Page 135 of Kingdom of Crowns and Daggers

“Then kill me, little sister. If you can do it, then do it. It’s the only way I will stop. If you truly hate me that much, kill me.”

He’s gambling on my love for him.

Doesn’t he realise he carved that from my heart with one strike of his blade?

I see it in his eyes, the confidence that I will not be able to do it and he will win once more—right up until I push the sharp edge into his chest. I cut through his skin and slowly press it deeper.

He glances down at it then up at me, disbelief in his eyes. I do not look away, not even as I push it deeper, knowing the agony all too well.

As I split his heart, I split my own, and I know this is a wound I will never heal from, but I do it.

I spill my brother’s blood to protect the ones I love. I break my heart and soul to keep them safe.

Despite my bravado, it hurts as I plunge that dagger into his chest, like slicing open my own wound. I stare into my brother’s eyes, a man I loved, as I bury it to the hilt. Tears blur my vision and fall down my cheeks as I stand above him, my hand wrapped around the hilt still plunged into his chest.

His eyes widen, his lips parting on a gasp of agony as blood bubbles there. “Alyx, I’m sorry.” He lifts his hand and brushes away my tears softly, like he used to when I was a child.

“I know,” I murmur. The words are choked from me as my tears fall for everything we have lost, for the innocence that was stolen from us both, and for the fire that changed us. I cry for everything that could have been and what will never be as he starts to die.

Power corrupts, but it doesn’t mean he didn’t love me, even if it wasn’t enough in the end.

“I always loved you,” I whisper as I stare into his rapidly blinking eyes, his blood pumping over my hands, staining us both.

We both should have died that night in the fire, yet as the light starts to dim in his eyes, I know I survived for a reason, even if it hurts.

Pressing my forehead to his, I stare into those familiar eyes. “I’m with you,” I murmur. “I love you, brother.”

“I love you,” he chokes out, his voice thick as his body jerks and the light dies in his eyes, his body going limp.

He’s dead.

My eyes close for a moment, my throat thick as I swallow around my agony. “Goodbye,” I whisper just for him. Sniffing back my agony, I pull away, and with bloodied fingers, I slide his eyelids shut before I stumble back, hitting the desk.

I feel movement at my side, but I do not look away from my brother. I can’t.

“Alyx.” My name is a whisper.

“It’s done, it’s over.” My voice sounds strange, even to me, and when I turn my head, I see three worried faces. “He’s dead. I killed him.” I hiccup over the words. “It’s done.”

“Shh.” Crux wraps his arms around me, and I stiffen, fighting back the agony wanting to splinter me. I cannot fall apart.

“Leave us,” Orion orders, and there is shuffling and the sound of a door shutting, and then he holds my side. “It’s just us. They are gone.”

“You can break, my love,” Joha promises as he presses his head to mine in an echo of what I did to my brother. “We have you. We have you.”

I break, sobbing into their arms for everything I have been forced to do and everything I have endured.

I grieve the loss of my family, my innocence, and my soul.

They hold me through it, putting my pieces back together again, being strong when I can’t.

My eyes find my brother over their embrace, and I know the price I paid was steep, but if it lets me keep them, then it was worth it.

Everything was worth it.

Chapter

Seventy-Two

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