Page 89 of A Petal in the Crown

"My threat stands," Gray said to the young soldier. "You remain here. I don't trust you enough to let you follow. Stay, and I'll allow you to live."

The boy gulped, sitting back on his heels.

"Let’s go," Gray said, grabbing Lea's hand and hurrying back toward Obsidian.

But Lea dug in her heels. She reached out and cupped Gray's cheek. Her heart felt like it was being ripped from her chest, the agony spreading between her ribs and into her stomach almost unbearable. Gray tilted his head at her, eyes filled with concern.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" he asked, his shadows instantly wrapping around her, caressing her from head to toe.

"No. I just needed to tell you how much I love you," Lea said, tears filling her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" Gray's voice was panicked, and he tried to pull back to look at her, but she refused to move.

"We still have time," he looked at her crown. "There are two petals left. We have to go, if we hurry—"

"I know," she said, her voice breaking. "I love you, Gray. You are the love of my life. After this... Please, please try to forgive me."

His eyes widened in panic as he grabbed her arm and yanked her toward him, his fingers digging into her arm with bruising strength as he twisted toward Henry, but he was too late. Henry did as he promised—freezing time with only seconds to spare.

Gray's hand was outstretched toward her father, shadows suspended just feet from his fingertips, hovering in the air like ice. His mouth was open in a snarl, his eyes full of shock and fury and betrayal.

"I’m sorry," Lea whispered, sobbing as she disentangled herself from Gray's arms. She reached up once more and stroked hischeek. "I'm so, so sorry. Forgive me,” she said through her tears, then jumped on Luna’s back.

She didn’t turn around,couldn’tlook back as she raced toward her fate. She couldn’t bear to see Gray’s face again, the hurt in his eyes. Not if she was to do what needed to be done.

The sky grew darker, and without slowing down, she looked up to see the moon rising from the horizon and rapidly moving toward the bright red sun.

"Gods above," Lea whispered, shivers running down her spine as the sun was completely eclipsed. Within moments, she was pitched into complete darkness, the only light the occasional crash of lightning that brightened the sky every few seconds.

Lea used the brief flashes of light to navigate her way south, feeling, for the first time, like maybe the goddess was helping her after all. Because in the pitch black of night, there was no way Gray would be able to find her once time moved forward again.

Not as the heavy rain turned the ground to mud, washing away her horse's footsteps. Washing away everything but her lies and betrayal.

Chapter 57

Lea

The Wicked Wood loomed before her, no less intimidating and terrifying than the last time she'd braved entering it. The grass still turned to mud and rot at the border, the trees black and spindly, swaying as if inhaling and exhaling like a sentient being. But there was no time for fear. Not a single second to lose. She urged Luna closer to the trees, their long fingers reaching toward her as if beckoning her to come inside.

A chill shivered through her entire body as she crossed into the boundary of the Wicked Wood.

She looked around, daring any demon to approach her as she urged Luna to move faster. She had no idea how long her father would be able to stall Gray. It could have been minutes, for all she knew. Gray would surely be trying to find a way to get to her by now, and he knew where she was going.

She could almostfeelhim coming. The pounding of Obsidian’s hooves matching Luna’s. His fury surging forward as it searched for her, so intense that even the trees would recoil from his approach. Gray would stop at nothing to find her before she reached Alaric and Eudora.

Lea couldn’t let that happen.

A twig snapped to her left, and Lea held out her hand, long black flames at her fingertips. She narrowed her eyes to peer through the trees,part of her mind searching for death’s cold approach as the other half ran through the possibilities. Was it Alaric or Eudora? Had they seen her coming, and were waiting to ambush her? Or maybe it was the soldiers he’d taken from the camp?

Another snap sounded, this time behind her.

She called on her shadows as she spun around, her heart racing.Please, don’t be Gray,she prayed, spreading her fire toward the sound to illuminate the darkness. Luna took a single step, when all at once, hundreds of palm-sized yellow eyes appeared, surrounding her completely.

Fenrir, more than she could count.

Lea threw up a wall of black flames, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she tried to steady her breath. She had fought them once, before she’d known of her powers. Gray had defeated them. Erik had killed one. She could do the same. She had to, because if she was going to die, it would not be between the jaws of some giant wolf.

No. If she was leaving this realm today, it would be because she had taken Alaric’s power and returned it to the universe.

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