Page 101 of Witch Queen

“Mother!”

She rushed into Ran Soyun’s arms, only for her to stumble through her ghostly shape. A wretched sound left her throat.

“We cannot touch right now, my daughters,” the first Witch Queen said in a voice tinged with sadness. “But we will, one day.”

Mae squeezed her eyes shut when Ran Soyun caressed her face, her magic warming her skin. Na Ri sobbed inside her.

“Now, do what must be done, daughters.” Ran Soyun’s voice hardened. “Destroy theBook of Shadows.”

Agony scorched Mae and Na Ri’s souls. They knew it was the right thing to do. Yet, they could not bear the thought of shattering their mother’s soul too.

“I died a long time ago, Mae, Na Ri.” Ran Soyun hugged Mae then, her spectral arms hovering close to her body, her warmth soothing the iciness gripping Mae’s flesh. “My soul must return to the cycle of life and death so I can come back.”

Her words jolted Mae.

Ran Soyun pulled back and smiled. “This is not a final farewell. This is simply a ‘goodbye and see you next time.’” Her gaze shifted to where Azazel and Barquiel were locked in battle. “Besides, someone needs to keep your father on the straight and narrow.”

A hysterical chuckle left Mae at that.

“Mae!” Nikolai yelled.

Alarm squeezed her chest. Vedran was climbing to his feet, black magic blanketing his body once more.

There was no more time left.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN

Demonic magic filledMae’s veins and shook her bones on a tidal wave that drenched the bridge in a scarlet light. She focused it into the skeleton key, jammed it inside theBook of Light, and incanted the name of the first Sorcerer King.

“DAVOR LAZAR!”

The artifact trembled and whined before shifting shape with a blinding flash.

Mae squinted. Her vision cleared.

A dagger filled with all the colors of magic had appeared in her hand, metal warming her skin.

“NOOOO!” Vedran screeched.

The Sorcerer King twisted around and started running toward her.

“Hellreaver!” Mae barked.

Hellreaver spat out theBook of Shadows, spun on himself, and lobbed it at her.

Vedran jumped, his arm rising desperately to catch the artifact. The tome sailed inches above his fingers on a wave of white magic that came from both Nikolai and Ran Soyun.

The sound of rage that left the Sorcerer King made Mae’s ears throb. She snatched theBook of Shadowsout of the air and stabbed it with the dagger theBook of Lighthad become.

Her hair and clothes levitated around her as a silent detonation shook the bridge and spread across the city.

The clouds parted when the invisible blast of power reached them. They rolled out in every direction, exposing the bright, blue sky they had shrouded.

Vedran screamed and clawed at his throat and stomach. He choked, knees buckling. Black magic poured out of his mouth and eyes and nose as he struck the deck.

Motion out the corner of Mae’s eye had her head turning.

Waves were surging across Upper Bay.

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