Chapter 42
Chapter
Forty-Two
Absolute chaos surrounded me.
Within minutes of Sawyer meeting us in the courtyard with my sword, the dormitories were attacked. I had barely attached the sheath around my waist before needing to draw the weapon, as the first Draemornian soldier reached the cobblestone path leading straight to us.
Now—just hours later—there were bodies piled up around my feet.
They were yet to be anyone I knew, but my fear intensified with the rattle of each cadaver.
The continuous clang of metal caused my ears to ring, and it was difficult to hear anything over the blood-curdling screams of mortals as they killed or were killed.
Sebastian had his back against mine. Because of him, I hadn't made a kill yet, but it was only a matter of time before someone's death was on my name.
Though I should have felt remorseful about that, I didn't. I felt vengeful. These people were the reason that I’d been left without a family, and I would make them beg for my mercy.
The thought smacked me in my soul, cascading into an unbearable ache in my heart with the realization that I had no blood left alive. It was just me.
The brutal truth made me want to crumble to the ground, but I had to resist. I’d pretend it wasn't real—pretend that this horrific reality was simply a nightmare.
I held onto my courage, using it as motivation to pivot my torso and swing my sword through the bicep of a Draemornian who tried to sneak up behind me.
The soldier cried out, the force of my swing jolting his body back.
Blood dripped from the slice in his arm as he moved in on me with his teeth jarred.
Before he could retaliate, Sebastian peeled himself from my back, swinging around me and slashing his sword through the air.
The blade slid through the gap between the soldier's helmet and chest armor, cutting his head clean off.
It dropped to the ground with a thud. Blood splashed over the fronts of my legs as the skull tumbled, stopping when it hit my foot.
I looked down at it, motionless.
Adrenaline stole my disgust.
Shit.
This was really happening.
My gaze rolled slowly to Sebastian, who stared, silently judging my reaction. “You okay?” His eyes peered at me through the steel helmet that covered his beautiful skin.
He killed that man with such ease, such poise, that I now understood why he had been so worried that I wouldn't love the real him. That was the real Sebastian. Charming, but celestially lethal when he needed to be. A prince. A soldier—a head soldier, at that—and a damn good one. He thought that side of him would scare me, but I welcomed it. I’d take him in every form, the good or the bad.
He was too immersed in making sure I was okay to notice that another Draemornian was running at him, sword raised.
My heart pounded sporadically as I ripped my dagger from its sheath. My eyes narrowed in on my target, planning for the best course of action and noticing how the Draemornian lacked a helmet.
Pulling my arm back, I chucked my dagger as powerfully as my muscles could manage. The blade hit the soldier in between the eyes, embedding itself deep enough into his skull that it no doubt hit brain matter. He dropped forward onto his knees before face planting in the dirt.
Sebastian’s eyes widened as he spun around just in time to see the Draemornian’s corpse drop. “Holy shit,” he marveled under his breath.
I stepped around him and bent down in front of the dead soldier, where I ripped my blade from his skull, wiping the blood and dripping turquoise toxin on the grass next to me before sheathing it back in the strap on my thigh.
“Yeah. I'm okay.” My response was nonchalant as I rose, choosing to ignore the fact that I just made my first kill.
While we had a brief moment of peace, Sebastian closed in on me, pulling my helmet off so he could brush his hand over my cheek.
His fingers grazed over my jewels. “That shouldn't turn me on, but fucking hell, that was badass.” He pulled his own helmet up enough to crush his lips to mine in a thank you for saving my life kind of kiss.
The moment of tranquility was short lived. Sawyer showed up out of nowhere, gesturing for us to come with him. “Let's move!” he yelled through his helmet, his eyes darting around frantically.
We followed him along the border of the castle, clinging to the walls as we crept our way to the back end of the tower.
Sunlight broke through the murkiness of dust, scorching my skin as I leaned against the stone.
Shockingly, no Draemornians were over here, which allowed us a moment to catch our breath.
“Where's Pia and Kohen?” I asked Sawyer, my voice shaking from adrenaline.
“Haven't seen them in over an hour. Last I knew they were helping to barricade the castle's entrance. It didn't look like it was going well, though. I wouldn't be surprised if the Draemornians break in soon.”
I dropped my helmet into the dirt to drink from my canteen, rehydrating my cells so they could help me continue on. The past few hours of battle had been relentless, and it wouldn't be letting up anytime soon.
“So much for making history,” I teased, out of breath.
“Ha-ha,” Sawyer snarked.
“There's way more of them than I’d expected,” Sebastian panted, hunched over on his knees.
I had to agree. The Draemornians greatly outnumbered us, which came as a shock. We were all under the impression that Caelestis had the bigger army.
“Was there this many of them back in Craterra?” Sawyer asked.
Sebastian shook his head. “No. They must have been holding back like we were. I know it's only just begun, but I honestly have no idea how we are going to win this if it keeps up like this.”
My heart sank. “Please don't say that,” I pleaded. “We can't lose this battle. My family is dead and it's my fault. This is all my fault and if we lose, I—”
Sawyer put a gloved hand on my metal shoulder. “It's not your fault. I should have never said that. We’re going to do everything we can, Maevey baby.”
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “Maevey baby?”
I was about to explain the nickname when a fiery beam flew through the fucking air. The ball of fire skimmed my upper arm on its course to hit the tower behind me. It absorbed into the brick, leaving only a black ring of soot.
I cried out in pain, forcing my eyes down at the hole in my sleeve.
Blackened flesh painted my arm. The wound, though mostly cauterized, still smoked and steamed as fresh blood leaked out.
