Page 194 of Wrath of the Fae

‘Lucca? Is he okay?’

‘He’s… He’s…’

His body falls limp.

And the light in his eyes goes out.

It happens so quickly, that light fading.

So many times I have seen it. Countless times.

When a person becomes a corpse.

Tears stream silently down my cheeks as I close his eyes and kiss his forehead.

‘Thank you for saving my life time and time again.’ Reaching over, I pull his hammer to his side and wrap his fingers around its handle. ‘Love you, Wolf.’

And I stand.

I walk through the manor.

My bare feet are warm with the blood of others, and the endless cries and groans of those around me fall far into the background.

The manor trembles a little as I walk. The walls crack and splinter as I pass. Any windows left in one piece shatter as my shadow casts over them.

At the base of the stairs, the great beast Lucca connects to twitches and whines. The drones have decimated it. Chunks are missing from its side. Its face has been burnt off.

I pray he wasn’t connected to it when it fell. There’s no trace of him in the beasts’ eyes. No golden shimmer, so I know he is separated now.

And I plead with the Goddess that he is still alive.

I make my way up the stairs. My feet carry me without any instruction. I pass the library and hear the doors open up as those inside begin pushing aside heavy furniture they used as a barricade.

El looks at me, and I am relieved she’s okay.

Her eyes scan everywhere else.

‘Where is Rhea?’ she asks in a hurry. ‘She came after you. W-where is she?’

El has a black eye and blood dripping down her face. Behind her, countless children are huddled together. Those Tessa and I saved, as well as those left as orphans from this war.

Safe.

‘Raven!’ El shakes me. ‘Raven, where is she?!’

I swallow dryly.

‘With Reid and Cyrus,’ I reply, my words tasting like acid. ‘Ivan’s got them, El.’

Her hands tighten on me as pure panic claims her.

‘Ivan…’ she repeats. ‘No.’

‘Where is Lucca?’ I ask.

‘He… he went looking for you,’ El tells me. ‘I-I don’t know where he is. What are we going to do?’

Her eyes drift past me. Looking, I see Valker gathering.

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