Page 110 of Knight's End
Posey stepped in front and took the spear to her chest. She blinked at Mayi, “That all you got?”
The sea witch let out a howl of fury.
I could hardly focus on her. My eyes were on Ryan and Avia, who were sinking in the rapidly rising water. The ice spear that pierced Ryan was in his upper back. It hadn’t gone all the way through. But Avia had a little bit of ice protruding from her stomach. With all the blood, it almost looked like a glittering ruby set in the middle of her dress.
Shock spread over me like a thick quilt, insulating me from reality.
Quinn grabbed my hand and yanked me around to face him.
Bloss. Wish! Now!
I blinked. It took a moment for his words to filter into my brain. Even then, it took seconds for me to think of something.
Words tumbled from my lips. “I wish I had the sea witch’s heart in my hand.”
And then it was there.
It looked almost like a human heart, but for the fact that it was a robin’s egg blue. It pulsed once in my hand, and blood gushed out of the arteries that had been connected to Avia. Blood gushed over my hand, coating it a deep red.
I held the source of her power up, ensuring Mayi could see as I dug my nails into her heart and crushed it in my hands. I watched as she collapsed, writhing. When Posey reached back and handed me a small knife, I stuck it through the witch’s heart and carved out a section.
Mayi splashed face first into the water. I cut again and again. Manic, single-minded fury drove me. I had tunnel vision. Bile rose in my throat as I sliced apart the witch’s heart until it was in pieces no bigger than my fingers.
It was over. Mayi was gone.
She’d never hunt down ships again.
She’d never attack anyone else again.
Avia was free.
As if I were coming out of a daze, I looked over at my sister and husband. Ryan was hunched over Avia, his breathing ragged. Avia’s face was as pale as death.
Sarding shite, I realized. I wished the wrong thing.
I rocked where I stood, already grieving as I watched two people I loved about to die.
I realized that if Ryan went, my other knights would die, too. The bonding spell would take them.
Posey put a hand on my shoulder and said, “I’ll get them. I’ll be right back.”
Then she ran from the cave, splashing through the thigh-high water.
I stared at the knife in my hand. I studied it.
I held it to my wrist experimentally. If Ryan and my knights died, did I even want to live?
A hand latched onto mine and yanked the knife away.
I looked up and scrambled backward.
Had Mayi brought reinforcements?
Shite!
I had no other weapon. I extended my hands and blasted the stranger with peace until he stumbled backward, out of the water, to sit on a small section of rock near the entrance.
My wrists ached and the smell of my blood mixed with Avia’s and Ryan’s.
I waded toward the stranger, arms extended, in case I needed to strike again.
A man with black hair, pointed ears, and bright grey eyes stared at me. He raised his hands in surrender, but said nothing when I screeched, "Who the sard are you?"
