Page 64 of The Lost Fae
Kai remains seated once more on his throne, watching as the few of Barnabus’s men that haven't let go to join the battle cling to him. His head swivels between Cordelia, Lincoln, and I.
"Briar watch out!" Jase's voice calls from overhead.
I toss my gaze over my shoulder, ducking in the nick of time as a guard slings his sword at my head. The wind from the blade passing over me picks up my hair and steals away my breath. I pull my weapon from against Cordelia as I stumble back and swipe at the guard’s feet while I’m low to the ground. It slices across his shins and he stumbles away, reaching and grabbing for anything to hold onto. His fingers curl around my wing, yanking me from the dais.
As I teeter on its edge, Cordelia surges forward. My ass meets the tile roughly. Pain shakes through me. Cold hard metal lifts my chin. It turns my gaze up to the evil queen.
"It's sad this is how it has to end for you. So close to victory," she glowers.
In my peripheral, I see Lincoln stop. He grabs the sword off the closest fallen guard and sends it roaring through the air until it hits another guard that moves toward him. The glare in his eyes never leaves Cordelia though.
His fingers lift to the buttons of his shirt where he quickly undoes them.
What is he doing?
"Do you think that after this, The Shadow Court will want to serve you?" I say, and a roaring cry echoes through the building. A chant that makes every glittering stone dancing from her expensive chandeliers, bounce.
Mortal Queen. Mortal Queen.The voices sing out.
Cordelia's attention lifts slowly. In the same way that we had come, through the back gardens then in to parade through the entryway, the people of Calhutta raise their weapons. Princess Violet slinks in, standing at the front of the group with a tilted smirk. She gestures to the crowd she's brought. I can only expect that she's waiting for her 'thank you.'
"You could kill me right now, Cordelia." My breath fogs up the blade of her sword. "But can you kill every last one of them?"
Her lips curl, revealing her teeth as she growls like a rabid beast. She was once one of the prettiest women I'd ever seen. Now her features are twisted to a cruel grotesque of anger and offense.
Like a quiet breeze, I hear Lincoln's shirt fall to the floor. Excitement bubbles inside of me. I only wish I could turn around and see him. I only wish this sword wasn't keeping my head cocked in such an odd angle, making it so Cordelia is the only thing I can focus on without strain.
I have to keep her attention.
It’s odd to think I am the threat she constantly searched for, and now I’m struggling to keep her attention.
But I will if it’s the last thing I do.
Because I know, right now, his strong wings are extending lethally from his back, stretching out to their large span and glowing blue. Black weblike veins run through them and outline their edges. And I know he is magnificent. Even if I can’t see it. I know by the way Cordelia's mouth drops open and the sword falls from my face as she pales.
She fully faces Lincoln.
“Your existence is blasphemous! You're not even a real Fae. You're a half Fae and have no right to mock our gods with your image. I took what didn't belong to you years ago," she seethes, "And I'll take it again!"
The way she speaks makes me think that somewhere inside her head, everything she does is justified. Everything she does is righteous. Cordelia isn't the villain of her own story... She's just the villain of mine. And I don't stay at her feet waiting for her to justify her riotousness.
Pushing from the ground, I roll away. I catch myself quickly and leap into the air still holding my weapon tightly. My wings bring me up higher and higher until I’m at the same level of the cages hanging from the ceiling. At this height, Cordelia's just an ant waiting to be squashed.
She doesn’t look so powerful now.
I glare down at the hateful woman who has ruined so many lives. My shadow bleeds over her and blocks out the dark outline of her crown.
“It isn’t about that. As much as you hate it, our blood is the same, Cordelia. I’m just not as insecure as you are to beat, break, and kill anyone I think is a threat. A real queen knows when her crown fits.” A smile twitches at my lips. “And yours never did,” I whisper.
My wings beat at the air, harder and harder until I’m suddenly angling myself forward towards her. Her face is still stuck on Lincoln, she hasn't even looked to her future king once. Kai watches in awed silence, his skin beginning to turn a sickly green.
In a flash, I’m diving down toward her like a vengeful falling star. My eyes narrow. My jaw tightens. My fingers grip the hilt painfully still.
The gasp on her lips dies before it cries.
The bloody point of my sword rails fully through Cordelia’s chest. She wraps her hands around my fingers where I hover, still holding it.
There’s a single heartbeat—just one—where I’m holding her hands. For a minor instant in our lives, we almost look like embracing sisters.
