Page 185 of Wrath of the Fae

‘I can’t do this,’ I whisper, his blood still warm on my lips. ‘I can’t… I can’t, Reid. I can’t!’

I take another step back.

‘Raven. It’s okay. It’s okay.’ He tries to stand but is too light-headed and slips in his blood.

I stop when my feet meet my dagger.

I look down at it, sitting in a pool of his blood.

Then I look back at Reid.

I lower my hands as it hits me. As it becomes crystal clear.

‘I can’t do this, Reid,’ I say firmly. ‘I won’t be a monster. I won’t kill the men I love to save myself. And I won’t wait for him to kill everyone I care about. He can start that machine again. Take that baby from Rhea and tear down our world any second.’ I scoop up the dagger. ‘I’m ending this.’

I turn to the balcony and spread my wings. I can fight the pull of the machine. Rhea can’t. I’ll kill him before he even tries.

‘Raven. RAVEN NO! WAIT!’

I look back at him as he stumbles after me.

‘I love you,’ I tell him. ‘I love you both.’

I take flight, listening to him scream as I leave.

‘CYRUS! CYRUS, STOP HER! FUCKING STOP HER!’

thirty-two

IsoarovertheThirteenth Kingdom, my eyes on the tear in the sky.

Each beat of my wings is fierce and determined, and I refuse to look back.

There’s nothing there for me. Not anymore.

If I am to be a monster, I will be a monster that kills Ivan Walker.

Below, the shining stones in the depths of the black lake glint and glimmer.

I tighten my grip on my dagger and look upwards.

The shield shimmers ahead of me. But before I can fly through it, I’m slammed hard.

I fall, twirling and twisting as I’m forced down.

With one hell of a splash, we crash into the lake.

I'm met with a raging Cyrus when I kick myself back to the surface.

‘You want to kill yourself, is that it?’ he snaps.

I leave the water, flying to the sky.

But he’s there again, and we land on the shore this time. I’m on my feet and facing him.

‘You’re not getting past me, Princess,’ he warns. ‘I’ll break your legs if I have to.’

Above us, thirty or more winged warriors fly upwards towards the tear. Their mission is to find Ivan. To see what he has lurking over there. Wolf has chosen the best of the best. Spies. Assassins. Those trained to remain in the shadows and move unseen. To kill without mercy or hesitation. To fight until they fall.

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