Chapter 24 Aethra
Aethra
Crumbling rock tumbled from the ceiling, faltering as its support pillar collapsed. The silence of the Empty had turned its center to dust.
Aeacus dropped me. His head snapped up as a brick plunged from above, narrowly missing his head. Scrambling away from him, I managed to take two steps before the lion was upon me. Its paws slammed into my back, throwing me to the floor.
Yelping, I grabbed my head, shielding it from cracking against the stone floor. Crawling backward, I raised my hand to cast another spell as Aeacus stalked toward me, blade raised.
The glass window behind me shattered, sending shards flying across the room. A streak of red wings rushed over me as Seth crashed into Aeacus and knocked him to the ground. Catching his balance, Aeacus rolled, raising his blade in time to block Seth’s swing.
The clash of steel rang across the room, piercing my ears like a warning.
Breaking away, Seth stepped back, scarlet wings spread to their full length. Aeacus wiped a bead of blood from his mouth. “All these years, and now you choose to slink in her shadow.”
“Say a prayer to Father,” Seth snarled. “You’re going to die today.”
They crashed against one another, blades interlocking. The lion flew from my side, lunging toward Seth’s flank. Raising my hand, I did what little I could to help him.
Silence swept over the room, and the cold wind blowing in from the broken window ceased. A rain of blood showered over us as the lion disintegrated, and a gouge cut through the floor where it had been standing.
Aeacus glanced over, noticing what I’d done. Seth swung for Aeacus’ side in his moment of hesitation. The scarlet sword scraped the commander’s breastplate before his guard reformed, and they resumed their dance.
I’d never seen men fight to the death like this. Furiosity drove their movements, as they sought an opening in their foe’s defense. One advanced while the other retreated before the advantage would shift, and they’d trade places.
Frozen terror gripped my heart as I watched Seth clash with a man who was every bit his equal.
Back-stepping, Aeacus slit his blade across his wrist. Blood rushed from the gash, reforming into the lion, mid-pounce. It crashed into Seth, throwing him to the ground.
Rolling, Seth raked his blade through its midsection, severing it in two. He escaped its grasp before it managed to reform. Pointing his spear toward Aeacus, he folded his wings like a protective shield as the lion stitched itself together.
His emotions filled the room, my every thought. I exhaled with burning fury, my heart pounded in fear. I wanted this man dead. I wanted him to suffer, to rot, to be caged in a prison and beaten daily until he begged for death.
Pain flared in my lungs. Seth’s pain.
I sensed something different within him. No longer did he feel regret, a longing to undo his past mistakes. Grim acceptance steadied his hand as he faced down his long-awaited vengeance.
My magic stirred beneath the onslaught of emotions. A different kind of hope bloomed within me, one I’d never felt before.
It was a hope that burned with hate.
A tiny bead of darkness appeared in the lion’s core. The same as had appeared in Red Bluff Outpost, moments before the Empty had opened up and swallowed the village whole.
Dread clutched my heart, but I could not undo what had begun.
The Empty exploded outward, rising toward the ceiling and tearing through the floor. The lion disappeared in the clutches of the abyss, falling like bloody rain into the still water below. Its borders extended until it reached me, and stopped.
Scrambling back on palms slicked with sweat, I slammed into the statue of Haimyx, head thudding against the stone.
Gods. Had I just killed them all?
Steel rang to my left as Aeacus slid toward me.
“Divine’s breath,” he breathed, in both awe and fear.
I stared at my palm in horror. Had my psyche powers caused such a violent response?
Phaedrus was right. I could cause the Empty to spread. I had the power to destroy this world.
Pain ripped through me, like my skin was unraveling from my bones, like my joints had disconnected. My skin flickered and faded. Losing balance, I fell forward onto my hands—hands that no longer felt like they had the strength to hold me up.
Whispers scratched at my ears. Women’s voices—coming from the void.
Lifting my eyes, I stared into the darkness, straining to hear them.
“The end . . .” “Set . . .” “protect . . .”
I blinked, listening.
“Final maiden . . .” “End has come . . .” “Take our pain . . .”
Were these the voices Cerys heard? Who did they come from? I had a terrible feeling I already knew the answer.
“Save my . . . Set.”
I thought I’d misheard it at first, but there could be no mistake. Someone had called to me, begging me to save Set.
Cold ice clutched my heart. Had I killed Seth? Had the Empty simply swept him away?
Dread reached up from the ground, clasping me in its clutches. Falling backward, I let it consume me.
Flowers burst from the ground, their petals scattering through the air. A beautiful, soft shade of blue, marred by specks of red blood.