Page 49 of Reigning
Blood slips from her nose as more magic thrusts from my palms in painful strings of uncontainable power. Sinister’s arm wraps around my hip, and he falls into me, his weight leaning into mine like he can barely stand. But he doesn’t pause for a second before casting fiery light into the Solstice’s Queen face. It’s a burning color that’s tinged with a smoky cinnamon scent.
That soft blonde hair of hers catches on fire the moment the magic hits.
And that’s what sets her off.
A scream rips from her throat. The sound claws through the clattering noise, screeching. An invisible force slams into my chest. The five of us scrape across the snow. We land several feet away.
Dark smoke drifts above me, and it’s the first thing I see before she’s looking down on me, her long locks singed but her beautiful face untouched.
“I said you were special. I didn’t know you were stupid, too.”
Kain’s big body slams into hers. They barely hit the ground, white snow flying around them before she digs her red nails into his throat. Blood slips down his skin in trickling lines.
She punished him once. She’s going to kill him now.
I leap without thinking. I throw Kain off of her with so much force he groans when he lands.
But he’s safe.
I can’t say the same for myself.
She shakes her head at me, but I don’t give her time to say one more fucking word.
Deadly magic rises within me; it rushes out in vengeful waves. I press it down on her, stealing the air right from her lungs and choking her slowly, letting her watch what she did to herself rather than giving her the kindness of an instant death.
None of this had to happen.
She hurt me for so long. She hurt all of us. And now I’ll repay her.
I can’t help but feel satisfaction from her shallow gasps.
The smile that cuts across her lips steals away all that gratification. My body lifts; the noise cutting through the air halts. Everything around me, the dragon’s swooping down from the sky, the mortal men in combat, the mages and the demons, they all stop, frozen in place as reckless energy drifts out of the woman lying flat on the ground, bloody and smiling. She sneers up at me as she lifts me higher and higher into the slate-white sky.
Cold air snaps against my skin, but it’s nothing compared to the hold that’s slithering around me like chains locking me in place.
“You’ll never be enough, Arlow. I could have made you more, but you never would have been like me. My magic is forged from pain. I didn’t wallow in it, I strived from it. All the best magic is made this way. That’s why I knew you’d be strong. But you’ll never know pain like I know it.”
She stands carefully. Snow clings to her pale hair, and I can see the shine that lives in her deep gaze. She’s beautiful even from here.
Even with the deadly smile on her lips.
Her hold on me tightens, and pain cuts through me. A crunching sound causes a stinging sensation to crack through my ribs, and tears sting my eyes.
Pain builds magic.
She’s building me up as she tears me back down.
As she kills me.
A familiar face with crimson eyes appears behind her. It’s a split image, sliced abnormally right down the center. His hand lifts quickly. Blood stains her white gown. It spreads from just over her heart, and she glances down on it with parted lips.
Clattering and screams and battle resumes, just as I start to fall.
The breath meets my lungs, and I push my hands out, but my magic fails me. Nothing happens. I can’t feel the energy in my body anymore. I used too much too fast. My eyes flinch closed, and I steel my spine for the impact to come.
A light tickling sensation skims along my skin. It’s a gentle touch and it guides me down until my feet meet the ground with a gentle ease.
Tired eyes look up at me, her hand blocking out the brightness of the white sunlight.
