Page 204 of Wrath of the Fae

They all cover their ears, lowering them only when I make them fall silent.

The only sound now is the rain.

‘Come on now, Princess. You don’t want to do this.’ Cyrus stands beside Reid.

My Mates. Mine.

‘You stay with us,’ Cyrus says firmly. ‘Do not let him win. Don’t let our worlds fall. We have to stop the machine.’

‘Why?’ I ask. ‘What’s worth saving? Friends that betray. Sisters that lie. Fathers that destroy. Lovers who manipulate.’

‘You know why. In your heart, you know.’ Cyrus steps closer. ‘You’re stronger than this. Than him.’ He spits on Ivan’s corpse. ‘If you give in, you will lose everything you fought so hard for.’

‘I already have lost everything.’

‘You haven’t.’ Reid steps closer, his shoulder pressing against Cyrus. ‘You have us.’

I look past them to face Rhea.

Her wings are so delicate. Her body hums warmth and light.

I stand her opposite in every way.

‘Looks like the Fae have a new queen.’

‘The wings just appeared,’ she says, looking at me longingly. ‘They mean nothing.You’reour queen.’

‘I’mtheirqueen.’ I look at the three leviathans in the distance and the creatures still fighting with the half breeds. I rest my gaze on her. ‘The baby?’

She slowly shakes her head.

‘Gone,’ she replies quietly. ‘The machine took them both.’

Truth.

But it’s not a happy one. It hurts. I hurt, knowing what has been taken.

‘I’m sorry,’ I tell her. ‘I never wanted that to happen.’

‘I never wanted any of this to happen,’ she says, tears swimming in her eyes. ‘All I want is you. I want my sister.’

‘Sister,’ I whisper, feeling the word on my tongue. ‘Queen of Fae and Queen of Monsters. Twin sisters.’

‘We never did things the easy way.’ Her lip trembles. ‘Will killing me make you better? You can. I won’t fight. You are our Queen. I don’t want to rule anyone.’

Truth.

The world trembles again, and we look up at the sky, watching as one world spills into the other.

I look at her. She’s so afraid. Just like she was when we were children, locked in our father's cells. I was always there to protect her. To keep her calm and safe.

The wall falls further. When it reaches the ground, I know it will be over. There will be no way back.

I look at my Mates.

‘You once said to me that if you had to choose between me or the world, you would choose me and let the world burn.’

‘And we still would. But you becoming this…’ Reid gestures to me. ‘That’s what will end you, Raven. And we already lost you once.’

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