Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
EIRA
Eira gaped at the sight of Myra and Amelia standing hand in hand at the opening of the rift. They’d sent Finley away. Why did they send Finley away? Now? No amount of tapping her fingers would ease the anxiety that filled her. There had to be something she could do.
“Get them!” Amelia shrieked. She pushed herself up and extended her arms out to the spirits swarming around the mountain. They charged towards Eira and Cadeyrn like a giant black storm cloud.
Eira raised her arms and created a wall of ice to protect them. But at the rift, Stula and Myra’s chanting grew louder and the world began to shake.
“Everyone get low!” Cadeyrn yelled. He wrapped an arm around Eira and pushed her to the ground with his body covering hers, and the others followed suit.
She covered her head as the wind whipped around them and tried to stay in place even though the ground shook beneath them. The spirits turned and swirled around the mountain and with a loud scream changed their direction towards Myra and Stula.
The goddess let go of Myra’s hand as Myra held her pendant in front of her. Its purple glow filled the mountain and the spirits then charged toward her.
Then Stula stepped into the rift, followed by a line of spirits, and it closed.
The world stopped moving as though the mountain itself was in shock at the turn of events. Cadeyrn stood first then helped Eira to her feet too. The rift was closed, and now all they needed to do was…
Amelia screamed again, the echo bouncing off the mountain walls. “How dare you! My mother?—”
“Your mother was a conniving manipulative controlling bitch, and you should be thanking me,” Someone yelled.
Everyone looked up to the sky where the voice came from to find Finley flying through the air with Ai on her back.
They floated to the ground and Ai slid off her back.
She retook her human form save for the purple streaks in her hair.
Waves of relief swept through Eira. They were actually going to do this.
Finley stormed toward Amelia to face off with her, followed by Myra, Rose, and Ai.
Three queens in their own right with their loyal friend ready to defeat her.
A faint pink glow formed around them. Ai was muttering something under breath and had her hands to her sides.
She was forming a protective field of love around them.
The bow and arrows strapped to Eira’s back hummed and pulsed, and she could see the faint glow of the dagger held by Finley. But where was the sword? She didn’t see it with Amelia.
Eira scanned the space frantically and saw it discarded to the side. In all the chaos, Amelia didn’t even realize she’d dropped the final weapon. She nudged Cadeyrn and gave a subtle gesture toward the sword.
Cadeyrn barely nodded his acknowledgement that he saw it too. Eira knew what she had to do, even though her stomach knotted and her heart pounded at the thought. She’d never been a warrior. Not like Rose. But she had to. For her kingdom.
Eira took the bow and notched an arrow into place.
Amelia was still yelling. “You little spoiled brat. You always have been a traitor to this family and our people. Sorceresses can take back this world! You will pay?—”
Eira let out a deep breath as the arrow flew through the air and into Amelia’s shoulder, interrupting her hateful and ignorant words.
Amelia gasped, stumbled forward, and touched her shoulder.
Dark black and blue shadows seeped out of the wound, and she grew as pale as a ghost. Ai took steps back, her protective orb expanding as she moved to keep around her friends.
Then, Finley took her dagger and shoved it into the other shoulder.
Amelia cried out in pain as more shadows poured from her body.
Clouds of mist hovered over the sorceress as her magic slowly evaporated from her being.
Outside, the cries and trembles of disintegrating undead echoed around them.
Cadeyrn seized his chance and grabbed the sword then slid it toward Rose. With a gleeful smile she caught it and slashed Amelia’s leg just as they’d discussed.
Amelia screamed again and collapsed to the ground. “You… you will pay…”
But she could barely get the words out as the four women gathered around her and the book Myra held open.
With her free hand, Myra held her necklace outstretched before them and they all began to read the strange words.
They’d been practicing the pronunciations and phrasing, and Eira hoped it was correct.
They must have been, because the shadows grew larger and stronger.
The glitter and glow of Amelia’s powers mingling amongst them.
Most went into Myra’s necklace, but blue streams also flowed into Finley, stolen water magic being returned to its owner.
It kept going until they were no more, and the former queen and sorceress was nothing but a thin and frail woman lying on the ground.
She shook and trembled as tears ran down her face and the wave tattoo on her ankle vanished along with the remainder of her magic. Injured and without power, she was no longer a threat.
Eira stood with her allies, friends, and even sisters she saw them as now. “We will tend to your wounds then take you to Farren City for trial on account of your mistreatment of the kingdom, the needless raids, murder of the king, and treason. Take her away.”
The temptation to take judgment into their own hands was great, but Eira had been firm when the four of them had formed their final plans.
She would not start her rule of the kingdom on the foundation of hate and violence. Mercy and justice would prevail even for the likes of someone like Amelia.
Alvis and Cadeyrn clasped Amelia’s wrists together with iron chains. “You cannot do this! I’m the mother of the heir to the throne!” She screeched.
“A thorough investigation as to the parentage of Xaneth will be conducted by the most powerful followers of Gallis and Yla. Regardless of their heritage, your son and daughter will have the finest care in the realm,” Eira said, the last part being a promise.
Amelia’s children were innocent and deserved all they could offer just like any other children.
Whether it was by blood or not, in an odd way they were still part of Eira and Rose’s family.
Aytigin swooped in and took Amelia into his large claws then soared off to take her to a group of Gallis’ restorers, which was guarded by the soldiers Cadeyrn had been training. She wouldn’t bother them anymore.
Eira sighed and looked around at the people who stood at her side and Luana’s Castle. There was still so much to be done. Even so, the reign of Amelia was over.