Page 83 of Ruined Kingdom

“Kneel before your King,” Kaine commanded, and for a moment, the Fae King trembled as if he was fighting against an invisible force pressing down on him, but then his knees slammed into the mud. “Whatever pit in hell you end up in, don’t even think about crawling out of it. Because I’ll be here until the end of days, ready to send you right back.” Kaine’s threat rumbled like a volcano in his chest.

His hands gripped either side of the Fae King’s head, and I winced at the horrible gnashing and cracking of bones and the ripping of flesh.

Kaine had snapped his neck and ripped the Fae King’s head from his body as though it was the easiest thing.

Black sludge splattered across the muddy ground, glistening in the moonlight.

Then Kaine kicked the headless body down to the ground and watched as it disintegrated into nothing.

Absolute and stunned silence followed, but soon, the air all around us was vibrating with all the screams and screeches from all the Dark Fae minions.

At first, I thought they were cries of anger or that they were mourning their king, but when I looked, I was surprised by what I saw. One by one, their bodies were combusting with black flames eating away at their bodies until there was nothing left.

Too soon, a heaviness came over my eyes.

I tried to stay awake long enough to see Kaine one last time, but I was too tired.

25

KAINE

Iturned, and the feeling of vindication and relief swept over me. For the first time in years, I was free from this monster.

But the victory I felt quickly disappeared as I saw Sophia fading before my eyes. “Fuck.”

I let out a sharp breath as I ran over to her.

Lexi was cowering over her, sobbing profusely. Sharra was shedding tears and staring down at her in shock.

The other woman, who I’d known was Sophia’s mother the moment I first saw her, by how much she looked like Sophia—who was also the Golden Deer, I gathered—was still holding her as Sophia’s blood soaked into her white gown.

“My baby… My baby,” she cried in between kissing her hair.

I fell to my knees beside her. “I did it, Soph… We’re finally free.”

My claws dug into the soft dirt as my breathing turned sharper and heavier. “Please, Sophia, hang on. I’m right here. We haven’t had any time…”

A beam of moonlight appeared in front of me, and I shot up defensively but relaxed the instant I saw that it was Helene in the flesh.

“My Goddess, please, save her,” I begged her as I lowered myself to my knees before her. “This wasn’t her cause to die for!”

Helene frowned as her crystal eyes shifted to Sophia. “Her human body is too weak. It can’t contain her soul any longer.”

“I can heal her… I just need more power.” Her mother could barely speak through her trembling voice.

The Fae Queen stepped forward. “I might be able to help with that.”

A light began to flicker within my chest as I watched all three women kneeling down around Sophia’s motionless form: the Goddess Helene, the Light Fae Queen, and Sophia’s mother.

As they locked their hands together, forming a circle, a warm light appeared in the middle above Sophia.

I shut my eyes and called out to her, Sophia… my love. I’m here. I need you to stay. Please… Stay with me…

I felt the heat from the light fading, the air becoming cold once more, and opened my eyes.

“Her body is healed now,” Helene said. “It’s her choice to come back to it… That is, if she can.”

I looked at Sophia in hope, but her skin was still too pale, almost gray.

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