Page 45 of Lifeblood

We wouldn’t have time to find out.

I pulled again on the mate bond and soon found all four of the kings looking at me. “Together. As one. Let’s put him back to rest.”

Tristan still looked so unsure. And Mordred was more tense than I’d ever seen him. But all of the demon kings nodded and held on to me where they could. Our magic combined, the mate bond sung, and all at once, it was like our connection was both everything that was and the only thing that mattered. I not onlyfeltevery single bit of magic all of them had, but their feelings, too. At a base level, anyway.

There was a lot of care. Not just for me, but for each other as well.

But still none of them acted first. I understood. Arthur Pendragon had been their friend. Their king.

No longer. That was not Arthur Pendragon. I didn’t need to know him to know that for sure.

Morgan le Fay was an evil, cruel demon witch. And soon, she’d see her end.

“Together,” I said again.

Our magic flowed as one. It poured out from each of the kings and then joined with my magic within me. I was the vessel—for magic, for blood, for immortality. For hope. I saw that now. And if this was the only way, then so be it.

I raised my hands, letting go of the two kings who were holding them, and pressed them, palms outward, toward the charging Arthur Pendragon. The total of our magic swam around my fingers in all shades of color and energy. And when I let it go, magic poured across the front courtyard. It seared through every enemy. Barreled straight to Arthur. And although I felt each of the kings tense up as our magic consumed him, I knew deep in my heart this was the right thing to do.

In moments, the island was clear of enemies and all that remained of the king they’d once served was his sword.

Excalibur, my mind recalled.

Only Excalibur remained.

CHAPTER17

Ilet go of the demon kings and went to retrieve Excalibur. My kings were gobsmacked, standing there watching me. Unmoving. I withdrew the sword from the ground on which it had landed and turned to face them.

We all breathed heavily. Several of the palace staff who’d joined the fight, all demons in their own right, also leaned against gates and balustrades, exhausted from their own fights.

I held Excalibur out to the kings as I approached. “It’s done. This is yours.”

Mordred shook his head. “I can’t.”

I moved it to Gareth next. He shook his head. Tristan did the same and still looked very grim.

Lance also waved the sword away from him. Except he said, “It’s yours. It was never meant for us knights. It belongs to you, the last lifeblood. Our queen. Or soon to be.” He tried to chuckle but ended up coughing mightily. “If we survive, anyway.”

“We will.” My hope had renewed. “Look at what we just did. We’re strong enough to fight her.”

Gareth shook his head and pointed over our shoulders to the outcropping with castle ruins high on the cliff face. “No, we’re not.”

A figure stood there, watching. A billowing cloak was all I could make out from here.

“It’s her,” Gareth continued. “This was just the start. She’s coming for us. For you. For revenge once and for all.”

“Thenlether,” I argued. “You don’t get to all draw me from a perfectly happy life and start drinking my blood just to give up on me now because she tricked you into thinking your dead king was brought back to life. You’re all better than this.Weare better than this together.”

Mordred growled, but Lance stepped in between us all. “She’s got a point, Mordred.”

“Iknowwhat I saw,” Mordred argued.

“And so do I,” Tristan said. “It wasn’t Arthur. There’s no way. For starters, we burnt his body.”

“Enough,” Gareth grunted.

“I’m just saying,” I continued, worried Gareth might cut me off too. I was exhausted. My shoulder ached. But it felt like whatever was going to happen next needed to be decided right here, right now in this front courtyard. “We’re strong right now. If we solidify the mate bond with each other, each of you with me, we’ll be even stronger. Unstoppable, I’d bet. Otherwise, why wouldn’t more lifebloods have ended up with demons?”

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