“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Which part?” Aoife asked. “The daughter part or…?”
“Don’t be flippant with me,” her mother shouted.
Aoife ignored her. “I know that you’re trying to take over the dark magic of hell and I know that you’ll be granted this if you help Prince Ivar kill King Tiene. Except, that’s what I was for. I was supposed to do that dirty work and by having me in Prince Ivar’s brothel, you were also securing your spot in his new kingdom.”
Her mother stood there, staring at her, her mouth working, but nothing coming out. Aoife could feel the magic flowing through her mother and collecting. She had never been stronger than her mother. There was never a moment she felt like she could overtake her mother, until now.
The power surged through her body. It rippled through her like an electric wave and the urge to keen was taking over her senses as she rose higher above her mother, above the Order.Her hands were glowing and when she met her mother’s gaze, she could see fear in her mother’s eyes.
She knew her mother couldn’t back down and neither could she.
“You will not disobey me. This is the best thing for both of us.”
Aoife snorted in derision. “It is the best thing for you. Not for me.”
“For us. You will marry Prince Ivar and fulfill your task by murdering King Tiene,” her mother screamed. “There is no turning back.”
The wail built up inside the pit of her stomach, wanting to erupt out of her. And then she saw the black fog gathering on the ground. Creeping like scraggly fingers through the forest floor. It began to collect near her mother, swirling and writhing, igniting with red flames of hellfire. Screams and painful lamentations began to fill the air.
She quickly glanced back at Adam and motioned for him to step back. He nodded, but she could tell that he was scared for her, as the portal to hell opened under her.
There were a few scattered cries of Order members and her mother looked so shocked as she stepped back from the glowing edge.
Fire raced through Aoife’s veins and she had no choice as the power overtook her. She arched her back letting out her first harrowing keen. The screech calling for her mother’s death. Grief overtook her, because as much as her mother and she didn’t have the best relationship ever, they were still family. This was still the woman who gave her life. Aoife didn’t want to call for family, but it could not be contained and she continued her cry of death.
“Someone has pissed off, Great Granddaddy,” Cillian drawled, perched on a nearby branch as he stared down at her mother.
Aoife could not answer as the death cry overtook her senses.
“No!” her mother screamed, clutching at her throat, knowing exactly what that meant.
The black smoke began to form a shape as Aoife’s howl died in her throat, until Death stood there in his skeleton mask. His muscular body made of smoke and brimstone. His eyes were lit with coals as he raised his scythe at her mother.
Her mother fell to her knees and Aoife levitated above the pit to hell, watching helpless as Death approached her mother.
“You will not,” Death hissed, in a thunderous voice. “Hell magic is not for you. Or Ivar.”
“I wasn’t…I just…”
“YOU. WILL. NOT!” Death shouted. His scythe hooked through her mother’s cloak, her mother screaming at the top of her lungs for Aoife to help her, for Cillian to help her.
Cillian was grinning like a pleased little pumpkin.
His smile so malicious and delighted at the same time.
Death turned and looked at her and Aoife met his gaze.
She understood. There was nothing to be done.
Hell had found out the plans and were putting an end to this side. Prince Ivar couldn’t be touched, but a witch could. Especially one who wanted to rule hell.
Aoife couldn’t look away as the smoke swirled again, the portal narrowing. Her mother clawed at the forest floor as she tried to hold on while being dragged backward over the lip of the portal, but it was no use.
She flipped on her back and screamed as flames licked at her feet, before one last tug, then she slipped over the edge. The portal closed with a clap of thunder and a puff of smoke. Aoifedropped to the forest floor with a thud and lay there. The ground still warm.
“Well, that was quite the show,” Cillian remarked.