Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
There was no turning back once Fedra went for Sevrion. She didn’t care how powerful he was supposed to be. Nor did she care that he might end her life with the snap of his fingers. She was too indignant and incensed to think clearly.
She reached for him, her fingers spread wide as she locked her gaze on him.
Fail-safe or not, she knew what she was capable of.
If she got within five feet, there wasn’t anything he could do to stop her from affecting his magic.
That would give Marcus and the others time to make their move.
Even if none of them had their powers, they could still chop Sevrion’s head off.
She’d like to see how well he lived after that.
Her fingers brushed the cloth of his sleeve, but before she could grab hold, he deftly moved out of reach.
She was leaning too far forward with no way to stop herself.
She tried to get her feet under her, but it was too late.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a foot coming at her and turned her head away just as Eurielle’s leg connected with her stomach.
The force of the kick pushed the air from Fedra’s lungs and sent her flying backward.
Suddenly, she was in Marcus’s arms again. He held her against him as she struggled to loosen her lungs enough to take a breath. The air crackled with tension as Marcus and Sevrion stared at each other.
“Get as far from here as you can,” Marcus whispered.
Fedra swung her gaze to him, sure she hadn’t heard correctly. His eyes were twin pools of wrath. A muscle in his jaw jumped as he gave her a push behind him. She had never believed in divine spirits, but if there was one of reckoning, then he stood before her now.
“You know you will die, and you still look at me like that?” Sevrion said.
The laughter that came from Marcus was neither soft nor amused. “I’m no’ afraid of death.”
“Then we’ll give you a reason to fear it,” Eurielle said.
They attacked Marcus in unison. Fedra stumbled backward, in a hurry to escape the fray. Her foot slipped on a piece of cloth on the floor, and she landed hard on her backside. She didn’t feel it, though. She was too intent on watching Marcus take on Sevrion and Eurielle.
For all his coldness, Sevrion fought ruthlessly and dirty.
Not to be outdone, Marcus got in a punch to Sevrion’s jaw before elbowing Eurielle in the stomach.
Fedra didn’t know whether to go or stay.
If she remained, it put all of them on equal ground, but if she left, Marcus’s friends might come to his aid.
They had taken down Miena. She had to give them a chance to do it with Eurielle and Sevrion. Fedra scrambled to her feet, slipping twice more on the same piece of fabric before she found her footing and raced toward the stairs.
A bright light followed by a grunt of pain stopped her cold.
She looked over her shoulder to see a streak of lightning forking from Sevrion’s palm into Marcus. Her body froze in horror as she watched the bolt lift Marcus off the ground. Sevrion then walked him onto the terrace and held him suspended over the side.
“Where are you going?” Eurielle asked as she grabbed hold of Fedra’s hair.
Pain rippled along her scalp as Eurielle yanked her off her feet and dragged her outside. Fedra clawed at Eurielle’s hand and tried to get her feet under her, but Eurielle’s strength was something she had never counted on.
Finally, Eurielle stopped and squatted beside her, forcing Fedra’s head toward Marcus. “He’s in an incredible amount of agony. Just look at his face,” she said gleefully.
Fedra didn’t want to look, but she couldn’t turn her eyes away either. Marcus’s entire body was rigid as bolts struck him repeatedly. The veins in his face and neck looked ready to pop as he gritted his teeth and glared at Sevrion.
“Your very existence is killing him,” Eurielle whispered. “He’s all but immortal. Unless you’re here.”
Immortal. Fedra frowned as she watched Marcus. He couldn’t be. Could he?
Eurielle chuckled and twisted her fingers in Fedra’s hair until she cried out. “Do you think he’s going to save you? He won’t. None of them will. Why would the very beings you were brought here to kill help you?”
Even as Eurielle said the words, Fedra knew they were true. Everything had been right there before her to piece together, but she had been too stubborn to see it. And when she had begun to wonder, she had stopped. Because it was too much for her to sort through.
“He even told you to leave,” Eurielle continued. “He wanted you to get away so he had a chance against us, but you stayed.”
“He was trying to keep me away from you,” Fedra said.
Eurielle threw back her head and laughed. “You really are delusional, aren’t you? Look at him!” She grabbed Fedra’s jaw, her nails digging into the skin as she squeezed. “Look at what you’re doing!”
Fedra was tired of being a pawn in a game she hadn’t even been aware of. She was tired of being used and manipulated. She threw up her arms and surged to her feet. The assault took Eurielle by surprise, allowing Fedra the opportunity to dislodge her hand. Eurielle shrieked as she dove for her.
Just before Eurielle grabbed her again, something darted from the area to Fedra’s right and tackled Eurielle. They rolled before both springing up and facing off against each other.
“I wondered when you’d show your face, Lotti,” Eurielle said with a sneer.
Lotti glanced at Fedra and shouted, “Get out of here!”
Fedra pivoted as more people raced out to surround Eurielle and Sevrion.
Fedra wanted to help, but she would only be a distraction and a detriment if she remained.
The only way for her to truly help was to get as far from everyone as possible so they could use their magic.
She got two steps away before she heard someone call her name.
