Page 245 of Lady of Ashes

“No!” she screamed, grappling with the dregs of her shadows, trying to get a shield around Eva, but then the air was shifting. There was the deafening sound of some kind of explosion, and black ?ames of some sort seemed to radiate out from her.

But they weren’t from her.

They were from her Guardian who stood beside her, having stepped from the air.

And he wasn’t alone.

Ashtine, Briar, and Azrael were with him.

The entirety of the Fae Royals now stood in this room. “Briar! The girl!” Scarlett cried.

But their gifts didn’t work here. Not in the mortal lands. And even if they could, they didn’t possess Semiria rings to overcome the wards. That was the only way she ?gured Tarek and Talwyn were accessing their gifts.

Everything was happening so fast. Too fast. Scarlett couldn’t keep track.

Alaric was already striding for Eva once more as Cassius’s arm looped around Scarlett’s waist when her knees buckled under the strain of her power. She began drawing from him, the Guardian link sensing the threats against her, and she leaned against Cassius, throwing an ice shield around Eva.

But Alaric switched directions, heading for Callan, his hand raising.

Callan winced, clutching at his chest.

“No!” Tava screamed. “No! Callan!” Drake had his arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her back as she strained, kicking and thrashing, trying to get to Callan.

Sorin had managed to get his sword and a knife free when Tarek and Talwyn had been thrown across the room by Cassius’s power. He was ?ghting his way to her, cutting away the vines that kept reappearing. But that was lightning at Talwyn’s ?ngertips.

Azrael was yelling at her, trying to get her attention over the chaos of the room. Briar had twin swords raised, Ashtine at his side with blades that were curved into a sickle shape. Mikale and Lord Tyndell were drawing near them with their own blades.

And death. It hovered. She could feel it all around them. She’d bestowed it enough to know when it had come to stake a claim.

And tonight it would feast.

Sorin, I love you,she sent down the bond.Find me in the After. In the places between the stars.

No!He shouted down the bond, and Scarlett watched as he swung that sword again and again.

She watched as a bolt of energy from Talwyn’s hand hit him straight in the chest.

She watched as he staggered once before dropping to his knees. His eyes found hers.

And the pain in her chest.

Oh gods. Alaric had to be squeezing her heart because the pain in her chest was pure agony. She couldn’t draw a breath, but somehow she was screaming. Her lungs wouldn’t expand, but that was sheer anguish pouring from her lips.

There was pressure around her waist, her ribs. Arms wrapped tightly around her, lifting her off her feet and tugging her back against a hard chest, keeping her from going to him. Someone was speaking into her ear, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying. Because he was dying. And she was dying. Her soul was dying.

You do not feel your soul ripping apart the way I did at her death if half of it is not being torn away from you.

That was what Cyrus had said to her, when he’d spoken of Thia dying.

But this? This was not half of her soul being torn away from her. This was her entire being shattering into nothing.

Love …His voice ?ltered down the bond, breathless and raspy.I would still choose to stay in the darkness … Even now.

“Sorin!” Her scream ripped through the room, piercing and full of despair. A vortex of ?re and ice and shadows burst from her, swirling around her and Cassius as she lost control of everything.

CHAPTER 49

CALLAN

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