Page 141 of Shattered Jewel

Wilder slams a boot into the High Sovereign’s chest, knocking him flat and keeping him there.

Axe comes to my side. His scarred face is filled with concern and relief. Sweating and breathing heavily from the battle, he pulls me into a tight embrace.

I wrap my arms around him, clutching him.

“Elara,” Axe murmurs against my hair. His voice is hesitant, filled with countless emotions.

There’s no victory cheer, no joyful hugs or laughter. But for once, it doesn’t matter.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see something?—

“Axe, duck!”

The Scourge Sovereign pounces on Axe with a vehement roar. Caught off guard, Axe arms go slack around me.

But before the Scourge can land a fatal blow, I throw myself in front of Axe and slam into the Scourge with all the force I can muster.

We both crash onto the marble floor. Electric pain shoots through my body, but I grit my teeth against it and push myself up.

The Scourge Sovereign rolls until he leaps to his feet and towers over me, his hulking form blocking out the soft light of the sconces. His mask is stripped away, revealing a face that’s more beast than man. He snarls, a distorted sound.

With a guttural bellow, Kaspian plows into the Scourge from the side, his body colliding with a force that’d break bones—maybe mine, maybe the Sovereign’s, I don’t know, because the world tilts sideways and my back slams into the cold marble floor.

Ignoring the pain radiating from my bruised body, I crawl towards the Scourge when Kaspian flings him off me and the Scourge lands on his back feet away.

Hatred shades the Scourge’s eyes with a darkness that mirrors the monstrous deeds he’s committed. But it isn’t victory that distorts his face, but disturbance—over losing his dominance, of losing control.

My fingers curl into tight fists as I swing one leg over and sit, straddling him. Sweat drips into my vision.

I raise my arm high above me, the ruby Heart glowing with the surrounding flames, casting a crimson hue on the Scourge’s despicable face.

I slam the ruby heart into his temple. Again and again, until his screams die down into whimpers.

“Elara!”

Kaspian’s voice filters into my hearing, filled with a shocking amount of alarm, especially for him.

But I don’t stop. Not until the Scourge Sovereign lies still beneath me, his eyes emptied.

I stand slowly, staggering a bit as waves of exhaustion wash over me. Axe rights me, pulling me into his arms just as my knees buckle.

“I’ve got you,” he murmurs into my ear, cradling me against his chest.

His damp, blood-soaked hair frames his face beautifully. I tell him so.

A smile doesn’t touch his lips, but Axe’s eyes soften, and he plants a bloody kiss on my forehead.

His hold on me tightens just as the silence around us breaks. Sasha rushes over, her face a mix of horror and relief. I can feel her trembling when she wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a crushing hug.

“Holy shit, El,” she murmurs against my shoulder.

“You’re an idiot for staying,” I whisper in return.

“You’re a moron for thinking I’d ever leave you to an evil cult,” she retorts.

Cav and Kaspian stride over to our little huddle, their faces unreadable as they surround us. Cav brushes my hair off my forehead, stroking with silent gratitude, while Wilder’s attention stays fixed on the fallen High Sovereign.

“What should we do with this asshole?”

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