Page 51 of Song of Night

Kieran turns abruptly, wrapping his hand around my throat and pinning me to the wall. His fingers crush down on my windpipe. “Do not speak to me of my brother. You know nothing of my life.”

My dagger is in my hand and pressing into the base of his ribcage, right beneath the bone, before he can draw another breath. “I once thought you had honor. Courage. Compassion. Choosing Vyrin will be your final legacy. Remember that.”

Further argument is forestalled by a rush of magic and shadows into the tower. Kieran and I step apart, eyes to the sky, where smoke begins to swirl overhead. Vyrin is glowing with a violet light as he summons the wild magic, even his eyes burn with it. The light of the moon and the torches around the room are consumed as an unnatural darkness spins around him.

Whispering voices ride the shadows, cold voices that cut like blades as they slide past. The blackness that circles Vyrin is thick and darker than the night. I can barely see anything through it, other than the purple glow coming off Vyrin, the pulse of incredible power. All the power he consumed, all if it being thrown into this summons, because he is clearly calling something forth.

Terror works its way up my spine as the deep dark spins around Vyrin, faster and faster. Overhead, lightning crackles in the sky and a resounding clap of thunder shakes the entire tower. The power in the room builds to a terrible crescendo, the strength of it crushing the breath from my lungs, pressing me back against the wall, pinned in place.

I know what he is summoning, because I’ve felt it before.

The storm within the tower stops abruptly, the spinning ceases, and a looming darkness shivers into place before Vyrin. A spot of blacker black amidst the dark room, a presence without a body. It rotates once, observing the room and its contents.

And then it lunges, rushing into Ellielle’s body.

She screams as it punches through her ribcage, a short cry which cuts off a moment later. Then the darkness expands within the body that was formerly hers, flaring out wings that have turned from blue to black. It grows in size, flesh morphing, bones snapping, until it resembles nothing of the angel that stood there moments before. It is darkness and teeth and claws and wings.

It is the thing that hunts me in my visions.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

ZARA

The winged darkness turns and its eyes fixate on me. Eyes that glow a deep blue like the previous owner of its body, though not much else resembles her now. A low growl vibrates across the room, a sound of hunger.

“Well,” Vyrin says, looking up at the beast in awe, “Ellielle did say she would do anything for her people. We all have a price to pay.”

“That includes you,” I snarl, despite the fear that threatens to choke me.

“One day, no doubt,” Vyrin says, unperturbed. “But not today.”

Kieran stands rigid at my side, completely silent. His wide eyes tell me he knew nothing of Vyrin’s plan to summon this thing.

“For such a very long time I’ve waited for this day…” Vyrin closes his eyes a moment in apparent bliss. “The day my magic returned to me. The day I crushed my enemy and took my revenge. So long I waited, and while I waited, I planned. And I listened.”

His eyes flick up to the creature, the ancient demon at his side. The susurration of its wings makes me shiver.

“In my dreams the darkness spoke to me, and it told me this day would come. And it told me what I needed to do.” Vyrin’s eyes lock onto mine. “Wait for the woman with purple eyes and raven hair, the one who arrives through the mist. The one who tamed the heart of a monster.”

Vyrin’s gaze pivots to Kieran. “Not one monster, but two.”

When Kieran stiffens, Vyrin lets out a low laugh. “Yes, second son. I know of you, too. The beast told me a great many things.”

“One thing remains to be done now…” Vyrin continues. “I have reclaimed my magic and I have summoned forth the beast, but we are not done. One final step is needed for me to become the most powerful being in existence, to secure my dominion for all time. After this day, I will have the magic I need to rule this entire world, from shore to shore. All of Aureon will bow to me.”

The horror of his words presses in around me, crawling over my skin and racing in my pulse. It had been horrific enough thinking of Vyrin taking over Night. But the ruler of all? A darkness consuming this entire world?

“You, Zara,” he continues, glowing eyes holding mine. “You will lead us to the source of Night.”

His words snap me from my spiral of fear. “Why do you need her?” I growl. “You have more than enough magic already. More magic than anyone.”

“That is true. But if I leave the source of magic for others to summon, I leave myself open to attack for the rest of my days.” Vyrin smiles. “I don’t just want the most magic. I want all magic. All magic, so that no one can one day unseat me.”

“I won’t help you.” I spit on the tiles of the tower floor. “Go burn in the hell you’ve created.”

Vyrin only smiles. “I knew you would say that.”

He raises a hand. Magic flares out from his fingertips and agony lances through my body, an agony unlike anything I’ve ever known. It feels like I’m being ripped apart from the inside, a million points of pain, my blood and my bones disintegrated.

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