Page 58 of Dreams of Ash and Smoke

“I’m trying!” he hisses back, frustration etches on every feature of his face.

“Having performance issues?” I taunt him through heavy breaths, fighting the exhaustion that threatens to overtake me. His response is a guttural snarl as he charges at me. I shift into the defensive stance Esmeray drilled into me and strike at his unprotected stomach as he lunges past. He lets out another growl of frustration, and for the first time I see him without his reliance on magic. He’s vulnerable and desperate, and that only fuels my determination to defeat him.

My knee nearly buckles as I dodge his attack, but I manage to regain my balance. He unleashes his magic at me again, but this time I am prepared. With a deep breath, I absorb his power and redirect it back at him, sending him crashing to the ground. Amaelya gasps in shock as Dryston writhes in agony on the cave floor. I stand over him, panting heavily.

“The real problem here, Dryston,” I say through gritted teeth, “is that I don’t want to kill you. I want you to suffer. I want you to witness my marriage to your enemy, who happens to be my fated mate — thanks for that, by the way. And then… only then will I grant you the bittersweet release of death.”

My words drip with venom, and I use the metal on his body to control his movements like a puppeteer with the remnants of his magic coursing through me. With a sickening thud, his head collides against the unforgiving rock wall, rendering the blond unconscious. But there is no time for me to relish in this small victory.

“You’re… what?” Amaelya’s voice is laced with seething hatred, sending shivers down my spine. Her emotions are palpable,and I can feel every ounce of rage and betrayal emanating from her.

But I refuse to cower or hide from my fate, no matter how steep the cost may be. My love for Eryx runs too deep — lying about it would cause me physical pain. “Eryx is my fated mate, Amaelya,” I declare through gritted teeth. “I won’t apologize for it, even if I could. You will never be with him again.”

A guttural screech pierces through the air as Amaelya launches herself at me once more. Despite my exhausted state from our previous battle, I summon all of my remaining strength to defend myself. Blood seeps through my tattered bandages, a constant reminder of the injuries I have sustained in this ongoing war over love and destiny.

Ruelle’s eyes snap open with a violent jolt, her consciousness returning in a surge of pain. Her face is etched with agony as I desperately try to shield her from the wrath of Amaelya, knowing that I am alone in this moment. Ruelle’s energy must be conserved for the treacherous journey back home.

Dryston’s power has been completely drained after my last ditch attempt to defeat him. It was pure luck that I even managed it. My trusted blade, my strongest weapon, proved useful even against his abilities. A chilling thought creeps into my mind — could it have been because of my blood, capable of absorbing the abilities of others? But that’s absurd…isn’t it?

Suddenly, Amaelya’s weight crashes into me and we both plummet to the ground. The impact knocks the breath out of me and sends my head slamming into the unforgiving earth once again. “What is wrong with you?” I scream at her as she viciously strikes at my raw arms, raised in front of my battered face. “Fighting over a male who isn’t even yours? The Gods themselves bound us together! You’re insane!”

With every ounce of strength left in my battered body, I push her off of me. Her relentless hands continue to pummel me as I struggle to stand. Each blow feels like a firecracker exploding inside me, but somehow, through the searing pain, I manage to roll away just as Amaelya charges at me again.

“I don’t want to fight you,” I gasp, struggling to catch my breath as I finally get to my feet. My whole body is trembling with exhaustion and agony. “It’s not worth it.”

But she doesn’t listen. Her eyes are full of a wild fury as she hisses through gritted teeth, “You don’t understand. If I can’t have him, no one will. And when I’m finished with you, I’ll make sure he suffers the same fate because I have nothing left to lose.” With a primal roar, she lunges at me once more, landing a brutal punch on my already bruised cheekbone. My head snaps to the side and before I can even react, she sweeps my legs out from under me.

With a surge of adrenaline, I use her own weight against her and drive my fist upwards, breaking her nose with a sickening crunch. Blood pours from the wound, drenching me in a warm, sticky red that fuels my rage. Groaning with the effort, I spit out her blood and shove her off of me, scrambling to my feet. My eyes fall upon the knife I dropped and I snatch it up, straddling her body and pressing the blade to her throat.

“If this is what you want,” I growl through gritted teeth. Without hesitation, I plunge the knife into her soft flesh and feel satisfaction as she chokes on her own blood, gurgling in agony. But even as she struggles for air, I can’t ignore the frantic pounding of my heart or the erratic rhythm of my breaths.

“This death was too kind, but I am nothing if not merciful.” I sneer at her before watching the light fade from her eyes. With trembling legs, I stumble off of her body and make my way over to Ruelle. “Let’s go home,” I say to her, trying to keep my voice steady as I haul her up in my arms.

“Is there a horse nearby?” Ruelle asks weakly, glancing around frantically. My heart sinks as I realize we are stranded without any means of swift escape.

“No,” I admit bitterly. “How far are we from the castle?”

I struggle to catch my breath, my vision swimming with exhaustion. But I push myself to keep going, determined to get us both home safely.

She grunts in pain, “I can’t tell. But, based on the night sky, I’d say go that way.” She motions toward a direction and I nod, throwing one of her arms over my shoulder so she can lean on me. “You’ll have to carry me soon, you know?”

“I did it with Hadeon. At least you’re lighter than he is.” We start to laugh before pausing in pain and taking each step slowly.

I have to ask, though, as we walk. “So, was Amaelya always that crazy?”

Ruelle lets out a sigh, “No and yes. She was more narcissistic and her moods changed a lot but not like this. Although, she was always territorial about Eryx. Her father set them up when they were young teens. She thought she’d be Queen but my mother never liked her and it wasn’t until closer to their wedding did father start not trusting her either. He said something the day he died about how she wasn’t trustworthy and she was against the kingdom. He was right, she was toxic. When we thought she was dead, Esmeray and I were so relieved but sad for Eryx. He didn’t deserve to lose her like that but if he had found out she was a traitor, he would’ve killed her himself.” I nod in agreement.

The rest of the trip was silent so we wouldn’t waste energy. I love this country, from what I’ve seen and who I have met. I love this family and I love Eryx.

I never could have fathomed a life like this. As the dutiful daughter, I was expected to fulfill my father’s deals and maintain the Whitewell legacy in the kingdom of Zorya. But it came at a price — punishment after punishment, fight after fight. In moments of solitude, I would cry and dream of a different fate for myself. And yet, even in my wildest dreams, I never could have imagined this — a life filled with joy and contentment. But still, I can’t shake off this feeling of guilt for allowing myself to be happy…

“For the record, Verena,” She starts, “I would choose you for him. In every life.” She tells me sweetly and tears well in my eyes before slipping faster than I can stop them. She squeezes me as tight as she can and I do the same without hurting her.

Chapter 30: Loyalty

Verena

It feels as if time stops when we reach the castle. The Aurora Borealis twinkles in the sky as if welcoming us home.

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