Page 100 of Soul of Thorns
There is no victory here.
“The princeling doesn’t seem in the right frame of mind to respond just yet.” One of her many crooked legs nudges Rev’s limp body.
I wince. His eyes flutter open and find mine again.
“I forget how fragile living beings can be.”
I clench my teeth tightly. I swear one of those beady red eyes winks at me.
“Let us move on to the wraith.”
Darren flinches. “What?”
“I can give you exactly what you desire,” she purrs, pressing closer to my ancestor’s spirit. “I will bargain it away to you in exchange for your help gaining what I desire.”
“What I want is Caelynn free of this place.” His voice is low in annoyance.
“You desire a powerful ruler of the Shadow Court. I can give you that.”
He curls his lip, baring sharp black teeth that are a fraction of the size of hers.
“I can see inside your head, don’t you remember? You’ve admitted so many times that you would do things differently if given the chance. You wouldn’t have sacrificed your court to trap me. Isn’t that right?”
“The Night Bringer ruling in her place is not the same.”
“Isn’t it, though?” The Night Terror’s voice rises. Her trunk twists and groans. “I can make you promises. If you help me destroy her soul, my mate will take her body—”
My hand flies to my mouth. I stumble back, feeling the Night Bringer wriggling inside of me. His acidic black magic crawling, burning.
No. no. no.
The Night Bringer is crawling through my veins, his magic slithering, waiting, seeking the right moment to suffocate me from the inside out.
“My mate will promise to make the Shadow Court what it once was. It will not be destroyed by our domain. And with her body, I will ensure she continues the Shadowspell bloodline. It is a good deal.”
Darren’s eyes flicker to me, pain and guilt so fucking obvious that black rims my vision immediately.He’s considering it.
He promised, but we never sealed it with magic.
I remember my dream. He told me what would happen. He told me the Night Bringer would rule the Shadow Court in my body. And he’s going to let it happen.
I squeeze my hands into tight fists.
“You will promise never to harm my lineage and allow them to rule in peace.”
“We will.”
“No!” I roar, anger suffocating me.
Rev stirs, groaning and twisting on the ground. My relief is short-lived.
“Kill him,” the Night Terror instructs my wraith. “She cares for you. Her anger is already pushing her closer to the edge. If you were to kill her mate—here, now, before her—she’ll fall into our grasp.”
The Night Bringer’s claws rack at my soul, dark talons carving deeper, sending my mind into a void of darkness. My eyes fill with tears as he pushes harder. I claw at my chest, digging my nails into my skin. I can’t reach him.
I can’t stop it.
He’s trying to pull me under.
