Page 87 of Queen of Ever

‘You don’t have to do this,’ he said, apparently trying to appeal to my better nature.I wasn’t sure she was still in me.

‘And you didn’t have to kill Marietta.’I felt the magic in me growing again, building pressure like water trapped in a pipe, building until pain began to sting at my nerves, until I felt like my entire body was going to explode.Blood trickled out of my nose, the wind swirled around me like a tornado, and suddenly it was like I was watching myself, watching someone else controlling my body.The magic released, shooting hundreds of ice shards in every direction.Some embedded in the magic barrier around us, others pierced flesh—arms, legs, torso.Blood seeped into his immaculate white and gold clothing, his arms dropped from his face, blood trickled from his lips.He slumped over, his last breath leaving his lungs as the magic barrier shattered around us, the spell broken.

But still the magic built in me, clouding my vision.I was splitting, tearing, my rage pouring out of me, taking form, takinglife.It prowled around me, a dark mass of ravenous vengeance, all claws and teeth and fury.I gave myself over to it.

Chapter 34

Tarian

‘Thisway!’Ethancalledout to me as he crouched on his hands and knees, scratching at the rubble ahead.

I’d been trying to dissolve the rock across the tight, cramped tunnel we found ourselves trapped in, and every time I pressed my hand to the stone and removed another layer, my head swooped sickeningly.But I couldn’t stop.We had to get to the surface.Panic wrapped tightly around me, so consuming I hardly even noticed the myriad of injuries I’d sustained from our fall through the earth.We were just lucky we hadn’t fallen too far.I was scraped, bruised, bleeding, but alive.But every moment I’d spent down here, crawling through rubble and looking for a way out, was a moment Imogen had been facing whatever was at the surface without me.I needed to get the fuck out of here.

‘I can see sunlight!’Ethan’s voice was a croak.The fall hadn’t done him any good.

I dropped down next to him, trying to see what he could.‘Where?’

‘Are you blind?There.’He jabbed a finger into a crevice.

I squinted.‘Are you sure?’I couldn’t keep tapping into my magic indefinitely.I wasn’t long from pushing myself too far.The idea of knocking myself unconscious deep underground and leaving Imogen to face the legion at the surface alone was… I couldn’t even consider it.

Ethan groaned, pressing his hand against his stomach.‘Just hurry up.’

I drew the magic forth, gritting my teeth against the sharp pain that lanced through my head.The rock crumbled, shifting and cracking enough that for a moment I thought I’d caused another cave in.But a beam of sunlight cut through the darkness like a knife, illuminating the thick, swirling dust in the trapped air, before the entire wall slumped down with a crash, and I was hauling Ethan to his feet as we stumbled through into watery daylight.

Immediately, we were beset with a wild, clawing wind.Around us the scene was a mess of bodies, blood and shattered magic.Scattered Seelie forces clustered in shifting groups, but none were looking in our direction, their attention fixated on something ahead.As I watched, a handful of them turned and ran for their lives.

‘Go find Imogen!’Ethan yelled over the wind.‘I’ll see if I can help any others out of the ground.’

He didn’t have to tell me twice.I crossed the muddied earth, weaving between those distracted soldiers.

But there weren’t just soldiers to watch out for.I could see what they were running from.

A wide circle of space ahead was cleared of any soldiers, patrolled instead by what I could only callbeasts.They prowled in circles, canine in appearance, though closer in size to horses than dogs, but their bodies weren’t quite solid.They seemed formed of shadows and smoke, shifting and whirling, their edges fading in and out of clarity, except for sets of bared teeth which looked like jagged shards of ice.As I watched, one of them fixed its attention on a Seelie soldier who had raised his hands, turning eyes that looked like pits of midnight on him.It launched itself at him, setting upon him in a whirl of snarls and ripping teeth, shredding the screams before they could leave his throat as more than a gurgle.

And then I released what they were protecting.

Imogen was crouched in a ball, arms around her knees, head tucked in tight, trembling violently.Before her, Solas lay sprawled in a pool of what looked like his own blood, eyes wide open as he stared up at the stormy sky.

‘Imogen,’ I called.Several of the shadow beasts turned their eyes on me.Imogen didn’t look up.The beasts were hers, I realised.They weren’t going to let anyone near her.But I was going to have to get to her, or the magic they were feeding on would burn her out completely.

I moved forward, keeping my steps steady, my eyes locked on the closest shadow beast.It growled, a deep, guttural sound that reverberated through the ground.The air around it seemed to warp and bend, as though reality itself was giving way.

‘Imogen,’ I called again.‘You have to let go.’

No response.The wind howled louder.The beasts closed ranks around her, their eyes narrowing as I approached, but they didn’t attack—yet.One crouched low, slinking towards me, shoulders rippling, a warning growl rumbling from its throat.

‘You created them,’ I said, edging closer.‘You can control them.Let them go.’

The beast opened its maw, snarling as I approached, but still it didn’t strike.I wanted to run to her, but I didn’t.I kept my pace slow and measured, creeping around the suspicious creature.Its black, bottomless gaze never left me as I rounded it, slipping through the vanguard, picking my way over Solas’ body.He was riddled with puncture wounds, like he’d been shredded by a dozen blades flung at speed.

Another step.

When I stretched out a hand towards Imogen, a cacophony of growls rose around me.

‘Imogen?’I said, touching a hand to her shoulder.‘I’m here.’

She let out an audible gasp, her grip on her knees slackening.The wind calmed.The shadow beasts quietened, then began to dissolve, their forms dispersing like fog.I slipped an arm around her as she began to pant, her chest heaving as she took fast, desperate breaths.Her whole body was trembling violently, and she was so cold.She raised her head, revealing a face drained of all colour, except for the streaks of scarlet from where her nose had bled.Her eyes were shot through with red, glassy with exhaustion, and she clapped her hands over her head with a groan.

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