Page 96 of The Wolf Queen

When I flopped on top of Callum’s body, he went to cradle me close, but I fought that to the last, flipping over with agonising effort, then using what strength I had to raise my sword. In my dream I was a raven, flapping so fast and so hard, trying to stay out of the wolf’s maw, but confronted with it now, it wasn’t so bad.

“Bryson…” It hurt to utter his name, to say anything, coughs wracking my body, but I forced myself to say it again. “Bryson, come back to me.”

The giant wolf blinked, those golden eyes seeming to finally see me which allowed this to happen. The black fur melted away and the man returned, golden and perfect, as he bent over me.

“Look after them,” I croaked.

“Darcy…” His hands roamed all over me, touching my face, my sides. “Darcy, we’ll find help. I’ll get a healer.”

“Look after all of them. The children…”

“No.” I heard the hysterical edge along with all that royal arrogance as he denied me. “No! Darcy, no…!”

“I can’t do this without you.” My hands shook as I struggled to hold the sword up and his took over without thinking, because some part of him knew. He’d entered this battlefield, ready to lay waste to whatever was upon it.

“Use the wolf,” I gasped out. “I have to go, but I don’t have to take you all with me.”

“No, Darcy…” His hands closed over mine which were wrapped around the hilt of the sword, but he wanted to prise them away from it. “Don’t ask me to do this. Please.”

“I’m glad I found you.” I forced myself to smile, my spare hand rising up to stroke his cheek. “I wish we’d known each other earlier.”

“We can make up for that time,” he told me. “We’ll find a way. Just stay with me, my mate. Stay with me!”

“Break the mate bonds,” I ground out.

“No.”

My arms shook with the effort, the pain starting to spike.

“Break them, please. I have to do this. It’s what I was born to do. Callum would never live if it wasn’t for me, and now we have to die.”

Tears slid free of those golden eyes and I wiped away each one. My own followed suit, dropping into the dirt. Death was coming for me, no matter what, but I would meet her on my own terms.

My Strelan mates, they were of the land, granting me the ability to grow, to change, to build things, but Bryson? His power was always destructive, something that had to be held back.

Until just the right time.

It hurt each time my mates claimed me, their bite marks sinking into my neck, but I’d leaned into the pain each time, embracing what it meant. I did the same now, as each one was torn from me, an answering shout of pain and loss from each one of my mates telling me that it had happened. Bryson stared down at me, mouth twisting in a grimace, right before he tore the last one from me.

I was free,floating light as a feather, without a single connection to weigh me down. The feeling of it was dizzying, disorientating. But with what strength remained, I gripped my sword.

“Don’t, please…” Bryson begged. I saw one tear slip, then another and each one that touched me felt like the gentlest of rain. I had Callum’s arms around me, but as I closed my eyes, I imagined they were his, Dane’s, Weyland’s or Gael’s, Axe’s as he snuggled down into my hair. All of them, all at once, that was the point when I could let a sigh out.

And drive the Sword of Destiny home.

I’d thought my destiny entailed fighting for my country, reuniting it, but really it was to die.

And so, I did.

The Morrigan didn’t laugh as she took me. I heard the flutter of raven’s wings, then the soft brush of feathers and then everything went black.

Chapter55

I woke to the feeling of sun on my face and when I groaned and rolled over, I found myself in a very familiar place. This bed, this room, the way the shadows of the trees outside played along my walls. I blinked and then opened my eyes fully.

I was in my childhood room in the keep.

“You’re finally awake, sleepyhead.”

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