Chapter Forty-Seven – Mira #2
Scarlett and I fought back-to-back, and what Scarlett lacked in swordsmanship, she made up for in cunning and magical prowess.
Warriors fell to her illusions and her death magic, until I could see Cassius once more.
Scarlett paused, reaching down to touch one of the Warriors she’d killed.
Topping up her magic, I realised, when I noticed the black veins darkening her skin.
A perfect match to the dark veins spiderwebbing across the skin of the undead clansmen.
A heartbeat later, we resumed cutting our way through Roran’s personal guard and onto the platform. We were so close that I could see the perspiration beading on General Hare’s forehead as he battled Cassius back, and the promise of murder in Roran’s eyes as he advanced on his younger brother.
And then it happened.
I watched Roran’s sword sing out – and connect with Cassius’s armour, the impact hurling him to the ground.
‘ Cassius! ’
I was too far away to help him. Too far to stop General Harte as he raised his lance and brought it thudding down, right through Cassius’s weakened armour.
He crumpled to the ground, only to be dragged to his feet by Roran, who tore aside the broken armour and placed his dagger directly over Cassius’s heart.
‘I’ll make this simple for you,’ Roran said, his hateful green eyes searing into mine. ‘Surrender, or I will kill Cassius. And believe me, it will not be easy to watch. I know exactly where to strike to draw out his suffering for as long as possible.’
‘Do that,’ I said coldly, crossing the platform, ‘and I will make sure Aurelius suffers as well. You will never see your child again. You won’t even have the chance to bury him.’
Roran only laughed. ‘Don’t bother with threats you can’t enforce. I know you won’t kill an innocent.’
‘What about me?’ Scarlett moved to stand at my side, her red hair billowing in the wind.
Brother and sister considered each other for a moment. The tension between them was so thick I could feel it crackle around me.
‘You,’ Roran said at last, ‘I can believe. But having an heir only matters if I live through this battle – and if I do, I can always sire another son. Kill Aurelius if you wish. Either way, I have no qualms about ending our brother.’ His jade eyes glittered in dark satisfaction as they shifted to me.
‘I think I would rather enjoy it, actually. Carving Cassius up slowly and watching you try to be strong for him. I’ll tell you a secret, Kasmira: loved ones always break in the end.
They can’t stand to watch someone they care about in pain. ’
‘You underestimate my importance to her,’ Cassius said tightly. ‘I’ve never been her first choice.’
Something in my chest cracked open at his words – at the rawness of them. Months earlier, he never would have allowed any trace of vulnerability to show.
Roran looked truly amused. ‘Oh, I think Kasmira cares more than she lets on.’ He sliced his dagger slowly down Cassius’s chest. A groan left his lips as blood bubbled from the wound, but I almost didn’t hear it, my scream was so loud.
Aric grabbed me from behind, stopping me before I could run to Cassius. ‘Don’t,’ he murmured in my ear. ‘It’s what he wants.’
Roran looked at me with open satisfaction. And Cassius . . . I thought he saw how much I cared about him then. That he realised I would hand Aurelius over if it gave him even the slimmest chance of survival.
‘You’re a monster,’ I told Roran.
Roran clucked his tongue. ‘How unoriginal.’
He slammed his elbow into Cassius’s face. This time it wasn’t just blood that spurted from his nose and dripped from his mouth. He spat a tooth onto the platform.
‘Is that all you’ve got?’ The Cassius that looked up at Roran was the prince from the Ravalian Court. The one who had worn nonchalance like a mask and wielded disdain like a shield. ‘Our father hit me harder than that.’
‘A glutton for punishment, aren’t you?’ Roran’s dagger bit into Cassius’s side. No, no, no.
Blood everywhere. So. Much. Blood.
My eyes found Cassius’s. What are you doing? Why are you baiting him?
‘I love you, Mira,’ Cassius said, his eyes steady on mine.
I realised what he was about to do a second before he did it.
‘No!’ I shouted. ‘ Don’t! ’
But not even Roran was fast enough to stop Cassius as he grabbed the dagger and sank it deep into his stomach. Sacrificing himself so that I could act against Roran–
Yet even as I knew that . . . all I could see was Cassius’s head thudding back against the ground as he went still. Utterly still.
I was so attuned to his heartbeat that I felt it weaken. Slower . . . slower . . .
The crevasses around us widened, the ground shaking with the force of my anger. Cracks spiderwebbed towards the platform.
Towards Roran .
‘Stop it, Mira!’ Scarlett hissed, taking hold of my shoulders. ‘If those crevasses get much wider, you’ll kill us all. You need to–’
I didn’t listen to whatever she was going to say. ‘Stay with Cassius. Do what you can for him.’
And then I was moving – sprinting after Aric, who was already spearing towards Roran.
But I couldn’t let Aric get to him first.
Roran was mine .