From Slave To Queen (Athena and Michael) novel Chapter 117

Chapter 117

Cassian

I had forgotten how distressing fear could be, but when I look at Elara I again feel like that powerless young man who watched his entire family be annihilated–who endured humiliation over and over without being able to do anything.

Now I look at Flara and feel the same way, it seems whatever I do will harm her, and I can no longer deny my feelings

I worry for her.

Do I love her? I’m not sure I’m ready to accept the feeling that begins with “1, but I’m certain what I feel resembles it. Since she came into my life, she’s left small parts of herself in me, filling the empty shell my heart has been. That’s why, when I see her transformed into the most beautiful and lethal creature, I feel terror. Who will she be after this? I’m afraid I’ve lost her irreparably.

The weight of the shackles on my wrists is only physical–they have no true power over me, thanks to Elara’s blood in my system

So far, I’ve kept up the charade; however, I don’t think the events unfolding will allow me to continue.

I don’t think she’s even aware of the chaos she’s causing around her. The hall keeps shaking, the columns are cracking, and the ceiling above us won’t hold much longer. Ragna has proven to be a power–hungry himatic, an idiot who believed she could dominate the storm, embrace the ocean with her arms, stare at the sun without damaging her eyes.

I hear a noise in the distance, and it doesn’t take long to discover why

The attack outside has begun, so I slip into the minds of some of my men and give them very concrete orders. We will fight to kill no survivors.

Maybe I hadn’t come with a desire to shed blood, but not after the recent events I can’t do that when Elara’s family’s bloodstains these floors and the innocent eyes of a little girl stare at me empty.

“Elara, you have to calm down to control your new abilities,” I say, in the tone a lion tamer might use to soothe wild beasts. Damn, I never imagined her nickname would be so fitting.

“You want to protect Silas, yes–but if you don’t stay calm, you’ll hurt him.”

The ground under my feet stops shaking and I think I’ve gotten her to listen until Ragna barks orders to her men. They try to seem confident, but I see their fingers tremble. Not that they don’t have reasons—because as soon as the first man lunges at her, all appearance of calm vanishes, and Elara defends, grabs the man by the wrists–and what I see takes my breath away. Something like water vapor escapes the man’s mouth and enters Elara’s nostrils. She doesn’t seem disturbed at all; I’m not so sure.

His body collapses at her feet and she looks at the rest challengingly.

The shapeshifters want to flee, but their leader throws them a look promising death anyway. Die fighting, or die as cowards, while she waits in her animal form for a miracle that won’t come.

By my side. Dryslan uses the confusion in the hall to fight his captor and emerge victorious. It barely takes any effort for me to deal with mine; I don’t need to use my powers–1 finish him with my own hands. I press my thumbs into the eye sockets until I hit soft, viscous tissue. I drop him and yank the shackles apart with a single pull.

My attention goes to the leader–I intend to go after her until I see Elara is surrounded and can’t hold them all off.

Drystan holds unconscious Evanora in his arms and I wouldn’t trust Eleazar to keep her safe, so I join Elara.

I grab the neck of the man approaching her from behind–he’s mid–transformation–and break it before he fully takes las wolf form.

Alongside me, Elara drops another corpse.

Our fingers touch–fear counes through me at the thought of losing her entirely but she returns the touch and I feel sparks at my fingertips.

“Are you still my bitle beast, Dan!”

She turns slowly–those gray eyes gone, replaced by completely white irises. She bites her lower lip as she looks at me,

Out of the corner of my eye I see someone approaching us, and this time I use my powers hoping there isn’t a drop of her blood in bini.

Bingo. In seconds, whatever was once a man becomes a mountain of organs, muscles, and skin.

“I feel like I’m going crazy!”

Her voice doesn’t sound like henel[

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12:26 PM ct c

Chapter 117

“I can’t control it–my blood roars more.”

“Screw it all,” I say, grabbing her checks while I extend my power around us, preventing anyone from approaching without dying in the attempt.

“You faced me when you thought you were human–you of all people can handle this. I’m the only one who can make you crazy, do you hear me?! won’t let you lose yourself”

“I think it’s too late.

“It hurts.”

Her appearance flickers, giving me a fleeting glimpse of Elara with gray eyes and flawless skin. The moment ends as quickly as it came eyes and thin white veins rehrt.

“I never give up, least of all with you.”

I bring my lips to hers.

Fuck fate, fuck Laith, fuck them all.

the white

My eyes would have noticed her in any life because it was her hatred, her desire to stay away from me, her shrewd tongue that obsessed me with her–and in no way will I let my mind believe that was the result of forces beyond our control. This is her, raw and unfiltered.

She leans into me, and when her lips leave mine I see the furrow of worry on her brow.

Ragna calls our attention with a stomp of her robust paw,

“Please, Viktor–my brother…”

I understand what she’s asking before the sentence finishes. I look toward her brother, standing in a comer holding the little girl’s body. He looks around with red, wild eyel

I try to split my attention between him and Elara.

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