Chapter 53
Ava stood in a small clearing, preparing for her final task. In order to trap Andras, she would have to be touching both him and the crystal, then speak the spell while feeding her magic into the conduit.
According to the text, it would only take a few seconds before he would be held in place, allowing her to open the portal and banish him back to the realm of the gods.
She took a moment to close her eyes and take a deep breath, trying to keep her heart calm and her hands steady.
Tuning out the noise of battle in the distance, she focused her attention to her surroundings.
The breeze rustled the trees as the call of a bird singing to its mate wound through the forest. The smell of lilac floated by, a balm to her weary soul.
Her loved ones were counting on her. The entire realm was counting on her, and she would not fail them. Would not balk. Refused to be afraid.
Because she had found where she belonged at last. Her true home.
The place that had called to her, welcomed her.
That small seed within had been nourished, cared for, and watered the moment she stepped into Mosshaven.
And it had grown. Not just grown, but flourished.
Soared. From the tiniest seedling to a steadfast tree, like the Elderoak, with roots so deep it could withstand the harshest of conditions.
Though she was here by herself in this clearing, she knew she wasn’t truly alone. “You are an Everwood, Ava. We are in this together. You belong to us. All of us,” her brother had told her.
And she did. She had found belonging with each and every one of them. Remy. Casimir. Thorne. Raine. Quinn. Jorrar. Kai. Fanya. Isolde. Pax. Even Maeryn and the friends she’d made from other kingdoms.
Wrapping those names around her heart like armor, she took a deep, steadying breath.
It was time.
If everything went according to plan, it would be over soon.
Opening her eyes, she spoke to Luna, pacing at her feet. “Are you ready for your part?”
Worry shone in Luna’s violet gaze. I don’t want to do this part.
“I know, but we already agreed. The only way to do this is to make him think I was bitten. He must believe I’m weak.”
Rising onto her back paws, Luna placed her front feet on Ava’s legs. Whimpering, she sank her canines into her thigh.
Ava gasped, holding in a yelp. “Harder, Luna,” she said out loud through gritted teeth.
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Luna repeated as she clenched her jaw harder, shaking her head to worsen the bite.
Ava blinked away tears as searing pain tore through her leg, trying to hide it from her companion. Luna released her and licked the wound.
Ava gently pushed her off. “No, sweet girl. Don’t try to help. Leave it.”
Oh, Ava. That was terrible. I’m not supposed to harm you. It hurts my soul.
Wincing, Ava knelt, gripping her friend’s furry face in her hands. Her first friend from the realm of Eorhan. There had been Remy, and then Raine, but Luna came before both of them. The only one who had been by her side the entire way.
“I’m so sorry you had to do that, Luna. I love you so much.” Ava swallowed the lump in her throat as she kissed her head. “But you did a great job. Now, go hide. It’ll all be over soon.”
Luna licked Ava’s face, purring. I love you too. Please be careful.
The cat bounded off into the trees, finding a safe place but staying close in case Ava needed her.
Now it was time to take her role as actress.
Kneeling next to the daemon hound’s body that lay in the grass—the reason they chose this clearing—Ava stabbed it, ensuring her blade was coated in its black blood.
She rose, holding her sword loosely as she limped along, acting as though she was headed back to the battle.
She didn’t have to pretend for long.
All sounds of nature ceased. Birds stopped singing. Insects silenced their chirps. No cries of animals were heard in the distance. Even the breeze halted, as if the forest held its breath.
Then…she felt him.
The hair on the back of her neck stood. An involuntary shiver ran through her as an oppressive presence overtook the space.
“Hello, Ava dear,” a smooth voice purred from behind her.
She turned slowly, wincing at the pain in her leg. There was no need to feign the agony. Luna’s teeth were damned sharp.
“Andras,” she breathed, not speaking his true name.
He stood a few yards away, dressed in his usual all-black, hands in his pockets. His head was cocked to the side. Piercing blue eyes, bright against his ebony hair, scanned her with curiosity and what appeared to be excitement.
The predator who had found his prey. Or so he thought.
His shadows were untethered, as if he had set them free, allowing them to do as they desired. Tendrils of night twisted and writhed around him, obscuring the lower half of his body as he meandered forward.
“Your poor leg,” he tutted. “I was hoping to face you at your full strength. Without your magic, your death is going to be rather boring.”
Ava remained silent, keeping her hand in a fist around the crystal, making it appear as though she was clenching it in pain.
