46. Esther #3
“Do you trust me?” I say with a rasp to my voice as I bring my forehead to his. My hand is covered with so much blood that I’m not sure who it belongs to anymore.
A soulless beast rises from Dahlia’s crafted ashes. My snake shifts against my back protectively as a wind vortex careens toward us, pulsing with Lainteen’s magic that’s quickly overthrowing us.
My vision fades in and out as the edges of the enchantments to keep both soulless beast and demigod under my control begin to slip.
Most of those around us have fallen. Feelopes and Tahil warriors lie lifeless around us.
Their eyes and mouths open as they’re forced to die in this godforsaken place, and I can do nothing about it.
“Regent,” my voice cracks as the fallen demigod’s shrill cry goes up, and she’s ripped into pieces by Lainteen’s vortex.
I feel my markings shifting, my invisible chains calling to him, to the place where our magic fuses.
I only know to act on instinct and give in to the force that draws us together, if only to hope that I have enough strength to keep him alive.
Dahlia’s randor blade cuts through my soulless beast, and I wheeze from the force like being winded. My vision fades as my control drops, and the only magic I’m linked with is the grain of magic Regent has.
Then suddenly I know what I must do. Even if he hates me for it.
Always. From here or there.
I blanket him with my magic, pulling him in, my markings burning.
I embrace him with my love as the god chains drop and he disappears, a contract in place that goes beyond mates, a contract between master and beast. I feel him inside me, my markings burning as my heart fractures, aware of the collar I’ve forced Regent to bear.
But only momentarily because I doubt even I’ll make it out of this alive.
“Don’t you dare!” Dahlia screams as I grab onto Blaze and focus on the Ariagem. Dahlia’s soulless beast dives for me at the same time Lainteen’s magic comes for me.
The talisman between my breasts illuminates, vines exploding as it grows a great wall to protect us, and I implore the Ariagem to take what it needs from me, to ensure their safety. Anywhere but here, as the talisman imbued with Regent’s magic fights off their magic, splintering under their might.
“What did you—” I cut Blaze off as I reach for him, coming to eye level with the blood oozing out of his stomach. My other hand is pinned to my stomach holding the Ariagem, as I feel Regent thrash within me and I picture the way he would hold the Ariagem himself.
I think of the beach alongside the Boey Jungle I was first spat out on.
The Ariagem breaks my magic apart from the inside and we’re sucked in as my magic tears me apart, splintering me beyond my limits. I cling tightly to the others, Blaze physically and the beasts within me so they’re not hurt in the transfer until we’re spat out on the other side.
I stumble, my body vibrating as my magic buzzes like tiny sharp fangs, eating and devouring itself, draining from the demand of payment from the Ariagem. Blaze keels forward beside me, his face hitting the sand as the ocean washes back and forth on the outside of the Boey Jungle.
Two figures walk toward us, one taller than the other, but my vision hazes in and out as I quickly expel Grimace and Regent. I force them to materialize before payment due starts eating them alive as well.
“Help them,” I try to say, gurgling blood instead, realizing what I’ve just done. I contracted Regent to me as a beast. I enslaved him to me, and I know he’ll never forgive me for it.
Not that it would last long. Fire burns through my core, my skin cracks as the dark magic twists and turns within me, my chains pulling and expanding inside.
I can no longer feel my body. I panic, bindings constricting around me unnaturally as whispers begin to sound.
The two figures walking along the beach draw closer, and I can only focus on one of the greer’s lips moving, chanting. I try to raise my hand to defend the others but am unable.
Grimace jumps toward me, panicked, but he’s immediately thrown across the sand by my magic that refuses to let anything interfere with staking its claim. The oncoming greer’s chant echoes as if a balm to only soothe the edges of the scorching pain.
Esther, a voice speaks to me lovingly. I can’t see or hear who it is. But it’s familiar. Esther, you must fight, my beautiful daughter. Now is not your time.
My mind begins to split as I scream, feeling like I’m on fire, every pore and crevice opening for new lava to slither into. I buckle forward, trying to cling to my mother’s voice, starved for it.
Blaze’s hand reaches out for me in an attempt to drag himself across the sand.
I feel the tears spill over my cheeks as I try to mouth that I’m sorry.
Regent remains unmoving beside him as I attempt to cling to those I love.
Trying to calm and control my magic, but my invisible chains are gone, a living entity of their own, and I know with certainty there is no coming back from this.
I exceeded my limits and there are consequences.
You did good, my love. I feel Regent’s gentle kiss on my forehead, even though I can see his body unmoving in the sand. But now is not your time, not yet, Denva. I’ll get us somewhere safe.
I feel safe in his arms, but not in this world.
I am an omni greer and will be hunted for what I am.
There’s a bittersweetness in knowing that my magic will devour me before anyone can take it for themselves.
My body cracks, no longer able to hold onto the land of the living, and my eyes forcefully close.
The Ariagem absorbs magic, and I’ve demanded too much from it.
It’s why Regent was testing his own limitations with it.
I knew that there would be no coming back from this. But I would also never abandon them.
I’m immediately surrounded by dark as a presence looms, almost expectantly.
It would appear a blessed child of mine has arrived, a woman’s voice echoes. I need no introduction because I’ve heard her voice and influence many times before.
I turn to face Felia, and the first thing I notice is her unpleasant ruby-lipped smile.
Death is a female, and she is a bitch.