Page 207 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

I looked down at Neverra. She was crumpled on the ground, but she was breathing. I didn’t know what he had said, but I suspected it was some type of kill code. My palm opened, and I summoned a small portal beneath her. I only had enough power to send her to the edge of the forest, but she would be safe there from Dianna’s Plan B. Her body bent as it fell, and I watched until she lay unconscious upon the grass until I closed it. I’d get her as soon as I was done here.

I heard boots rush past and strode out of the tent. Chaos reigned in the once-organized camp. Soldiers bolted from their tents, others stopping mid-stride to stare in shock.

The ground shook and quaked as Dianna’s massive form lunged toward the sky, blocking out the sun. Powerful black wings unfurled from her back, the remains of the tent falling from her spikes.

“Ig’Morruthen!”

The shout rang out, and then the world erupted in flames.

EIGHTY-FOUR

SAMKIEL

I jumped over a high wall of flame, rolling to my feet on the other side. Dianna roared with every pass above me, thick dark smoke blocking out the sun and making it hard to breathe. Massive wings flapped through the air, screams turning to dust wherever she passed. On the plus side, I was not sure what had changed, but her fire no longer burned me. However, the heat alone made me sweat. I cleared a path through the guards, who ran in retreat. Others tried to gather a defense, but they had no weapons that would be effective against her. All the Ig’Morruthens left in this world were on Nismera’s side.

I surged through the smoke, throwing two blades. They connected, sinking deep into the skulls of a couple of guards. Their bodies dropped, creating a cloud of dust as they hit the ground in a heap.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Dianna growled in my head.

“Oh, I apologize. I must not be able to see through thick clouds of smoke.” I stopped, squinting to see if I could even make out the guard tower from here.

“Over here.”

My head whipped to the right, and I saw the orange and gold flames pour from the sky. I turned and ran toward them, her tail swishing through the clouds, making them roil. I needed to get Veruka and Orym and get out of here. All it would take was for word to get back to Nismera, and she would rip a portal to get here. I wasn’t ready for her, not yet.

Illian had run the moment he saw her, heading for the ryphors, but Dianna had killed his beast before he could get to it.

I ran faster, dodging guards and burning tents, working my way toward the tower. Somehow, over the noise of the chaos, I heard the scuff of a boot against the ground. I grunted as I was tackled from the side, my back breaking the wooden bench we fell against. I groaned and opened my eyes, rolling out from under the sword aimed at my head. Neverra. She must have woken up and ran the entire way here to end me. Yeah, it was definitely a kill code.

I hopped to my feet, summoning a blade as Neverra came at me, aiming for my throat. I blocked, and steel crashed against steel, the vibration echoing down my arm. Her eyes were pure cerulean flame as she pressed harder. I pushed off her, and she twirled her blade above her head. I blocked the attacks she threw, letting her push me back. The last thing I wanted was to hurt her, and killing her was out of the question. I felt Dianna whisper through my mind, but I was too focused on Neverra to pay attention.

“Neverra,” I said as she slammed her blade against mine once more. “I know you’re in there.”

I pushed back, and she sailed through the air, landing in a squat. Her face held no emotion. There was no sweat on her skin. She was a perfect weapon.

“I already have Logan,” I said. “It’s time for you to come home, too.”

She stood slowly and raised the sword between us but stopped at my words. Gods, my heart faltered. If she could be reached, they all could. Hope burst in my chest. They could all be saved.

She shifted the sword, gripping the hilt and the end of the blade before slamming it across her knee. With a snap, the one blade became two. She tossed one piece at me. I leaned back, hitting it away, but it was already too late. Neverra was my quickest, my strongest, and my cleverest. She wasted no time in taking advantage of my distraction. She was behind me in a blink, the other half of the sword coming toward my throat. There was a clap as Dianna’s hand grabbed Neverra’s wrist, stopping the blade’s descent.

“Hey, Nev,” Dianna said. “Long time no see.”

Neverra didn’t hesitate to drop the blade and twist free, delivering a spinning kick that pushed Dianna into me, sending us crashing into the side of a nearby tent.

My arm wrapped across Dianna’s middle as she landed on top of me, my body breaking her fall.

Her hand covered mine where it rested on her abdomen. “Fuck. She’s stronger.”

“No,” I said, rolling to my feet and lifting Dianna with me. “Neverra has always been humble and sweet, but she, by far, is my strongest celestial.”

“Oh. Great.”

Neverra reached down and grabbed the broken blade, ready to complete her mission.

I reached out and gripped Dianna’s shoulder. She glanced at me but was obviously reluctant to take her eyes off Neverra. “I need you to go take care of Illian.”

“No,” she said, “I’m not leaving you here.”

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