Page 102 of Tell No Tales
He kept one eye trained on Fanidra. He'd never tested his power against another death weaver, and he didn't know how strong she was.
The battle of wills he expected didn't happen. Fanidra crossed her arms over her chest and moved further down the wall away from Coryn and Hugo.
Vadim extended his offer to Coryn's retinue."Do you consent to die?"
They fell to their knees and sank to the floor as he drained them of consciousness. All except Gultan. He'd hurt Klaus. He didn't get a choice. The earth weaver slumped against the wall as his heart stopped beating.
Fanidra quirked an eyebrow at Vadim and shook her head. Still, she did nothing to stop him.
Coryn refused his offer. She tried to resist, but Vadim pulled on her life force. He tried to yank her consciousness from her with a single sharp tug. Sometimes it worked that way, but she was a siphon trained as a death weaver. Unlike the first time he'd drained her to unconsciousness, she remained on her feet.
She took one step toward Fanidra. "Do something," she said, her voice strained.
"I am," Fanidra said. "Refusing to act is an action in itself." She cocked her head at Coryn's growl of disgust.
Coryn staggered toward the doorway. "This isn't over."
Vadim had no intention of letting her go, but movement outside in the courtyard caught his attention. In the time it took for him to recognize another wave of undead marching toward the glass wall behind them, Coryn disappeared around the corner. He gave a final tug to drain her consciousness, but she continued moving away, probably in the arms of her guards.
He couldn't get a lock on the guards, either. They were mundane, and they were shielded from his power the same way Yvette had taught Vadim to shield from Coryn. He couldn't get through.
"She'll live," Fanidra said as the first rattle of bones hit the glass behind them.
"I know. She declined my offer."
Fanidra's head snapped up, and he blinked at the ferocity in her gaze. "You gave her an offer?"
"She didn't attack me." He knew in his heart that it didn't matter. She'd attacked Klaus, and he let her escape with her life.
"She tried to drain your lover. She would have killed him with those earth weaves, if Hugo hadn't distracted her. I've killed for less."
Fanidra's words cut to his core, but he knew he'd done the right thing. "So have I, but she failed. She couldn't touch him." His chest expanded with pride. Their link had protected Klaus from Coryn's attempt to drain him. Klaus was far stronger than he looked. "I took her precious earth weaver. It will take her longer to find another."
Vadim hadn't thought twice when he'd dropped Gultan where he stood. He'd held Klaus captive onEel's Gold, and it had been his earth power that had knocked Klaus unconscious, even if they were siphoned. Coryn needed all her earth weavers on Stony Eel Island. He'd stolen one and killed another, hitting her where it hurt. If they were lucky, she wouldn't replace Gultan before she came after them.
"You're afraid of her." Fanidra snorted. "Before today, I would have said you weren't afraid of anything."
"We need her alive." Vadim finally said the words aloud. Hugo, hell, Efren and Willamina deserved that much. "She will answer for her crimes against humanity and the empire."
Fanidra shook her head. "I would have killed her and ended this farce. She will hunt you to the ends of the ocean now that you've killed the emperor."
"He won't stay dead."
Fanidra's scowl turned into a smirk. "You're balanced. No wonder that fool Martiz feared you."
"Come with us," Yvette said. "Stop feeding her power to raise these undead creatures."
"Unlike the two of you, I'm no healer. The healers who want to live built her army." Fanidra sighed. "Besides, I signed a contract. The moment she finds another death weaver, I'm as good as dead, too."
"I also signed a contract," Vadim said, "to Emperor Hugo. That contract was null and void upon his death."
Fanidra scoffed. "What happens when you revive him?"
Vadim shrugged. "Whatever he decides. I doubt he'll acknowledge her as his general."
"Where will you go?"
"Aquarion has already declared sanctuary for him. We'll take him there until we can reclaim the mainland. If you signed a contract to him, it wouldn't suit you to go against us."
