

Stay where you are.

His feet stilled, the horror on his face also permeating the air as he looked at me in disbelief. “Ash?”

“Bell,” I sobbed, my blood soaking my hands and my legs threatening to give out.

He cried out too, raising his good hand as if what was left of his magic and power could help me. Nothing could help me.

Do not move.

The betrayal on his face then would haunt me for the rest of my short life.

I am so sorry, Bell. So, so sorry that I did not love you the way you deserved.

“Asher, do not do this. Do not fucking say goodbye to me right now!” The scream was louder now that the storm had passed, allowing that plea to be heard by both Mia and Malcolm—the former laughing maniacally at his request before ceasing her movements. She put a hand out to Malcolm, stilling him. Those eyes, eerily similar to Bellamy’s, watched us in fascination.

Before you, I was drowning, slowly losing myself to the current. I was the daughter of a cold and unforgiving sea, more alone than I realized.

Another sob racked through him, tears streaming down his face as he fought and fought against my magic. My vision blurred, his face doubling and even tripling before going back to clarity once more.

Then you came to me, a beacon of fire and light, floating above the water like a lifeline. You led me out and gave me a new family, one full of love and warmth. You saw a lost soul, twin to your own, and taught me to dream. You took me by the hand and showed me what it was to fly. To live.

Mia remained still, her body unmoving in my peripheral. Perhaps this was her giving me a final goodbye, the last scraps of her supposed affections for me.

“Please, Ash! Please choose me! Just this one time, fucking choose me!” Bellamy’s face filled with streaks of black as he begged, his magic as desperate as he was. My heart slowed, giving up just as I had. Broken, so broken.

I am choosing you, Bell. For once, I am. Do not let them win this. Live.

“I will not let you go! I will fight this, and I will kill them!” He thrashed, his body jerking as he attempted to throw his mental shields back up. But I would not give in, not this time.

Though I knew he would probably hate me for it, I allowed my mental voice to lower, deepening the tenor to that of The Manipulator.

“Hello, old friend,” I thought as she surfaced within me.

Here is what you are going to do. You will go to the others, eliminate the remaining fae, and begin portaling them home. You will not come looking for me. You will not save me. You are going to stay in Eoforhild and strategize. You will win this war, even if that means facing off against me on the battlefield. Even if that means killing me.

Bellamy roared with fury, his eyes beginning to glaze over as my orders took hold. As his will and autonomy slipped out of his grasp.

“Asher, stop! Please! I can fix this!” he sobbed, the sound of him begging finally bringing my knees down. I crashed into the mud, feeling myself fade away.

“Take Jasper to Ranbir—to Farai. Take him home. And Wrath, too. Bury him in Haven beside Winona. She would have loved him. They can keep each other safe now.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Mia wave Malcolm forward. He stalked towards us, his eyes looking at Bellamy—who remained rooted to the spot, still valiantly trying to break my hold on him.

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