Page 183 of Death of a Mortal

Malvina just sat on her throne, watching it all unfold. She looked…entertained. Non-bothered.

I had to keep my focus on the battle in front of me—Caedryn in his Pyrrath form. I drew my sword from its sheath at my waist and took a steadying breath before spinning out from behind Drayce’s water shield to slice through Caedryn’s fiery belly. He let out a wall-rattling roar. It had been effective, sending him stumbling back, but it wasn’t a death blow.

Varyn was back on his feet, limping slightly on a singed paw, but bounding toward me.

“You,” I snarled at him as Drayce’s water doused and dampened Caedryn’s flames.

I swore the white wolf raised a lip at me in a taunting smile.

“Fight me like a man, you coward!” Both an insult and a challenge. I’d take his head whether it was a wolf’s or a male’s—I didn’t care which.

He stayed in his vey form as he leapt for me. I slid under his outstretched paws and sliced up with my sword. Only the tip of my blade made contact, slicing mostly through fur but still drawing blood.

He landed behind me and slid across the marble floor, where Bramick slammed him in the side with a boulder. I turned my attention back to Caedryn, and what I saw made my heart stop as time seemed to freeze.

Caedryn had Drayce on his knees, a rope of fire wrapped around his chest, binding his arms to his sides. Drayce doused them both inwater, but the fiery cord remained, burning through his clothing and searing his skin.

His look of pain and strenuous effort gripped my heart.

All thoughts but those of him vanished. I sheathed my sword, slipped my shadow-dampening ring off and into my pocket, and unsheathed my fire daggers.

I called to the shadows.

I would protect my own, even if I had to lose myself to do it. I wouldn’t fail now where I’d failed Nella.

The effect was immediate. Most of the room stopped fighting to watch as I transformed into my shadow vey and my world turned as dark as my shadowed skin. Bernitha used the opportunity to drive her sword through the heart of the court fae she’d been engaged with, and thank the gods, Caedryn released Drayce to pursue me. Drayce took heaving breaths as he turned to me and gave a nod.

I felt the angry calm take over. All other emotions were gone, making my head clearer. And more vengeful.

This is your moment, angry-Naci. Help me finish this…

My shadows shot out at everyone still alive who opposed us, grabbing all but Caedryn and Malvina. My shadows couldn’t touch Caedryn, couldn’t find the mage disappearing and reappearing all over the ceiling, and wouldn’t touch Malvina, which was mildly irritating, but I’d figure that out later.

I engaged the fire magic in my daggers, and the room collectively gasped when the flames that licked across the blades turned black.

“Gods… The black flame,” I heard Bramick say in complete awe from somewhere beside me.

I guessed this was the combination of fire and shadow thatNox Incineramhad warned about. The continent-ending kind.

Perfect.

“Stop, Caedryn, or I’ll kill every one of your people in here one by one.” My demon voice was back, and I was beginning to like it.

Without breaking my stare-off with the king, I threw one of my daggers, spinning blade over handle, towardthe mage, visible momentarily high in the air, where it lodged briefly in her stomach before she disintegrated into wisps of shadow and disappeared completely. Like she’d never even been there.

My blade, too, disintegrated and reformed in my hand.

What an interesting effect my black fire had…

Caedryn looked around to my tendrils still holding Zareth and Varyn, the only two alive on his side other than himself and Malvina.

“Your beloved son and only heir is next,” I said, almost bored. Despite Varyn changing back to his fae form, he had his clothes on. I’d have to learn how to do that.

“What are you?” Ironically, Caedryn’s demon voice sounded a lot like mine.

“A shadow wraith, here to end you and your reign. You have five seconds to surrender before Varyn dies.” I’d still kill Varyn if the king surrendered. I just wanted to hear it—hear Caedryn beg, hear him give up.

Then Caedryn could die.