Page 111 of When Storms Collide

I swallowed hard, closing my eyes to steel myself.

Everything I had endured since finding out I was a Stormshade was about to culminate. Beyond this door… I would engage in the fight of my life. With my sister, no less. I would drive my blade through her flesh and end her reign. End the dark magic that trickled through her veins.

I took a deep breath, then another.

When I opened my eyes, Tess was before me, watching me. I gave her a reassuring smile, but it never reached myeyes. She nodded in understanding. Despite knowing what needed to be done, despite the anger and vengeance pumping through my own blood, I didn’t relish it. Tess had been by my side through everything, and she would be by my side through this, too.

My gaze fell on Annelise and I could feel the love pouring out of her. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen behind this door, because we still hadn’t found a cure for Donika’s immortality. A piece of Donika lived inside Annelise, and even if I killed her today, she wouldn’t beentirelydead. Not while that piece of her still lived.

But it would buy us time.

All I needed wasmore time.

Time to figure out how to break the spell and release Annelise from the part of Donika’s soul that clung to her. A tear slid down Annelise’s cheek, and she moved her delicate hand to hastily wipe it away.

When she smiled at me, I could see her eyes burning with a memory from the last time she had been in this room.

I steeled myself one last time, swallowing back the fear that crawled up the back of my throat. When I opened my eyes once more, my gaze fell on Annelise with magic burning in my gaze.

I nodded.

Annelise moved forward, releasing the wooden wedge and swinging the door wide open.

As soon as the door opened, I rushed in, sword at the ready before me. I had been ready to leap into action… but the moment I scanned the room, I stopped. My feet frozen to the floor.

Donika lay across the wooden bed on the far wall, her legs crossed at the ankle, her back resting against the headboard. A wicked smile graced her lips. Her eyes narrowed at me. My attention had been drawn to her immediately, her position suggesting she wasn’t even a little afraid of us.

And for good reason.

She wassurrounded. I kept my gaze on her as I ticked off the Noctani out of the corner of my eye in my head.

One, two, three…

Four, five, six…

Seven, eight, nine…

We were evenly matched. Or… we would have been if we hadn’t lost the resistance member among the bloodshed in the throne room. The remainder of her Noctani must be out on the battlefield with the Araneoch.

Donika moved slowly, her delicate legs flashing as she swung down from the bed, her blue chiffon skirt trailing behind her. She wasn’t dressed for battle… no.

She was dressed like a queen.

I swallowed hard, my gaze focused on her as she crossed the room towards me.

“Ah, ah, ah… stay right there,” Puck warned from behind me.

I didn’t dare move my gaze from hers.

There were enough Noctani in this room to easily drain us all, stealing our magic and leaving us for dead. We needed to be careful. As we had expected… she hadn’t surrounded herself with her normal Nightshade soldiers. She had saved only the best to serve as protectors for her. She never cared about the men who fought for her on the battlefield below… she only cared for herself and her own safety.

Donika quirked her brow at Puck. “I only need to give the word, and you’ll be slaughtered where you stand. Don’t think you can order me around in my own castle.”

Her words were cold, voice cutting.

A prickling sensation settled over my skin as my magic surged forth of its own volition. I pressed it down carefully, letting it hum right beneath the surface of my skin. There was so much of it I practically expected my skin to be aglowwhen I glanced down.

The sun had made its ascent into the sky and it had to be midday, the rays of light peering in through the window and casting shadows across the floor. The storm still raged on outside, but the sun had managed to fight its way out despite it, peeking through the cloud covering. Donika stepped through those shadows, her heeled feet clicking against the worn wooden floorboards.

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