Page 198 of Wrath of the Fae

As it sinks in, whatever Fae light is left of me flickers out like a spent flame.

And what comes to life is something this world or any other will regret creating.

I scream. My fists ball up, and I roar like a beast the devil himself would fear.

My monsters hear me. They obey.

They come to their queen, who calls for them.

‘R-Raven?’ El sobs, lingering at the door and looking at the chaos before her. ‘W-what’s happened?’

I face her and she jumps in shock.

My body is covered in markings of black and gold. My eyes have darkened. My skin paled. My wings grow.

I don’t care that my life is now tethered to monsters. That their nature is now mine. That my power will come from darkness.

The Fae girl is gone.

The Queen of monsters has arisen.

And she is starving for vengeance.

thirty-seven

AsIleapfromthe balcony, I think of nothing else but revenge. Of death.

I soar upwards. The whole Kingdom trembles as I call my army. From the ground, creatures claw their way through the soil. From the forests, beasts come to my call. The sound of flapping wings mixes with high screeches and demonic roars.

The drones left guarding the now opening tear all come charging.

I change. I become the Leviathan of the Thirteenth Kingdom. Just as the monster king before me, I become smoke and light, swirling like a fiery vortex of absolute power. I crash into the machines and crumple them. Explode them. Tear them to shreds and splinters.

My monsters come with me, following my order to destroy them all.

When I pass through the falling worlds, I reform. Rain hits me hard. Ice cold and salty on my sensitive skin.

All my creatures follow. Those that fly carry those who can't.

Hounds. Serpents. Anything and everything dark and twisted, relishing in their freedom after centuries upon centuries of entrapment.

The sound of fighting is almost as deafening as the rage in my heart. Below, a great battle rages.

The Valker who came through before fight against the creatures Ivan created.

His Dark Fae and human half breeds.

I send my army to the tower.

'Find Reid and Cyrus,’ I order. ‘Free them and kill any who stand in your way. Tear this building down if you must. I want them found and brought to me.’

They all scream and screech before swarming in a mass to the tower ahead. One that reaches into the sky, twisting upwards. At its peak, streams of gold and black shoot upwards, ripping down the walls between the worlds.

There is only one man. One face. One scent. One life I can think of.

I take a breath before stealing a handful of my monsters and tear them apart with invisible hands. Their limbs, blood and organs twist and turn, forming a circle of carnage that spins wildly.

It pulses with power and glows.

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