Page 203 of A Vow of Wrath and Ruin

Between my hands I molded the Scepter of the Dead and called upon the Morrigan.

Smoke molded into the body of the goddess. She wore her sacred armor with a raven engraved on the breastplate and her hair was woven into a long braid that snaked down her back.

“What the…?” She didn’t have time to finish her sentence before Erissa was on top of her.

“You,” Erissa hissed.

Despite being held down by the mage, a wicked smile twisted on the Morrigan’s lips.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time.” Pushing Erissa off her, she rolled out from underneath the monster. Two long blades appeared in the Morrigan’s hands. “You thought you could capture me and make me your war slave for an eternity, but our story ends here.”

Out of nowhere, hundreds of ravens swooped in, attacking Erissa.

She thrashed back and forth swiping at anything she could.

Determination flashed in the Morrigan’s blue eyes. She crouched low before bounding into the air, swords held high, releasing her wrath upon the mage.

The swarm of ravens clouded my vision, but the blood seeping onto the floor had to be coming from somewhere. The Morrigan was technically dead, could she die again?

Suddenly the birds scattered and the Morrigan went flying across the room, slamming into a wall and crumpling into a heap on the floor.

“No!” I cried out.

I turned to run to the Morrigan, but Erissa pounced upon me, clasping her hand around my neck. Blood streaked down herhorrific face. Half monster, half mage, she used every ounce of her power to stay upright.

I gasped for the air I knew I wasn’t breathing. Her arm trembled as her claws dug into my flesh.

“I wonder what happens when a Mind Breaker dies in a mind?” A fire burned in her green eyes.

“You need me for the other two Wells,” I eked out, unsure if she even cared about them anymore or if her need for revenge would overpower her logic.

She gritted her teeth, hissing at me.

“I have your sister now. Surely, she got some of your mother’s blood… although… whatever is in your chest could be useful to me.” She pressed her finger into my sternum through my armor. “Yes, I can feel it. The magic wants to be set free.”

I gritted my teeth. Pain ripped through me, hot and unrelenting. A blindingly white light blurred my vision. I had to make it stop. The magic would tear me in two.

“Get off of me!” I kicked her with all my might, sending her flying and releasing me.

She lay on the floor, hacking up blood, body fighting to stay alive.

A sense of relief washed over me. I had her—the architect of my demise. She’d tortured me for her own gain—watched as I endured psychological warfare from my husband, and used her goons to test my healing abilities. I’d wanted to snap her neck for five years, and now I had the chance.

Reaching out my hand, I used my power to pull her into the air above me.

A bloody smile crossed her face.

“What are you smiling at?”

“Oh, you’ll see.”

A chill washed over me. Something was wrong on the outside. No, I couldn’t stop now. Not when I was so close togetting what I wanted. I squeezed my hand and Erissa clawed at her neck.

“You lie.”

“I… guess… you’ll… have to let me go and see…”

“Morrigan?” I called out, not taking my eyes off Erissa.

---