Even knowing she should ignore Sevrion, she paused and looked his way.
Marcus’s head lolled to the side, his eyes closed.
She couldn’t tell if he was unconscious or dead.
Sevrion then gave her a chilling smile and dropped the hand using the lightning.
Her heart leapt into her throat as she watched Marcus plummet.
She raced to the railing, only to have Sevrion’s hand wrap around her neck and squeeze.
She kicked her feet as she fought for breath, her eyes darting to the side in hopes of seeing Marcus.
Eurielle had said he was a Dragon King. That meant he could shift and should be all right.
Except he couldn’t because she was there.
Fighting was happening all around them, but no one could get close to Sevrion. He seemed unconcerned that Eurielle had her hands full, nor did it appear as if he intended to help his sister.
“I suspected that one of the Kings might fall for you, but I never thought you would develop feelings,” Sevrion said, disappointment twisting his features. “How pathetic. It won’t stop you from fulfilling my plan.”
A bone-rattling roar shattered the air and caused the mountain to shudder.
Black dots were edging Fedra’s vision. She didn’t know how much longer she would be conscious.
How ironic that she had fought so hard to get her revenge on the dragons, but now would do everything in her power to stay away from them. But it was out of her hands.
It had always been out of her hands. Someone else had pulled the strings of her life, slaughtering millions without batting an eye.
A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered how many times Marcus had tried to get her to see both sides.
She had been too narrow-minded and angry to see what he was doing—or the reason behind it. Now, he’d paid the price for it.
Another roar sounded, this one louder.
And closer.
She looked to the side when Sevrion turned his head toward the sound.
There was a burst of air as something huge shot past them, straight into the sky.
She didn’t need to look at it to know it was a dragon.
A thread of fear formed, but then she looked at who was squeezing the life from her.
Sevrion followed the sight of the dragon upward as she silently cheered it on.
There was another roar, this one different. Then another. And another.
“Hey!” someone shouted behind Sevrion. “I’m here if you want a real fight.”
She knew that voice. It was Con. She never would’ve imagined the tall, good-looking guy with the wavy blond hair and dark eyes was Con. She had pictured him much older by the way he had spoken to her.
Sevrion loosened his hold enough that she could drag in a mouthful of air. He sneered and turned his head to the side. “I have what I came for. You will be dealt with later.”
“You will be dealt with today,” Con retorted.
Then he jumped off the balcony. Sevrion snorted and started to turn away before there was another burst of air, and another shadow zoomed upward. This time, she caught a glimpse of gold scales before it was out of sight.
“I’ve had enough of this,” Sevrion murmured.
He suddenly frowned, then looked toward the fighting. Eurielle was on the ground, her hand around his ankle.
“Let go,” he bit out while trying to kick her off as she defended her body from hits.
Fedra used the fact that his attention was elsewhere and drew her knees up to her chest, then she kicked him in the stomach with everything she had.
Shock flashed over his face, and his hold loosened as he stumbled back.
She crashed to the ground, the wind knocked out of her, just before Eurielle’s hold caused him to fall onto his side.
She took in the sight of the dragons circling the palace as she lay there. Lightning streaked overhead, landing a hair’s breadth from her head. A dragon with lavender scales released a roar and tucked its wings as it dove from the sky.
She needed to get to the railing. She had to know whether Marcus was okay. It was a long drop. Maybe there was enough space between them that his magic would protect him. She rolled to the side and sat up, only to have Sevrion’s hand clasped around her neck again.
The lavender dragon kept coming, aiming for the terrace.
If it crashed into it, they would fall, just as Marcus had.
Sevrion was somehow still able to use his magic.
At least he had been able to use some kind of power.
Why then had he been so upset at Eurielle?
Unless his magic couldn’t handle having someone else’s, as well.
“Let’s get this over with,” he said as he got to his feet and lifted her until she was on her tiptoes.
She gripped his arms and dug her nails into his flesh.
There was no magic in her body. She wasn’t even sure how others used their abilities, but she had to at least try.
She channeled all of her energy into her palms and imagined it sinking into Sevrion’s arm.
Then, she waited for the dragon to strike.
“What is happening?” Sevrion mumbled, his mouth pinched in anger.
She grinned. “Having problems?”
Those cold eyes of his locked on her face, and he squeezed harder.
She looked up and caught sight of the dragon as it rolled in on itself.
Before her eyes, she watched the dragon fade, and a man take shape as he landed naked on one knee, his head down.
She knew it was Marcus. She smiled, her heart racing with joy at the sight of him.
As he straightened, clothes covered his body.
The skirmish was over. Everyone stood on one side of the balcony while she and Sevrion took the other. In the middle was Marcus, while dragons flew above them.
“Eurielle left,” Marcus said. “You won’t.”
Sevrion issued an emotionless laugh. “You think you can stop me?”
“I’m willing to give it a try,” said a woman who walked toward him covered in flames.
Though his face didn’t change, Fedra felt Sevrion’s arm tremble at the sight of her. She was losing consciousness again. She tried to turn her head to see Marcus, but Sevrion’s hold was too tight.
“How badly do you want me?” Sevrion asked and then grinned.