Page 200 of Wrath of the Fae

‘Bear in mind we live for hundreds of years. So reasonably quick doesn’t mean much to us,’ Cyrus adds.

Fire springs to life in Ivan’s palms. His eyes glow, and a chorus of high-pitched shrieks carry from outside.

He’s summoning the Dark Fae he controls, calling them to his aid.

Two can play at that game.

The tower shakes, and outside, an endless howl begins.

Ivan peers towards a window.

‘Desert Demon,’ I tell him. ‘The Leviathan of the Seventh Kingdom. He’s come to help his queen.’

‘Leviathan?’ Ivan repeats.

‘Oh yes. Gods from a hell realm. Didn’t you know about them?’ There’s a roar and the sound of fire consuming everything it touches. ‘That’s the Leviathan of the Fifth Kingdom,’ I tell him.

‘He likes fire,’ Cyrus says.

‘I have also called the Leviathan of the Third.’ I step forwards. The ground trembles, and the sky outside glows as the great creature walks through a great portal I made for her.

The lava lady from the mountain.

Ivan’s eyes widen as he sees them all. I can taste his fear.

I take another step towards the machine. Panic fills Ivan’s eyes at such a slight bit of movement.

‘I have nine others I could wake up and call. They will never obey you because they are not Fae. They are Gods. And they are mine to command.’ I let my body shift ever so slightly into my smoke form.

‘What are you?’ he demands, fear making his words so perfect to hear.

‘I am the Leviathan of Midnight’s End. I am the queen of Monsters.’ I narrow my eyes on him. ‘I am your end.’

Through the Bond, I feel my Mate’s worry as they realise I have taken the crown fully.

And what that means.

I don’t care. I’m clinging to what remains of my soul. I don’t want to hurt anyone but him and his creatures.

‘I will call every Leviathan into this world, Ivan. Creatures of pure death and so starved they will never stop devouring this world or your creations.’

Ivan starts to growl like an animal before turning to face us.

‘Big words from a child.’

‘I have never been a child,’ I reply. ‘You were right about that. As you said. I was so calm when I came into this world. Already so at ease with the pain and blood I was destined for. But it was your pain. Your blood.’

I barely get to twitch my fingers when two fireballs shoot out from his hands and hit the guys. Ivan moves so fast he’s a blur and slams into me with incredible force.

We’re out of a window and hurtling through the air, clawing and slashing at each other. I get free and regather my senses before attacking.

He has so many powers. I don’t even know what half of the things he attacks me with are. Heat. Light. Pain. Dizziness. Confusion. It’s all a mess as we battle high in the sky. Rain falls thick and fast around us. The sky illuminates with flashes as the tear spreads more and more. And the din of the battling fae and monsters drown out everything else.

He gets me, slicing a talon and then a sharp edge of his wing across my cheek and stomach.

I scream that monstrous scream again, feeling the undiluted rage of what he’s done swallow up more and more of me.

I don’t even know what I’m doing except attacking. I become my Leviathan form and smash into him, smothering and burning. I reform to claw my fingers down his face, cutting deep and scratching out one of his eyes.

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