Page 99 of Shadowed Fate

"What the hell?" I whisper, unable to look away.

Marius turns, his eyes meeting mine. A smile plays at the corner of his mouth.

I want to respond, but the words die in my throat as I watch him. His movements are fluid, graceful, as if he's dancing with the darkness itself. It's an ominous work of art.

A new guard charges at him from behind. Without looking, Marius gestures lazily. A wall of shadows rises, solidifying just in time for the attacker to slam into it face-first.

"How are you doing that?" I ask, unable to keep the awe out of my voice.

He chuckles. "The same way you do, little bird. We're more alike than you know."

His words light something within me. The shadows inside me throb, threatening to break free. I gasp, doubling over as the magic pulses through my veins like liquid fire.

"No," I grit out, clenching my fists. "I can't lose control. Not now."

But the power is relentless, clawing at my insides, demanding to be unleashed. It feels like something is pulling them out of me. My eyes blur, the edges tinged with blackness. It’s exactly like one of my visions, except I’m fully aware of reality.

"Let it go, Brigid," Marius's voice cuts through the haze. "Embrace what you are."

I shake my head frantically. "You don't understand. If I lose control..."

His tone is matter-of-fact. "So don't lose control. Master it."

A vicious snarl rips through the air, drawing my attention. Rory, still in his werewolf form, is pinned against the wall by three guards. His fur is matted with blood, both his and theirs.

"Rory!" I scream, my heart racing. The sight of Rory in danger ignites something primeval within me. My fear dissolves, replaced by a burning rage that courses through my body.

"Fuck this," I snarl, letting the shadows uncoil from my core.

Curls of darkness explode outward, whipping through the air like living things. They slam into the guards holding Rory, sending them flying across the dungeon.

Lochan's eyes widen as he parries with an attacker. "What the—?"

I can't answer. The magic rushes through me.

"That's it, little bird," Marius intones, his own shadows intertwining with mine. "Let it out."

Callen's illusions flicker and fade as he turns to stare. "Holy shit."

The dungeon grows darker; the shadows deepening and spreading. I feel drunk on power, my senses aware of every movement, every breath.

"Brigid," Tiernan's voice is cautious. "Are you alright?"

The shadows converge around me, forming a swirling drain of pure darkness. It's beautiful and terrible, and for the first time in my life, I feel truly, completely myself.

"What are you?" a guard whispers.

I bare my teeth in a feral grin.

The maelstrom expands, engulfing everything in its path.

"Brigid!" Rory's voice cuts through the fog.

A deafening crack splits the air, and reality itself seems to tear open before us. The roiling shadows unite into a gaping abyss.

"Holy fuck," I gasp, my knees nearly buckling.

The rift throbs with otherworldly rhythm, its edges rippling like disturbed water. Within, I glimpse a nightmarish landscape of twisted shadows and desolation.

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