Page 165 of Of Blood & Stone

It hadn’t been her goddess’ heartbeat she’d been hearing.

It’d been her own.

Her own power.

Disthrathrus’ scream consumed her as his beating heart ceased, her last breath leaving her body with it. Even if it was only in this moment she finally understood, she couldn’t stop the smile peeling across her lips: Elnok had been right.

She’d always been stronger.

She let the truth she learned as a child wash over her. All her life, she’d known life came with a price.

This time, she would let it be hers.

Chapter 40

It is Finished

Elnok screamed for Sylzenya, the light from her body blinding him. Her yells echoed in the cavern, filling it with her pain and power. A rush of wind threw Elnok away from Distrathrus who had been poised to strike her with a sword.

The god erupted with golden light.

Sylzenya’s yells ceased.

“No!” Elnok shouted as he rushed for her, the pain of dying nothing compared to the sight of Sylzenya’s body being crushed by her own creation. “Sylzenya, stop!”

Blood no longer spilled from Elnok’s chest, his limbs strong and his lungs gulping in air. He swore he’d been dead, but somehow he was back. Now, all that mattered was saving Sylzenya. He moved for her, his hand reaching out as the thick roots covered the heart—covered her.

But it was too late.

The large heartbeat ceased. Distrathrus’ screeches turned silent as the god’s human body convulsed, eyes rolling to the back of his head. Black liquid oozed out of his yellow eyes. A cut suddenly ripped down his face, throat, torso, and both legs. Alone piece of orodyte fell out of his chest and into the stream of blood.

Yellow light pulsed once, twice.

Then it turned clear as crystal.

Elnok growled. That damned goddess hadn’t tried to kill her brother all those centuries ago. She’d kept him alive this whole time—gave him her own blood in an orodyte.

Damn her.

A great trembling shook the earth, sending Elnok backwards with a thud. Yellow sparks floated in the air, dancing like bugs on a warm summer night.

The wind stopped.

Silence ensued.

And then the silence fell as a familiar voice yelled for him. Elnok turned to find Kharis running towards him, his eyes aglow with power and veins crackling with light.

Kharis slid to his knees, staring at Elnok’s stomach with wide eyes.

“You’re healed,” Kharis exclaimed.

Elnok lifted his blood-stained clothes. He placed his hand over his stomach, the skin smooth and even.

“She saved you,” Kharis said as he turned to look at the large cocoon of roots, “Sacrificed herself for all of us.”

Elnok grabbed Kharis by the collar, “Help me get her out. She doesn’t die, not after this.”

Kharis didn’t argue. Hot adrenaline rushed through Elnok’s veins as he climbed the thicket, splinters from the roots pricking at his palms.

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