Page 143 of Haunted

Ahnalyn releases a massive fireball at me but falls to her knees from the effort. She struggles to rise to her feet.

“Ahnalyn!” Seren lunges in front of her rider, creating a shield with her scaly body.

I deflect the fire with a wave of my hand. “Useless. You lack the light to counter my darkness. You’re using the wrong feelings to fuel your light. Anger cannot increase your light. It feeds the darkness! Allow me to demonstrate.” I jerk Ahnalyn’s father toward myself with a flick of my wrist.

Ahnalyn looks up, as pathetic as a half-drowned kitten. With her attention riveted on me, I slip a blade silently from its sheath and plunge the cold metal into Owein’s gut.

He gasps and slumps into a dejected heap.

“No!” Ahnalyn vaults over Seren’s protective tail to reach her father.

I cast a binding force to immobilize her and her dragon.

They twitch, and Seren huffs smoke, but my grip is secure.

“Relax. He won’t be dying anytime soon,” I say. “This type of injury can take days to kill a man, but not until after he’s burning with fever and writhing in agonizing pain.” I pause for effect. “Can you feel the hatred? You want to strike me down and kill me. Why don’t you?”

“No.” Ahnalyn hangs her head and moans.

“A little encouragement.” I dive into Seren’s mind and flood the receptors in her head with pain. She flops over and thrashes. “I miss the connection of having my own dragon stone. See what it can do!”

Somewhere in the back of my mind I know I’m taking things too far. Hurting dragons. Hurting those who are innocent.

For a moment, I blame the empress.

Even centuries later, she still affects me.

Thoughts of her stiffen my body. Bulges my eyes.

Feeds my resolution.

“Leave her alone!” Ahnalyn screams. Vexation swells the dark power within her, giving her strength to break my hold. Her arms tremble from dark energy surging through them.

She turns her hands toward the ground and releases the vile power into it. Earth and rock shake, breaking apart and rising into the air. With a shriek, Ahnalyn casts them at me.

I blast each mass apart. “More—MORE! Strike me down and crush me as you crushed your mother! You hit her with such force every single one of her ribs broke.”

“No! It wasn’t my fault. It was an accident!” Ahnalyn shapes more dirt and stone together and pitches them at me.

Fury gives her strength, intensifying her attack.

“Oh, yes, an accident,” I snarl. “Who do you think possessed that creature and killed your mother?”

“Why? What did we ever do to you? Why didn’t you leave us alone?” Ahnalyn pulls her hands apart, forming a fireball between them. She flings it, but I block the attack. Ahnalyn growls.

Time to teach her how the dark energy works. I float a boulder into the air and heave it at Ahnalyn, following it with another and another.

To her credit, she blocks each shot with a wall of energy. Yes. Use the dark power, the evil power instead of light. Fear spreads through her as she counters each obstacle. She becomes more mine by the second. More powerful with each release.

A rock slams into her, knocking her backward off her feet. She falters and collapses, suddenly unsure, panting, with tears running down her cheeks. She’s furious with herself.

She hesitates. I egg her further. “Destroying her was the best way to plant the seeds of darkness in your heart. I wanted you. You think I came to conquer Terrin—that was merely a bonus. I wanted to unite our powers. Together we are stronger!”

Her body shakes as she rolls onto her side. She wants to give in.

I want her to try to kill me.

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