Page 40 of Shadow & Stars
His words were darts, each one landing a perfect bull’s eye. This torment was magma, everything too bright and harsh and cruel for me to live much longer.
But so was my rage. It simmered, ready for me to crank up the heat. I might be muted right now, but I’d find a way to take him out. If I couldn’t have love and hope, I’d wrap myself in hate.
In revenge.
No giving up yet. Dishing out death came first.
“I’ll destroy you all. I’ll—” I stopped myself, having a brainwave.
Could I remove the dagger? Could I end my own life?
The demons laughed together as Ismael crouched before me.
Ugh. His face hurt my retinas.
“Kill us all, witch?” He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. “Impossible. This is the end. I will find a way to make you die, even if I drop you into a volcano. Which sounds like a wonderful idea.” He clapped his hands together. “Seize him. We are taking a trip to Level 222.”
“Hot! Hot! Hot!” a few demons cried, sparking a round of laughter.
But no one managed to lay a hand on me, not even the dagger now. Their hands passed through me.
I was basically a ghost.
Ismael snarled in frustration. “I will not allow you to escape.”
We’d see about that.
I grabbed the dagger’s handle, channeling my inner King Arthur. Unlike for him, this blade didn’t budge. NoSword in the Stonemoment for me. It really wasn’t going to budge anytime soon. Great. So, what now? I got to spend the rest of my days with it sticking out of my chest? Yeah, that would go down so well with airport security.
Only, there might not ever be such a thing as airports again once these demons spread into Earth. And I’d being going nowhere without the two most important men in my life.
There’s no life when you’re not here…
I couldn’t bring myself to look at their bodies. I tried another wish, sinking deeper into despair. My tears stopped on the outside for the time being. I took my sorrow and spun it into determination. If I was dumped in this life to murder, I’d murder. Hard.
My violent epiphany seemed to work. Warmth flooded my veins, my limbs buzzing with new energy—all without a wish. I flexed my fingers, the device firing off some shocks. Ignoring them, using the pain as fuel to get me on my feet, I prepared to move. A cat ready to strike, these demons a bunch of mice primed for the slaughter.
Maybe one of them would manage to land a killing blow. Fine. I couldn’t give a fuck. Just as long as I took out Butterfly first, possibly Ismael second, I’d die a happy bunny.
I’m sorry, Darcy.
I’m sorry, Xavier.
My stupid brain decided to drag me through the key moments of my relationship with Xavier. From rescuing him from those silver-clad human creeps who wanted him to use The Word to free Ismael, to our first night in that French motel, and our date in the conservatory before everything went wrong.
My God, regret sucked. I knew that. I mourned the days I wouldn’t get to have with Grandma, regretted not taking her to her favorite supermarket before her health began to fail. Kept making her promises, fobbing her off because of work. I mean, I had all the time in the world to take, didn’t I? She was just poorly and she’d get better. My grandma wouldn’t die. As strong as an ox, she used to say. And I believed that. Time wasn’t my enemy.
Man, how the tide changed.
I’m sorry, Grandma.
I’ll forever be sorry.
I shut down all thinking, becoming The Shadow. Alone. Ready to go out in a blaze of glory.
Wait. Where were Margarite and Lizard Guy? They hadn’t made a peep and I’d kind of forgotten about them. Did my broken device change things?
I did a quick check, not spotting them.
