Page 121 of Of Sockets Of Stitches
I shoved the needle through King Change’s forehead, and his bone and flesh were nothing against my fate-filled weapon. I drove the needle in, and twisted, then leaped to ram the heel of my boot upon the needle’s end to bury its length for good.
The light trickled from his eyes.
Princess Change sensed the shift and pulled back to gape at her dying king.
There was an intake of breath across evil and monsters and the world where King Change’s dark chuckle was so audible to all. And then this trickled away, too, as an immortal left the toothed beast’s yawn.
My awareness of the world slammed back into my senses. Black filled the air, though none remained inCassandra’s hand any longer. She encased the sobbing princess and her dead king in lightning and threw them at her nemesis.
Champions cried and screamed, but were unable to stop in their purpose as they ushered Candor and Huckery forward.
Cassandra took them up in her palm and threw them into evil too.
My monsters.
I wailed for the loss of them, staggering back through the air and only just refraining from dropping to my knees. I could never do that. I must remain standing.
The black retreated to the ground again, and Cassandra banished the circle of mothers, then spread her hand wide to press against the sick surface. Rock and mineral and crust cracked and cratered as the first mother shoved at the black.
Champions ushered a trembling Valetise and noble Picket to Cassandra. Valetise glanced up at me and smiled, and I found the courage to nod in reply. Gone in lightning.
The black shrunk.
It shrunk.
It must go,I begged ancients. Or fate. Or destiny. Who was left to hear me and protect us?
My champions fought beside Cassandra, and when the first mother flipped her palm up, I did not fathom what she meant.
Then champions climbed onto her hand.
“No,” I bellowed.
The bellow of a queen was no small thing, but in this fated second, no one took notice.
With my four champions in tow, Cassandra’s hand melted down through the surface to disappear, and all evil drained from the world like water through a plug hole.
And all monsters were sucked away too.
Drained away.
Away from me.
Chapter Thirty-Three
A queen brought to her knees.
On two knees, I stared at the place where monsters last were.
Now there was me.
If I had known the cost of healing this seam, perhaps I would not have paid it.
“We must go. Evil is rising up through the world to claim you.”
I glanced up at See. He lurked behind me.He was alive.
His tone was mild. His feeling was not.
