Page 105 of Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth

In the fray, I could no longer see her, could not see if she still battled on the pseudo-dais.C’mon, Terra. No time for hesitation.So I searched for a weapon—perhaps a felled warrior’s sword.

In the chaos, I could see nothing but water and blood.

Until—a flash of green. Peeking out from under a ripped cloak.

My fingers knew as soon as I made contact. Ezren’s dagger had somehow made its way back to me.

I clasped my still chained hands around it, not worrying about how—only thanking the gods for their gift.

“For Gemilane, for the Fae. For Olea,” I whispered, letting a tear slip down my face.

And then I twirled and slashed, cutting through the wall of bodies like I’d done it thousands of times before—even with my hands bound. I only engaged when necessary, moving towards the table of the crown. And though I tried to withhold any lethal strikes, I fell into the hum of battle. But I did not ponder a single thought; my blade was a hand slicing through the mist, acting on instinct and training alone.

Water streamed down my face from the exploding geysers around us. Pandemonium surged, and it took me several seconds to register my surroundings. But then I saw her. The queen still fought her captors—not allowing them to get a solid grip on her. I knew she’d tire in seconds, not minutes.

A moment later, my dagger cut through air, striking down the warriors before they registered what was upon them. My gaze lingered on the bloodstains decorating the queen’s skirts for a heartbeat, which was a mistake, for a Witch appeared next to me, grasped my hair, and slammed my head into the banquet table.

In the same motion, he yelled, “Sedric!”

I pushed myself up from the table and turned, dagger raised and clasped between my bound hands. But a Witch appeared behind the queen, shoving her into me. I had no time to react, or if I did, I was not prepared to seize it while still tied, for my blade sank into the queen’s chest.

My mouth fell ajar and her eyes flickered in surprise. For all the evil and plotting I had smelled on her before, I saw only helplessness then. The world moved at a snail’s pace, such slow motion, and I saw not only the Rexi at the tip of my blade, but Jana, a soft smile on her lips. And she changed again—into Olea, death on her face, a horrifying emptiness in her eyes. Then I saw my mother’s hair, peeking out from our floorboards, as the life escaped from her in front of me.

Before I could register what happened, before I could say a word or scream at the irony of her fate, the Witch that had shoved her into me pulled her back, my dagger slipping out from her chest.

The image of our last resentful interaction, just before the Skøl, flashed between my eyes.

Blood spurted from her wound, and she opened her mouth to speak.

But then, he portaled.

And she was gone.

CHAPTER FOURTY

TWO LANDS

Istumbled back into the table, my head reeling, and then I turned to my side and keeled over, vomiting the little food I ate on our journey from the Convallis to Valfalla.

I took in shallow sips of air, a thousand pounds weighing on my chest. Sinking to my knees, I looked around at the descending chaos of fracturing stone and exploding water. I was soaked head to toe from the uncontrolled blasts that continued to rain down around us, and I wondered if Fayzien used the nearby oceans to support his effort.

I told myself to move, to get out, but I could not, nor could I regain command of my breath. My head pounded, and I gasped as if the air that entered my lungs was not air at all.

A moment later, a hand cupped my shoulder. I expected to see a sopping Water Witch, but I turned to Xinlan’s pale face. She looked about as bad as I did, her leathers ripped and tattered, scratches marring her arms and legs.

“Where is the queen?” Xinlan demanded.

“She’s gone,” I whispered between sobs. “I’ve failed. Again.”

“Shit,” Xinlan said. “Terra, we have to go. Now.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I hissed. I knew sitting there put me at risk of capture, or worse. But I couldn’t leave—I couldn’t leave the women behind. I couldn’t do anything for them, and I couldn’t even save my own kin.

But I could stay.

“You have totrustme,” she said, her eyes as urging as her tone.

That inner voice rose inside me, roused from slumber. It told me to listen, but I shoved it away.

---