Page 58 of Mistress of Hours

“I will not suffer this insubordination a moment longer.You must reckon with my Valsang, the magic that only true Sangviere dare to wield.”

She forced Cecelia and Sylvain to the ground, and Evienne felt the pressure of Aldith’s magic trying to take hold of her. It took every ounce of her focus, but she resisted this time, her will like iron. Evienne barely noticed Léhiona shift before she was in her human form screaming, running toward Aldith.

“Aldith, you mustn’t! They’re innocents, they’re our family!” Léhiona yelled in horror as she rushed toward her wife, her silk gown tangling around her long legs.

Almost too quickly to see, Aldith flicked her other wrist and a blade of pure blood cleaved the air, piercing Léhiona’s chest.

Léhiona gasped, and Aldith’s face twisted in shocked horror. Time again seemed to slow as Léhiona fell. Evienne felt, more than heard, herself scream. Her dear, soft, kind friend collapsed slowly to the marble floor, her skirts billowing out around her on a phantom breeze. Aldith was crying out too, refusing to release her hold on Cecelia and Sylvain, but in obvious agony over what she had just done.

Evienne rushed to Léhiona’s side, taking her hand. Aldith, now with tears streaming down her face, was fighting to keep Cecelia and Sylvain restrained with her dark magic. She struggled with the effort of controlling them. Evienne knew she had only seconds before Aldith’s attention turned back to her and Léhiona, where she lay bleeding.Everything felt distant, like this was some fever dream and Evienne would wake up any moment to find none of it had been real.

“Evi, it’s alright, I,” Léhiona began, her breath coming in harsh pants. Her eyes flicked over to Aldith on the dais.

“Thank you. Thank you for even just a moment. I thought I’d never know, never feel what it was like. Thank you, and please…make it right for my people,” she said as her eyelids grew heavy.

Evienne sobbed and nodded, leaning down to kiss her friend’sforehead. “I will,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry, Léhiona. Thank you for being my friend.”

Evienne lifted her head when Aldith’s screech of effort sounded from where she still stood near the throne, struggling to maintain her hold.

Aldith finally lost her fight to hold both, and they collapsed to the ground, attempting to recover from the effects of her control over them. She turned her gaze toward Evienne; hatred and death darkened her face.Evienne was nearly overwhelmed by all the emotions biting at her soul. She would end this.

“You have ruinedeverything, Evienne D’Auclaire! I curse the day you came to my city!” Aldith yelled on a sob, truly beyond herself.

Evienne tracked Aldith’s gaze as it darted to the back of the hall. Evienne turned and felt terror like she had never known as she watched Orion rush into the room. She was exhausted, her blood like fire pumping through her body, but she saw Aldith gripping another vial in her hand. Evienne knew she had but a moment to stop whatever she planned to do next.

Evienne glanced down to Léhiona, still fighting for breath; she held up a bloodied hand for Evienne to take. Evienne understood what her friend was offering, what she had to do.She knew it would corrupt her soul somehow, but Hestia’s words rang in her ears. She would do whatever it took to restore balance, no matter the cost. More than that, she would not let harm come to her Còmhanam. She would sacrifice her soul to bring Aldith down. Her evil could no longer be allowed to taint the world.

Evienne gripped Léhiona’s bloody hand in her own and felt the deepest part of her magic, her Valsang, scream to life in her veins. She didn’t hesitate, gripping every drop of blood in Aldith’s body, holding her perfectly still.The world narrowedand all Evienne could see was Aldith, frozen, eyes wide with terror.

She could feel Aldith fighting her, but she held fast, her hand tight around Léhiona’s.

“No more,” Evienne screamed, and her Contrapensa magic poured out of her. It grabbed onto Aldith’s lifeforce, every moment of her future at Evienne’s fingertips.Darkness edged Evienne’s vision—she had gone much too far, but she didn’t care.

Evienne held Aldith’s gaze as she slowly unraveled each second, hour, year of her life. Aldith’s skin wrinkled, her back hunched, a hundred years of decline all in a moment as Evienne continued to scream.

Evienne released her at last, withered creature that she now was. Aldith collapsed on the dais, unmoving, and Evienne shifted her gaze back to her lovely friend still bleeding out on the cold floor.

Evienne fell to her knees and tried desperately to summon a shred of healing magic, but her power lay silent, her body drained. She could feel her own heart on the verge of giving out. Léhiona squeezed her hand gently, unable to open her eyes, and Evienne sobbed as she watched her friend’s breathing grow shallow.

Orion had made his way to her side, and he took her arm, helping her slowly to her feet. Evienne’s voice was hoarse as she addressed the shriveled shell of a woman now cowering on her throne.

“Aldith of Ichorna, you will die for your crimes. I am Evienne Elodie D’Auclair of the Contrapensae, and I will see balance restored to this world.”

She didn’t hesitate before reducing the queen to a mound of dust.

Chapter Forty-Six

Orion had gottenSolon far enough out of the city that he could rest and shift safely without being seen. The great dragon had taken to the skies not long after Orion departed, flying to Beitar on swift wings to report on all that had occurred.

Orion knew Evienne had left so suddenly to protect him, and he could understand her reasoning. He likely would have done the same in her position. His mate was here, though, and he was going to get back to her.

He shifted and ran as fast as his four legs could carry him back into the city. He didn’t stop, not caring about the gasps and screams from revelers crowding the streets. He bounded straight up the palace steps and didn’t hesitate to run into the grand hall.

He could feel that she was here, and he called to her mind, “Evienne, my mate, where are you?”

She didn’t answer, so he rushed into the throne room to find her standing alone against Aldith’s rage. What happened next was a blur. Evienne’s scream of rage still filled his mind as the silent aftermath of the confrontation settled over the room. Now he watched as she knelt with Léhiona’s head cradled in her lap, Cecelia and Sylvain close beside her.

Tears traced down her cheeks; he could smell their salt on the air.

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