Page 168 of Curse of Darkness
With a twist of my hand I snag her boot with my thorns, and she sprawls at my feet, face first in the dirt.
All around me, the Asturian soldiers mutter. They edge closer, trying to catch a glimpse of their queen on her hands and knees.
Destroy her myth and you destroy her power.Baylor’s voice whispers through my memories.
And maybe that’s vengeance enough.
“I am done with you.” It feels like finally casting off a mantle that’s been weighing me down all my life.
I don’t have to play these games.
I don’t have to listen to her poison.
She’s never going to be what I want her to be.
I finally have the strength and power to say I’ve had enough.
I have a place of my own now. Ahome. A man I love. A daughter I would do anything for. And friends. Friends who would walk into the Underworld with me if I asked them to.
She cannot hurt me anymore.
Instead, all I feel right now is… pity.
“You mean nothing to me anymore,” I tell her, clenching my bloody knuckles and backing away from her. “I am no longer alone. I am no longer scared. I am no longer powerless before you. You have no power over me anymore.”
The eyes of her entire army watch as she hisses at me from her knees.
She crawls toward me, kohl running down her cheeks. “You filthy little wretch! Come back here! Fight me!”
I shake my head, still backing away. “There is nothing left to fight for. I’ve already won. Look around you, Mother.”
She looks.
And for the first time she sees her soldiers gathered around us. Men and women craning their necks to see. The Duke of Thornwood standing there with our letter held carelessly in his hands as he lifts his solid gaze to mine.
His daughter, Aleydis, standing at his side.
I remember her now. I remember her. The one true friend I ever had at Hawthorne Castle.
“The Asturian army is yours,” I tell the duke. “Do with it what you will.” One last look at my mother. “Do with her as you will.”
And then I turn.
Thiago watches from the top of the small hill, his hands crossed over the pommel of his sword. Our eyes meet, and this time, it’s his turn to offer me his fingers.Come,that gesture says.Let us go and finish what we started.
“Don’t you dare walk away from me!” Mother screams as she crawls through the dirt behind me.
I keep walking, my heartbeat as steady as my steps.
“You lying little slut. You’ll neverwin. You’ll neverbeatme. I am queen. I will rule the seven kingdoms. I will rule themall.”
I close my ears to her words.
“I will killher!” she screams. “I will kill your daughter. I won’t stop until I get what I want. You think you’ve won? I willruinyou.”
My feet freeze.
Amaya.