“Fucking hell,” I cursed through a clenched jaw, poking the charred skin.
Of course, my armor stopped right after my shoulders.
Without even hesitating, Sebastian ripped my canteen from my hands, pouring the cool water on the burn. The liquid relieved some of the burning, but when he tore a piece of his undershirt off to tie around the wound, a whole new kind of pain overcame me.
I screamed and tried to bite my lip to suppress the noise, but he slapped his free hand over my mouth to silence me. “I know it hurts, but try to keep quiet. We don’t want to give away our—”
“King Beaumont is going to be thrilled when I deliver you to him.” A Draemornian soldier flashed us his blazing hands, his eyes focused on my gemstones.
Sawyer raised his sword, ready to lunge while I stood back in shock.
“We all figured you would be hidden away. Quite interesting that Aldous Hawthorne let his most prized possession fight his battles for him.”
Sebastian tapped into his power, freezing the Draemornian’s flaming hands before he could throw another bomb of fire at us.
Sawyer then charged, stabbing his sword into the gap in the side of the soldier's armor. He twisted the blade, ensuring it mangled the muscles of his heart before pulling it out with force. Blood spurted from the hole, hitting me in the face.
Another man, dead.
“Are you okay?” both men asked me in sync.
I raised my injured arm to wipe the splattered blood off my face. The skin was tight and hurt like a bitch when I moved it. “It's not that bad.”
“Don’t lie. It looks like shit,” Sawyer commented as he took my canteen to refill it with his water magic.
I scrunched my nose. “Gee, thanks.”
“Let me look at it again.” Sebastian reached out for me.
I shuffled away from him. “It’s fine. Really. We have bigger things to worry—” My words stuck to my tongue as a voice carried through the wind.
“My star. Come to me.”
I glanced between Sawyer and Sebastian, both looking utterly defeated from the hours of combat they’d endured.
“Did one of you just say something?” There were so many noises filling my ears that I wasn't sure what exactly I’d heard.
They shook their heads.
“My star.”
This time, I was able to make out the nickname that only two people had ever called me. My mother—who was dead—and Blythe.
A powerful gust of wind blew by, likely crafted by an onyx gifted soldier. The smokey smell of burnt brick mixed with death surrounded us, filling my nostrils on my inhales. My mouth fell agape as I glanced around in realization.
I stood motionless.
My visions…
I was currently living them.
The explanation pieced itself together in my brain like a puzzle. The rumors Sebastian heard in Craterra—he had shot down the idea, but I was right. I knew in my soul that I was right.
The fable was not a fable at all. Blythe's soul was trapped in her statue, and I had to grant her freedom. That's how I’d stop this. That's how we’d win, and that's how the prophecy would fulfill itself.
“Maybe it's time to get out of here, Maeve. This is way more intense than we’d expected,” Sebastian begged again.
“No.”
He glared at me, his fists clenched by his side.
Sawyer groaned, his voice interrupting my epiphany as he cleaned his blade on his pants. “You heard what that dick said. They assumed you were hiding. Maybe you should be.”
“They are going to start realizing who you are. You could even just go rest for a while in the tunnel, replenish your energy—” Sebastian chimed in again.
“For the love of the gods, both of you, please stop trying,” I snarled at the two of them.
“What are you trying to prove?” Sawyer argued, sudden anger coating his tongue.
“I’m not trying to prove anything.” Neither of them had any idea of what was about to happen.
Sawyer stormed up to me, his fists clenched “Do you want to die?”
“Of course not.” But I’m going to.
“Then just let Seb bring you to the tunnel.”
“No.”
Sawyer threw his arms up in dismissal. “Fine. But I’m not going to stay here and watch you die.”
What the hell is with the men in my life using anger to mask their fear?
Sawyer started to turn away, but I grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug. “Be safe,” I told him.
He grunted but hugged me back briefly before storming off to destroy some more Draemornians.
At least his absence would make this next part easier.
I turned to Sebastian, his fear stricken face sending chills throughout me. I didn't want to leave this world without him—we’d only just started our story. But if I was going to die in this battle, he didn't need to be there to see it.
“Kiss me,” I demanded, and he did without hesitation.
He would want to kill me for what I was about to do, but I’d already be dead by the next time he saw me.
I still tasted him on my lips when I broke our kiss. “You know how much I love you, right?” I asked, my heart shattering with the question.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “Yes. And you know how much I love you, right?”
“Of course.” My voice shook.
“Why are you asking me this?”
My lip quivered. “Do you trust me?”
Sebastian stepped towards me, reaching a hand out to my upper arm. “Maeve…What—”
I used his touch to my advantage while I tapped into my magic. Though it would take up a good portion of my strength, I powered through, cracking the solid shell of his mental shield.
“Leave my side. Fight this war without me. Find me when it's all over.” I left out the part about finding my corpse. That would be too distracting, and he needed to have his full attention on winning this battle.
Sebastian's eyes sank instantly when he realized what I'd done.
“I'm sorry…” My voice quaked in a whisper. “My time spent loving you has been the greatest chapter of my life. My only regret is that our story was too short.” I bit my lip, fighting back tears.
His own eyes flooded over in tears of betrayal, but he couldn't fight my compulsion. He followed my orders without another word, pulling his helmet on and turning to follow the path that Sawyer led.
He didn't know that this was the last time he'd see me alive. The ache from that truth was the worst thing I had ever felt—and I had just lost my family.
It's for the best.
My lungs burned as I watched him leave. “I love you,” I said one last time, though he was already too far away to hear me.
With a sniffle, I pulled myself together and revealed my sword from its bounds, then marched in the opposite direction of the man I’d been blessed to love.