44. Stellen
Chapter Forty-Four
Stellen
Thyra’s heart is pounding so hard, the beats could break me.
“I’m killing you,” she says, her faded blue eyes swimming with fear.
She turns her forearm out, fully exposing the Dragonstone Blade, the ivory wrapping, and the dark runes. “The blood bind is draining your power. And giving it to me.”
My heart has frozen. What she said makes terrible sense.
My hearing has failed me, coming in and out.
My frost has failed me, weak when I needed my ice to be strong.
Weaker with every passing day. Not so much as to be immediately noticeable and even when I did notice it, I could rationalize it for some other reason.
The conversation Lilis tried to have with me is suddenly stark in my memory. She said Thyra was advancing faster than should be possible to the point of turning what should be exhaustion into energy. She warned me Thyra has the potential to become extremely efficient at killing anyone.
Lilis feared she was training the next False Queen.
“I’m the reason your strength is failing.” Thyra’s shoulders slump and her eyes become dull.
Moments ago, she was full of life and determination. Now, heartbreaking resignation floods her voice. “There are no guarantees Maxim can remove the bind. At some point, you’ll have to make a rational choice—”
She flinches as I jolt toward her, but I can’t stop moving forward. A wash of emotions overwhelm me, feelings she gave back to me that override logic and strategy.
Pain, fear, anger, desperation…
Reaching deep into the final reserves of my power, I call on my strongest frost as I surge toward her.