Page 43 of When Storms Ruin

The girl’s eyes snapped up to Donika’s, and she released a fierce hiss, more animal than human. Her eyes were the same as the dead figure beside her, entirely black and webbed with black veins. As if the very magic that had corrupted her was pumping through her blood. Her nails were sharpened to points.

No…not nails. Claws.

A slow smile crept across Donika’s lips as she glanced at the girl with satisfaction. “Very good, Corian. How many others are there?”

“Thus far we have lost four, but we have almost ten who have not succumbed to the magic yet. Only time will tell if they survive.”

Donika nodded thoughtfully. “And their magic?”

“Stronger than ever, My Queen. All of their innate abilities have been amplified tenfold. If we can continue the experiments, you will have your army.”

Army.

She was building an army of…what exactlywerethose things? Humans corrupted with dark magic past the point of all return?

I wish this were a nightmare.

I wish I didn’t know, deep in my bones, that what I was seeing was real.

How would we stand a chance against an army of corrupted witches, pumped full of black magic?

Donika wasn’t only murdering innocents anymore, she was experimenting on them. Altering them.

Changing them at their very core and corrupting their magic. Where would it ever stop? There was nothing Donika wouldn’t do to win this war, and to see me dead.

“Very good, Corian.” Donika turned on her heel and moved towards the hall, her wolves at her side. “You’ll see to it this is kept a secret?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

“Of course, your majesty. But what of Zion?” Corian replied.

“It’s too late to do anything about him now. I was hoping any knowledge he had would die with him. I’ve sent Nightshade soldiers after him, but Zion won’t be found if he doesn’t want to be. He has betrayed usall, and I will not speak of him again. Am I understood?”

“Yes, your majesty.” Corian bowed deeply, averting his gaze.

“He has chosen his side in this war, and he has sided with traitors. He will pay with his life for what he has done, as will the Stormshade bitch.”

“Your sister?” Corian asked, not meeting her gaze.

“Who else would I be talking about?” she asked, as if Corian was more dimwitted than she originally thought. “Unless you have found more for me?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Not since the last batch we took. We only found the one, your majesty.”

“And they all paid for the sins of that one, didn’t they?” Donika’s smile was cruel as she turned again, disappearing through the doorway.

I wanted toscream. Playing with swords and training with Isaac wasn’t going to win me this war. I was completely and utterlyhopeless. I shook my head back and forth, willing myself awake, but the dream wasn’t done with me yet.

Corian moved forwards and motioned to the guards to remove the girl. She became limp once held in their grasp. Where were they taking them? I tried to follow, to pass through the doors with the guard, but it was as if an invisible barrier kept me here in the throne room. I couldn’t pass.

Corian knelt at the side of the dead figure and laid a hand across his face. A surge of magic traveled forth, a blinding flash had me shielding my eyes, and when I finally opened them the figure was moving.

No…it wasn’t him that was moving…it was somethingunderhis skin. It appeared as if there were a million little creatures moving under the surface, and they all crawled upwards, towards his head. The figure moved with a shock, blinking and turning towards Corian with a smile.

Cold dread settled in my gut, and if I was awake, I knew I would be retching. The figure sat up, his movements jerky and uncoordinated.

Corian had reanimated him.

They weren’t simply creating these dark creatures, they were re-animating the dead.

“Don’t think I don’t see you there…” Corian practically whispered.

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