“I promise to make it look like you fought back valiantly. You’ll be a symbol to your people. The princess who tried and failed to defeat us.”
She must keep him talking. Long enough to get close without raising suspicion. “Where’s Deidamia?”
He raised a brow, pausing his steps. “Around.” He casually waved a hand. “You didn’t think she’d allow herself to get too close to you, did you?”
“So, she sends you to do her dirty work again. Is that it?” Ava asked, continuing the ruse.
His sensual laugh skittered across her flesh.
Thinking of her mother as she raised Silverglow, she pretended as if she was going to attack, hoping it would urge him closer. “I’ll just find her after I kill you.”
Lunging forward, she whimpered in pain when her weight was transferred to her injured leg, causing her to falter. A shadow shot forth and yanked her sword from her grasp, tossing it to the other side of the clearing.
“Kill me?” he taunted. “You can try. That will definitely make this more entertaining.”
Ava backed away, trying to lure him nearer. He didn’t move.
Pulling a dagger from a sheath on her thigh, she flicked it toward him. He snatched it from the air with a dark wisp of smoke and threw it aside as well. “Oh, come on, dear. You aren’t even trying.”
It wasn’t working. He wasn’t coming closer. She would have to go to him. Changing tactics, she palmed another blade and sprinted forward, adrenaline muting the agony ripping through her thigh.
She brought her weapon down, aiming for his neck. He vanished into shadow. Unable to stop her forward momentum, Ava’s knees hit the grass.
“Better,” he said, now behind her. “But I’m getting impatient.”
Her scalp screamed in protest as she was yanked backward by her braid.
In a flash, Andras was in front of her, hand on her throat, standing above her.
Now, Ava. Trap him, said Luna.
Ava flexed her fingers, preparing to recite the spell. But her hand was empty. She didn’t have the crystal anymore. She must have dropped it when she fell.
Where was it? Where was it? Where was it?
Her mouth went dry at the realization she was completely helpless. If she attempted to use her magic to break free from his grasp, he might kill her or flee. Scratching at his arm, she tried to pull away. His fingers tightened. Mouth gaping, she tried to catch her breath.
Find the crystal. Where was the crystal? Her eyes darted across the grass.
There. A couple of feet away. Andras didn’t seem to notice, but she couldn’t reach it. She could retrieve it with a vine…no. Too risky.
“Too bad your love isn’t here to watch you die. It would be much more interesting that way.”
Picking her brain for a way to escape his grasp, she heard Quinn’s voice in her head. From the day she gifted Ava the dagger. “It will never fail you.”
With a surge of strength, she wrenched to the side as hard as she could, attempting to distract Andras. One hand yanked at his arm while the other stealthily pulled the dagger from a hidden panel on the back of her thigh.
Wrapping her fingers around the grip, she lunged forward. His hold loosened ever so slightly. Enough for her to sink the blade into his thigh.
Shouting in fury, he released her. She rolled, snatching the crystal.
In the blink of an eye, her vision went dark. As if she was in a void, as black as a moonless and starless night. She couldn’t see anything. Couldn’t feel anything except cold mist swirling around her like a wicked caress.
Wisps of shadow snaked around her legs, her waist. Her arms were yanked above her head, shoulders screaming in protest. Stepping through the onyx smoke, Andras appeared.
Unable to move, all Ava could do was stare into his enraged eyes. Her gaze moved to his leg. The dagger was gone. There was no trace it had been there at all. No blood. No obvious injury. Even his clothing was intact.
“That was foolish, princess. Now I must hurry and join the battle. It seems the daemons are unable to defeat the fae on their own, the useless fools.”
That means we’re winning, Ava thought, now even more determined to see this through.
She clutched the crystal, willing Andras to move closer, to release her so she could grab him. But the shadows only tightened, squeezing. He raised a hand and an ebony thread floated toward her, moving closer to her face.
“Open wide, dear.”
She clenched her jaw, panting through her nose.
“I’m going to have to make you, aren’t I? Very well.”
The dark tendrils around her torso abruptly squeezed.
A rib snapped. She bit down on her scream, refusing to give in as a tear trickled down her cheek.
Another rib broke. The copper tang of blood bloomed in her mouth as she bit her lip.
Andras growled and squeezed again. This time she couldn’t control the cry that left her lips.
The moment she opened her mouth, the black wisp plunged down her throat… deeper and deeper.