Page 92 of Midnight Reign
Calm down! If you ruin this for me by being a pussy, I will make your life a living hell.
“And you’re back.”
Shut it and focus.
I ignore her acerbic tone and take a deep breath, centring myself as the magick builds to a crescendo.
As Zaiah’s chanting grows louder and the sparks swirl around us, I open my eyes to see the fabric of reality ripple and warp. The stone circle pulses with an inner light, the runes I’ve drawn glowing brighter than ever. The air shimmers with power, and I canseethe barriers between worlds thinning.
Suddenly, a bolt of energy shoots from each of the ingredients, converging on me at the western point of the circle. The impact nearly knocks me off my feet, but I stand my ground, gritting my teeth against the onslaught of power.
Crimson’s essence swirls up, bursting through my consciousness. But instead of fighting it, I embrace it, letting our energies merge and flow together. It’s exhilarating, but I’m scared shitless. It’s like standing at the edge of a great precipice and choosing to jump or be killed by the monster chasing you.
As the ritual reaches its peak, I throw my head back, a primal scream tearing from my throat. Light explodes from my body, shooting up into the sky in a pillar of pure energy. The ground shakes beneath us, and I can hear the distant sound of reality groaning under the strain.
In that moment, suspended between worlds, I see everything - every possible future, every path not taken, every world that could be. It is terrifying, and I know that with a single thought, I could reshape it all.
The energy reaches a fever pitch, and for a moment, I think it might tear me apart. But then, suddenly, it stops. The light fades,the shaking subsides, and I’m left standing in the stone circle, gasping for breath.
I open my eyes, blinking as the world comes back into focus. The guys are staring at me, their expressions ones of horrified expectance. The circle around us is scorched, the grass withered and blackened. But beyond that, everything seems normal. Unchanged.
“Did it work?” I ask, my voice hoarse. “Did it?”
39
ADELAIDE
Before anyone can answer,a slow clap echoes through the night. We all whirl around to see a figure emerging from the shadows. My heart leaps into my throat as I recognise the imposing form of Malachar, King of the Dark Fae.
“Well, well,” he drawls. “Isn’t this interesting?”
Zephyr tenses beside me, his shadows writhing with agitation. “Dad. Are you here to help or hinder?”
Malachar’s eyes, purple like Zephyr’s but infinitely older and more cunning, fix on me. His gaze feels like a physical weight, assessing and calculating. “That all depends on what exactly you’re doing here.”
I stand my ground. “What do you want us to be doing?”
Malachar’s lips curl into a cruel smile. “What do I want? I want that power inside you to be free, dear girl.”
“You want Crimson?”
“I want my Queen,” he grits out.
I hear Zephyr make a slight gagging noise off to the side. I’m not sure where his mother is in all of this. I have never asked. I suddenly feel bad about that. Even more so, as Malachar is giving off serious creepy vibes right now.
Before I can respond to Malachar’s unsettling words, another figure emerges from the shadows. Corvus inhales sharply beside me, his body tensing.
“Dad,” he states. “Figured you’d be lurking.”
The newcomer is undoubtedly Corvus’s father - they look like brothers.
“Corvus,” he acknowledges with a curt nod before turning his attention to me. “So, this is the Vesper causing all the fuss.”
“Not so much a Vesper anymore,” Corvus says.
I straighten my spine, meeting Corvus’s dad’s gaze head-on. “I have a name,” I say, surprised by the steadiness in my voice. “It’s Adelaide.”
He raises an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering across his face. “Oh, I’m aware. Well, Adelaide, I’m afraid we can’t allow you to continue this ritual. The risks are too great.”
