Epilogue
Weak . That’s what this body is.
Years of freedom, and you would think he’d have had more ambition to break the rules, to figure out who killed his mother. To work against our pathetic father.
But Ramiel was too good for that.
I’ve seen into his deepest desires. His silly future with the elf girl. His plans for the kingdom. His idea of peace.
None of it would have worked. Not with a prophecy that denies us that kind of happiness.
When I was a child, I was an optimist. And then my mother died.
So I made a deal. One I could never undo. One that would kill me, and also give me life. It was a bargain I knew I’d never come to regret, not even after I’d wandered, waiting and waiting for my brother to give me his body willingly.
That had been the caveat to the mages’ promise of power.
Years of torment taught me that giving in to the pain is much easier than healing from it. I’ve grown tired of letting old wounds heal just so they can be torn open again and again.
The power running slick in my corporeal body melds perfectly, not fighting the human or elf blood flowing from my heart.
My brother’s voice prickles at the back of my mind.
I shut it out. If I wait a little longer, he will eventually disappear. He hasn’t had enough time to shape his magic or strengthen his will to regain control.
He is already fading.
So much for trust. So much for love.
How fickle, how brittle human relationships are.
With a breath in, my army surrounds me, loyal soldiers of darkness and dominion. A breath out, and they fold like trees in the wind, offering me complete subordination.
I smile at them. They return it perfectly. A reflection.
Absolute obedience.
“Find the elf girl,” I order, flexing my hand. The skin has started to lose its color, the veins beneath surging with onyx. Soon, this vessel will be fully mine.
The mages scatter at my command.
I take a deep breath. The coppery smell of blood and men fills me with an abundant appreciation for my brother’s sacrifice.
The throne had been meant for him, not me, I’m sure of that.
So I stole it.
Now fate will grovel at my feet.