Page 125 of A Sun Scorched Bloom

"Because." Emma turned to Lea with tears in her eyes. "The moonflowers will bring me back. You told me what your mother said, Lea.Picked by the right person, with the right intentions, at the right time, the flowers from these seeds can stop death himself.They will bring me back. Eudora confirmed it."

Gray expected to feel a jolt of anxiety or disbelief through the bond, but instead, all he felt was cold, steely determination.

"I need to give magic to more people." Lea said. "As many as we can. I need to be able to see every inch of the battle. I refuse to risk not finding Alaric." Black fire and smoke began to erupt from Lea’s skin, ash and soot floating to the ground like snow. It was breathtaking—beautiful and terrible all at once. Lea looked at Gray, an unspoken plea in her eyes. She would be accessing her magic fully, every part of it.Don’t let me lose control,she spoke into his mind.

You are mine. Do you understand me? I will not lose you to Alaric, and I refuse to lose you to your darkness,he promised back.

Lea nodded. "Erik, gather those with magic, the ones who haven’t been exposed to the Lonely Death, and bring them to the training room. We'll start there, then ask for volunteers."

Gray’s chest warmed at seeing Lea step into her role as queen—as his equal. "And bring me the latest reports. Whatever gives us our most recent information on Alaric’s numbers," he said, dismissing him with a nod.

Lea placed a hand on the hilt of the sword strapped to her hip, the one she hadn’t been without since Thomas had made her promise to keep it with her. "Thomas, finish as many weapons as you can. We need a sword or dagger in every rebel’s hand."

"Of course." Thomas turned to leave. But Gray stepped forward, stopping him.

"There is a stockpile in a locked room behind the kitchens. Find Elise. She can show you. If you can’t forge enough new ones in time, strengthen the ones we already have."

With a tight-lipped smile and a caress to Emma’s arm, Thomas began gathering the weapons in the room. "I’ll strengthen these first, then find Elise to attend to the rest."

The chamber grew warmer as Lea’s shadowy flames grew, her pupils flashing red and black as if the fire was alive inside her.

Gray placed a hand on her lower back, grounding her. He could feel her magic churning, begging for release. "Vincent, I’d like you to show Janelle a map of the mountains and Bearswillow. Janelle, decide where we should lead the battle, what landscape will give us the biggest advantage. Then help Emma decide where she will be."

"Emma, what are the requirements for your plan?" Lea asked her.

Vincent walked to a cabinet, removing a large scroll and gesturing for Janelle to follow him to the sitting area as Emma looked at the books stacked on the shelves.

"I will act as a tether, a conduit between the dead and the physical world. I just have to drink the potion, and it will put me somewhere in the in between." Emma looked to Thomas, who froze in the doorway as he carried the weapons out. He turned to face them, his shoulders set in determination.

"Then let’s pick a place that’s isolated, away from wherever you decide we will make our stand," Lea continued, ignoring Thomas’s concern.

"I will be guarding her," Thomas said as his gaze met Lea’s, his eyes full of desperation.

"Done," Lea said without hesitation. "I’ll need someone to gather my moonflower seeds from the wreath above my bed."

"I’ll see to it," Vincent chimed in. "Once we’re done here."

"Good." Lea took a deep, shaking breath.

"Let’s go, Lea," Gray said, his voice far more calm than the fear flooding his lungs. But it was nothing compared to what he could feel from his mate. Lea’s rage was building to what felt like a dangerous level. He needed to get her somewhere safe, to talk her down from letting that dark, raw power of her primary magic overtake her rational mind.

With everyone assigned to a task, Lea stalked from the room, leaving scorch marks behind on the stone floor with every step.

Gray followed, catching her arm with a shield of darkness between his skin and hers. "What are you doing, Lea? This is dangerous. You need to pull that power back."

"This is it, Gray. Either we kill Alaric tomorrow, or wedie. I’m done fearing who I am, pushing down my magic. I will fight withevery ounceof power I have." Lea looked away, as if unable to lie to his face.

"And what if it destroys you?" Gray rasped.

Lea met his gaze, the fire in her eyes horrifying and beautiful in equal measure. "If we’re going to die, Gray, don’t you want to go down in flames?"

Chapter 81

Lea

Leahadspenttheentire day giving away little bits of magic to anyone who was willing to allow her access into their mind. Her fire had slowly dimmed until she glowed like an ember, exhaustion pulling her shoulders down and making her eyes heavy. Gray had carried her back to their chambers as the sun was setting, once the training rooms were emptied and their plans were in place. There was nothing left to do but allow the night to pass, pray for their souls, and await the morning sun.

But they hadn’t been able to wait. Before the morning light was even peeking above the horizon, Lea and Gray had wordlessly risen and walked hand in hand to stand together in the rocky terrain of the mountains, their arms around each other and their eyes scanning the village she’d called home for so many years. It ached, seeing it abandoned, but there was no time to let that pain settle. There would be enough pain soaking into her soul by the day’s end. She was certain of it.

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