Chapter 118
His sister is fighting a wolf twice the size of any shapeshifter and four times his sister’s size–and he chooses this moment to refuse my help.
My fingers dig into his arm and I glare at
him.
“The fault lies with the one fighting your sister–and if we don’t hurry, it might cost her her life too. So you decide do you want to keep arguing, or do you let me get you out of here so I can go back and help her?”
He takes longer than I’d like in respond.
I force him to grab onto me while still clutching his sister’s lifeless body.
I find it hard to look at the little girl–apart from her sister, she’s the only Voss I ever tolerated–because I’m one hundred percent sure Silas and will never get along
Casting one last look toward Elara, I start running with her brother.
No one stops us on our way out. Most of the shapeshifters are outside battling ours–and the number of corpses on both sides shows that neither has the upper hand
The castle, already in ruins, continues collapsing under Elara’s uncontrolled power. Being inside isn’t safe, so I take Silas outside, to the blood- stained shore.
I scan the area for somewhere distant and hidden enough to keep him safe while the battle unfolds.
I don’t hesitate when I see some rock formations–I drag him with me and hide him behind them,
“Do you feel
that?” I ask once I let him down.
Textend my power toward him and whisper my thoughts into his mind.
His face is unreadable except for a slight furrow between his brows.
“Every few minutes I’ll do that again, and I want you to respond so I know you’re still in one piece.
“What was that?”
“That’s my gift, human. One of them”
I step back. “Do you understand?”
He doesn’t respond, just nods and looks away.
When I retrace my path and re–enter the interior, everything looks even more shattered. Maybe I was outside for Eve minutes, but there’s barely any time left for this place. Parts of the ceilings have fallen onto the stairs in the foyer, and as I follow the corridor leading back to that hall, I see it’s full of obstacles
I kick open a door and find Drystan with Evanora in lus arms. Eleazar lies nearby, unconscious amid the debris.
“What happened?”
“She’s getting more and more out of control.”
He doesn’t need to say her name for me to know who he means. The stairs leading up to the thrope are mostly destroyed, the floor is open multiple places, and a glance down them makes me think that if I fall, I could reach the center of the Earth. The most striking thing is the throne itself, where Ragna writhes with one of the fangs that form it sticking out of her belly. Her animal form has vanished, so I can see her white teeth stained red
“You can’t kill me.”
I listen closely.
will” Elara’s voice is not of this world.
“Even if it’s the last thing I do, I will drag you to hell with me!
“Are you taking in to your mommy?” the wolf–lady laughi
Elara’s bits clench, turning white, but whatever she’s trying to do doesn’t happen–surjuise Hashes across her face, then frustration. She bares her teeth–I can see her fangs, long and sharp, not at all human. Another column fall, spluting the hall in two and knocking nie off balance.
12:26 PM c c
Chapter 118
“You need to do something. Cassian, 1 read in Drystan’s mind.
“I have to get Evanora out of here–but like this, it’s impossible. She’s going to bury us alive”
Π
I look at Elara again. He’s right. Whatever is happening to her is beyond her control. I step over shattered stones, look up hoping nothing will fall
Elara—at least long enough to reach her. I approach and see Ragna’s wound is starting to close around the fang, but Elara has her arm over it, preventing her from pulling it out.
Saliva drips from her mouth–she looks entirely feral.
“I underestimated you, thinking I could restrain you with a bit of magic,” Ragna admin.
“Still, you can’t tear out my soul, can you? That’s because I don’t have one, dear”–
te them and pull Elara
A growl rises from deep in Elara’s chest–and with another collapse, Drystan yells my name. Stones fall near me, but I dodge with me before they can crush her. She falls on top of me, writhing in my arms and snarling in my face.
“We will
find a way for you to get your revenge, but right now you need to be yourself again, Elara.”
I gently shake her shoulders
“Please, you’re not seeing what you’re doing to yourself.”
It’s true her fingers are clenched and broken from her own strength, her fangs have torn part of her lower lip, and there are many wounds on her face and arms that haven’t stopped bleeding. This isn’t about what happens to us–she’s destroying herself
“What good is all this if you die in the process?
My words don’t reach her, instead, they unleash her further. She lunges at me and sinks her fangs into my neck. I remain utterly sull, feeling her absorb my blood. In another time, this would’ve been even erotic for me–but now I’m just stunned. No woman has ever fed from me like this- I’ve never been the one being bled from.
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