Page 25 of Spells of Shadow and Blood

Didhe love me? Is this what love was? I shook my head to clear it, banishing the thought. There was no point in love. All it did was make you weak. The only thing I had eyes for waspower.

We stormed Siraleth two days later, and I planned to make my move for the throne at that time.

All Annelise and Zion could talk about was how they had failed me. But I didn’t think they had failed me at all.

Without their negligence, I might never have been queen.

FIFTEEN YEARS OLD

Siraleth had never seen us coming.

I commanded Osiris’ army, and they followed me into battle.We had burned Siraleth to the ground. So much for the holy city. There was nothing left except for the rubble and destruction we had laid to waste.

At the climax of battle, I stood atop a hill with Osiris, the power of dark magic pulsing through my veins. I beat my fists against my chest as I roared in victory. The dark blade in my hand was a symbol of all that I had sacrificed for this moment.

I turned to Osiris, a cruel smile across my lips.

Annikin came up from behind him, pinning the king’s arms behind his back. He pushed the Dark King to his knees before me. Osiris glanced up at me in confusion. He had trained me, taken me under his wing. Made me the most powerful soldier in all the realm.

And I had come to slay him.

“Any last words?” I ground out through my teeth, holding the black blade high.

“Why?” he asked in confusion. “Why would you do this, Donika?”

I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. “You truly can’t think of one reason?”

His expression was bewildered, fear masking his features.

“You siredone of them,” I hissed.

He shook his head back and forth furiously. “You know that was not on purpose. I hadn’t known! She had tricked me! She is your own mother!”

I sneered down at him. “That means nothing to me. She is as good as dead to me. Or she will be in a few moments, at least.”

I laughed, throwing my head back. My blue and white ombre hair whirled in the wind, whipping around my face.

I could see the moment his expression changed at the mention of Annelise. It softened…ever so slightly.

“I knew it.”

“Knew what?” he asked, his voice pleading.

“You are still in love with her. Still have a soft spot for her. You banished her and that brood of yours from the castle, but you didn’t do what youshouldhave done.Killed them both. Their bloodtaintsthis realm.”

Osiris opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. He was at a loss. He knew the truth…that he didn’t have it in him to kill them. That despite his vendetta against Stormshades and the war we had brought to this realm, he would never have the guts to do what truly needed to be done.

“Don’t worry, Osiris.” My voice was sugary sweet. “You’ll be reunited with your beloved wife and daughter soon enough.”

I raised the blackened blade in my fist and plunged it down through his heart. His mouth opened, blood spilling forth acrosshis lips, running down his plated armor. His eyes fixated on me for one more moment before he slumped in Annikin’s grip.

I placed my foot against his shoulder, sliding his body free of my blade as he collapsed to the ground. I raised my sword to the sky, a battle cry ripping free from my lips.

The Shades of Istmere responded in kind, lifting their swords to their new queen.

I wasn’t the only one who could see his weakness. How dare he sit on the throne but harborlovefor a Stormshade? I harbored no love for their kind…and I never would.

I heard a familiar cry from the crowd, and I scanned the rubble. Dead bodies were strewn about, the rocks stained with blood and dirt. But finally, my eyes settled on her.

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