Page 167 of Wrath of the Fae

‘Lucca. Tell the others to stand down,’ Reid tries. ‘Brother, please. We’re not your-’

‘You married my Mate and did that fuckers bidding. You lost the right to call me brother a long time ago. Arrest them!’ Lucca orders. ‘I want them in chains and away from her.’

I hear several others move at his command. Wings rustle, and weapons are made ready.

‘You’re not separating us from her,’ Cyrus laughs. ‘No fucking way.’ I see their hands both create their power. My endless darkness glows again with the threat.

‘I’ll call my beast and tell it to rip you to pieces,’ Lucca says simply. ‘Don’t think I won't, and I will make it eat your-’

We all stumble as the ground shakes. The whole kingdom rumbles and tremors as the sound of lightning has me slamming my hands over my ears.

Ivan’s machine has pierced this realm again. Another tether, gripping onto this world from the human one.

‘No,’ I whisper.’How? It didn’t pull me in! Nothing happened!’

I hear the ground crack and break. Chunks of ice plummet down, and the army below starts to scream.

So many screams!

The ice they stand on twangs and splits. I can’t hear what the guys say as they hold me close.

My head! It feels ready to implode!

My darkness is suddenly painfully bright. The tear spreads outward, forking off in several directions.

‘What’s happening?!’ I cry, pressing my hands hard over my ears as if that will help ease my torture.

‘It’s tearing.’ Reid holds me closer. Painfully tight. I feel his fear through the Bond. I feel them both, utterly terrified! ‘The sky is tearing.’

‘I can see it,’ I manage, looking up. ‘I see-’

They both grip me.

Is this it? Are the worlds about to collide?

Have we lost?

‘We’ve got you,’ Reid promises. ‘Stay. You stay right here.’

I can fight against the pull. That’s not the problem. It’s barely there, so I don’t understand how this happened!

Yes, he’s pulling. But through the strength of the Bond, I can resist.

How has Ivan done this? Where did he get this last piece of power from?

The light ripples across the heavens in one last burst before settling back to just the cracks, scarring the sky.

‘He’s connected us,’ I whisper. ‘I feel it. I feel the machine. I feel all the parts of it.’ I cling to them both, traumatised at the pain emanating from Ivan’s twisted arch seeping into my soul.

It’s alive. It’s screaming. And it screams at me.

‘One more,’ I tell them. ‘One more is all Ivan needs to tear it down.’

‘Oh fuck,’ Cyrus hisses, slamming his hand on my side. ‘She’s bleeding. Reid! She’s been impaled!’

I forgot about the creature stabbing me in my side. I feel the warmth of my blood on my cold skin.

‘Oh… shit…’ I whisper.

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