Page 128 of Of Vows and War: Special Edition
As if Eternity or whatever it was up there was laughing at me, enjoying my foolish hope, I watched Malcolm Ayad suddenly appear behind Adbeel, shadows licking the air around him. The punchline of the joke was not Malcolm’s arrival, it was the way he thrust his hand into Adbeel’s back, blood spraying him as he did. I shouted, moving to chase after the male who raised me as he fell to the ground. But time was moving fast. Too fast. And death had him.
If Malcolm was death, then Asher was the Underworld itself. She tilted her head back in a bloodcurdling scream, my hands flying to my ears in response to the sound. Every creature in attendance cringed away from her fury, and then they began screaming too. A stampede of sorts began. Everyone was doing their best to get away from the pair standing above Adbeel’s body. Not me though. I fought against them all to get to her.
My wife.
Before Asher’s scream ended, an odd shake began beneath the ground. Like she was splitting Alemthian in two, rattling its very core. And then I saw it.
It began with the tips of her hair.
Her curls were abruptly leeched of color, brown being replaced with glittering silver. Like a snake slithering down a tree, the color traveled to Asher’s head, stopping at the roots. I watched her eyes fade last, the stormy gray of her irises glowing now. When she reached her hands out, silver mist of some sort poured out of them—out ofher.Malcolm’s body lit too, hisscreams of agony abrupt and nauseating as he crumpled to the ground.
Asher looked down at the male on his knees, then her gaze flicked to her last living relative, dead at her feet. I knew then what she would do. Her left hand rose, wedding band shimmering in the light of her magic, and then she jerked her fingers upwards. Malcolm’s chest flew towards the air, his body almost levitating off the ground. And while words could never explain the sight, it quite nearly looked like Asher was ripping out the demon’s very soul with a mere whim as his chest began to expand.
He cried out, inscrutable words getting jumbled and mixed with the agony of his begging wails. All at once, the screams stopped, and Malcolm’s chest burst. Just as his body crashed lifelessly next to Adbeel’s, something large and black barreled into the ground behind Asher. Spectators that had not fully fled broke out into more screams, the entire scene that of pure chaos.
I moved a step, wanting to close the distance between Ash and I, but I was aware of what kind of creature had found her, and I had a feeling I knew exactly which it was. Stassi’s description of the way dragons could find their bondedanywhereechoed in my mindas the beast’s head lowered.
The all-black dragon opened its wide mouth, letting out a deep and chilling roar that sent tables flying. As it did, I watched in both awe and horror as it too began to turn silver, its scales alight with Asher’s glowing magic.
Someone came to my side, their breathing just as heavy as mine. Quietly, as if they meant to say it in their head, the being whispered, “We’re absolutely fucked.”
Stassi’s words settled deep in my chest as the dragon—Likho, I imagined—once more roared protectively behind Asher, my wife a goddess of death and chaos as she stared forward with blood coating her face and magic twirling around her.
A tear ran down my cheek as I looked at her. At Adbeel.
Stassi added one last foreboding line before turning and leaving. A piece of the puzzle we had been missing. The final one. “Behold the seed of Mind and Soul.”
Chapter Fifty-Four
Nicola
Hours passed before we were able to calm down Asher enough to get her inside. She was full of pent up energy, of loss and grief turned into red hot fury. Despite knowing this would eventually come, I had not expected it tonight. Had not seen this particular thread. That was what the future was, a mess of thin, shining strings that never ceased to get me turned around. fate and chance warred between them, twirling, tying, knotting, and cutting entire lines of the future. This had to have been their doing.
“We need to attack,” Asher screamed, picking up a chair and throwing it towards a wall of rock. Both the chair and the rock shattered, Asher’s seed awakened within her now. She hadnot fully realized what was happening, too emotionally charged by the death of Adbeel Ayad. Her grandfather. Eternity above, could she never catch a break?
I knew he would die though. Had seen it happen in a dozen different ways. Not that warning her would have done anything. Still, I felt guilty watching her break before me. Could she never have a single good moment? A secular experience of pure joy to remember?
No, apparently not.
“Asher, please,” Bellamy begged, reaching out to her. I watched as,finally,Asher slumped. Slowly, she walked to him, her head falling forward. He was forced to catch her as she crumpled into his arms, the two of them grieving the loss of someone so deeply important to them both. My eyes darted throughout the room, catching sight of the grim faces upon Bellamy’s Trusted. They were in the exact places I had seen, this future one I knew well.
Now was the right time. I felt it.
“Ash,” I said, wringing my hands as I waited for her to look my way. When she looked up, kohl ran down her cheeks and the red of her lips was smeared. Tears pooled in her eyes and her crown had fallen. It was horrible timing. Terrible. But it had to be now.
“I need to tell you something.” Everyone’s eyes bore into me, heating my skin. Kafele wrapped me into a tight hug, kissing my temple and giving me strength to say what needed to be said. I hated it. More than anything, I wished I had not been cursed with this ability. No one should know as much as I did, and as brave of a face as I often put on, I desperately wanted to fall apart and crumble too.
“Tell me,” Asher ordered, her voice firm despite her broken appearance. I tried to speak, my mouth opening but nothing substantial coming out. My best friend looked on in sympathyas she likely invaded my mind, hearing and feeling my nerves. “Show me, please. I can take it, Nicola. Urgency swarms your mind. I can sense it.”
Sighing, I nuzzled further into my husband and closed my eyes. Together, Asher and I watched the series of visions spring to life. The past kissing the present hello.
***
“Mother,” Asta said, her voice lacking the energy it once had. Stella looked over at her daughter, wishing she could free her of the torment that they both shared but not willing to lose her too.
“Is the Oracle here?” Stella asked, looking around.
“Yes, I can feel her. Her thoughts are…odd. I have never experienced anything like it. Not even on Shamay.” Stella felt her stomach drop as her daughter stepped out of the trees, facing a large river that cut through the land.
