Page 131 of An Empress of Air & Chaos

What Taymir had just done was a declaration of war. This was never going to end in peace.

The demon bolted Cally upright with one clawed hand and the other grabbed her by the neck.

Before Emara knew it, she was running, the spear still in her hand. Strong hands formed around her waist and dragged her into a solid torso, but she didn’t care who it was. She battered her elbows behind her to try and get them to release her.

“Cally! No, no, no,” she cried as she struggled against whoever held her. “Get off!”

“Your choice, Emara,” Taymir’s said. “You either choose to come with me, or I get my demon to rip his claw straight through her heart.”

An incoherent cry escaped her mouth.

“Listen to me, Emara, we can kill him. We can take him out. He’s messing with power that he doesn’t understand,” a voice sounded from behind her, but she couldn’t think straight or see.

It was Cally.

Cally’s life or hers.

“I will come with you!” she roared at Taymir. “I can’t let any more people die. That’s enough!” she sobbed. “Let Cally go. Let her go and I will walk with you out of this place freely. No one else has to die.”

“Tell your guard dogs to stand down, to allow you to come without a fight, and I will let her go.”

“Please let go of me,” She wriggled free from the strong grip, like the person behind her was in shock.

“Emara, no,” Cally choked. “It’s okay. Let me go.” Cally tried to appear strong, but her beautiful eyes were filled with emotion and fear. Cally would sacrifice herself for Emara and she knew it. “I know who you are,” Cally breathed. “I know what you are. I love you.”

“I am sorry,” Emara cried out. “I am so sorry for dragging you into this!”

Tears blinded her eyes. She couldn’t waste any more time, not when it came down to Cally’s life. “Thank you for everything.” She looked at Gideon and then Torin, her lips pushed into a straight line. “But you must let me walk out of here. There is no other option.”

They stood together like two brutes with the strangest expressions etched into their faces.

She really was grateful for everything that they had done for her, but she was never going to let Callyn Greymore die. She was never going to allow her to be harmed. There was no question.

She would die before she let that happen.

Emara walked over to Taymir; the smile that crossed his face was sickening.

He had won!

Emara closed her eyes and took a breath. He held out his hand and she slowly placed hers in his. His grip tightened around her fingers and she winced in pain as he tugged sharply, crushing her bones.

“Kill her,” he ordered the demon.

The demon lifted a clawed hand and plunged his talons right into the centre of Cally’s chest.

The sound that ripped from Emara Clearwater’s throat smashed the remaining intact windows of the manor. It could have been heard anywhere in the entire Kingdom.

The demon dropped Cally’s lifeless body onto the ground like trash and let her heart roll out of his claw.

“Callyn!” she screeched. “Callyn!”

She thrashed against Taymir’s grip, breaking free in time to feel a surge of power burning down her arm. Taymir reached out to grab Emara again, but instead she turned and stabbed the spear right through his abdomen.

She rammed it in again.

Shocked, he stumbled back. His eyes were wide as he looked from her to the golden spear that now pierced through his torso. A gust of wind picked up and swirled around Emara, her hair wild in the magical current. Another scream breached from her throat as she turned and walked towards Callyn, whose body lay lifeless on the ground.

“You won’t escape what’s coming.”

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