Page 106 of Shadow & Stars
He slapped me hard across my face, sending pain into my teeth.
“Enough of your nonsense. This is simply the death of magic, nothing more.” He took hold of my chin, his touch sending shivers of revulsion across my skin.
I had truly let him go. This wasn’t my Ismael. This was the man I put in the lake, not the one I mourned for so long.
My love waits for me in cold fire…
He’s not dead. He’s not dead.
“Butterfly’s dream is exquisite,” Ismael added.
“He’s a fool. You’re a fool.” Closer thunder punctuated my words, pixels shooting across the sky. “There really will be nothing for you to rule.”
My ex grabbed me by my hair, yanking my head back. “Look at the great Xavier, on his knees and at my mercy. How pitiful he is, how smitten with a wretched human. Where is Roman Gold?”
A silver witch told him.
He cocked his head. “Dead, is he? Truly?”
“I’ll never believe it,” I countered.
He smirked. “Pathetic. I may keep you alive for your weakness to entertain me.”
My words poured forth to land blows against him. “Tanith is trapped in the other time. Stabbed into convalescence by a demon of greater power than you’ll ever possess.”
His smirk faded, a few gasps coming from the humans behind me.
“Is this true?” he asked.
“I saw it with my own eyes.”
“And you didn’t help her?”
“My friendship with her died a long time ago.”
Ismael released my hair, eyes roaming the parade. “I think we’re almost ready for the execution.”
Pandora got to her feet. “Would you like me to order another patrol for dissenters, Your Majesty?”
A surprise attack from traitor monarchs would be wonderful right now.
“Do it,” he replied, striding past me.
“And Xavier?” she wondered.
“Leave him there until I’m ready to deal with him.”
An incredible boom of thunder shook the ground, the sky igniting in a cluster of blazing pixels. I turned my head to see Ismael freeze, watching the colorful dots carve a chunk out of the sky.
I had to get out of here.
“What’s happening?” a human asked.
“That’s about to come down on your head,” I answered rather smugly.
“Do not listen to him,” Ismael interjected.
The right side of the sky came loose, shuddering as it dangled from the main chunk.
