Page 154 of Lady of Starfire

“It will not be enough to end me, Scarlett,” he bellowed at her.

He was right. His draining magic would not let her end him. Not yet. She knew that from training with Cethin. When she came for Alaric, everything would be in place.

But this day had been about the lock.

It had been about Briar.

It had been about destroying these godsdamn cliffs forever.

She dropped to her knees, and with everything she was, she slammed her hands to the rock, sending every bit of her starfire into the depths. Into the pristine halls and forgotten passages. Into the rooms of nightmares and horrors. Into the places that had haunted Rayner and Kailia and so many others. Into the hell that had stolen so much innocence and life.

Into the walls that Rayner and Kailia had already weakened with their ashes, decaying so much inside, that when her starfire collided with it, it gave out completely. The cliffs swayed beneath her, a groaning sounding from deep within.

“You foolish girl,” Alaric snapped, reaching to grab her arm. But the minute he touched her skin, her shadows bit into flesh, and he jerked back with a bellow.

She only smiled as she sent one last blast of starfire into the belly of the cliffs. The last of her magic.

Then the world tilted.

She was thrown into the sky as the rock and stone exploded, dust and debris filling the air. The cliffs crumbled, the sound deafening, but they’d done it. She’d promised Rayner and Kailia they would destroy this place when they left today, and they had. They’d gotten Briar out, sent him to Ashtine. The lock would get to Cethin.

It was enough.

She’d given enough.

The raining rock slammed into her arms, legs, torso. Jagged stone tore through her witchsuit, sliced her flesh, and she fell.

She fell and fell to the sea below and the rocks within. She had nothing left. The Water Prince was not here to save her. She would not be able to breathe beneath the waves. The impact into the water alone would likely kill her.

She was not panicked or remorseful like she thought one would be moments before crossing the Veil. They’d gotten out. They’d all gotten out. Sorin lived. She could feel him down the bond. He would make sure they’d find a way to save this realm.

She’d given enough.

Those were her thoughts when a large rock slammed into her temple. Her vision went black as she tumbled down and down.

No, Scarlett. Not like this.

She blinked, trying to keep conscious. The world was blurry as it raced past.

The world was on fire.

She blinked again. No, it wasn’t on fire.

But the dragon coming for her was.

Claws of flames wrapped around her torso, hauling her back up. Her stomach lurched at the sudden change in direction.

Scarlett. Reach, Love.

She blinked her eyes open again. She wasn’t sure when she’d closed them.

Sorin was hanging off the side of his fire dragon, hand outstretched, fingers reaching.

You…you came…

Always, Love. Reach.

But she couldn’t. She had nothing left to give.

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