Page 39 of A Clash of Embers

I saw the animosity building in Eros’ eyes directly in front of me. I was in the middle of breaking the bond between us, and Ihad a choice. I could stop and help Riley, possibly saving his life, or I would end this now.

Riley's shield came into view along with his large Fae wings that were light brown with speckles of white woven throughout. His head whipped toward where I was levitating above the ground as his eyes widened, flickering his eyes between my neck and Eros.

The clarity hit him just as Eros did. He struck Riley with a hard blow from his sword across Riley's shoulder. Quickly, Riley regained his focus and footing, pressing forward against Eros. Riley struck back against him, but he was too slow. Eros was already moving to make his final strike, but what he did surprised us both.

He pulled Riley around to his front pushing him onto his knees in front of him, making him face me as he held the sword to his neck. Pressing ever so slightly that blood was leaking down his neck.

My eyes were pleading, begging for Eros not to kill Riley. He didn't deserve to die. He never asked for any of this. He only wanted to have a future. A future that was slowly being taken from him.

"Sweet Clara. You have a choice. If you break our bond, he dies." He gestured to the sword pressed against Riley's neck and his eyes widened with fear. I felt it. It made me nauseous and my breathing quickened just as Riley's did.

"But if you end this madness right now, I won't kill him," he spoke softly as if he was trying to be intimate with me.

My eyes flashed between the two men in front of me. I could end everything right now between the two of us, but I would also end Riley's life. I wouldn't have another opportunity like this one ever again. I closed my eyes for a moment and the first thought I had was that Riley would die either way. I didn't trust Eros. He'dkill him regardless. I tried to speak to Riley through my essence. My power.

Riley, I have to end this. Either way, it isn't going to end the way we want it to. I am so sorry.

Riley's dark brown eyes filled with tears that fell down his blood-stained cheeks. All he did was close his eyes and nod his head slightly in agreement.

I returned my gaze to Evander. Eros Vander Aster. The fallen angel. My mate.

The power in my eyes didn't falter as I stared at him. He knew my choice now. He knew what I would do. I saw his hand flex over the sword and press into Riley's neck as he closed his eyes. Not wanting to show me his fear any longer.

When our stars align,Riley.

I dug deep within me, to the growing essence that slumbered in the part of me that I kept safe. I never thought that I would do this. I would end this bond between the man that I thought loved me, but I'd never know if I kept us tied. I had to do it.

My hands lifted next to my body as if holding the world of Darthium in my hands. My head snapped back as I remembered what Bethany had told me. How to break the bond. I had to imagine the ink written into my skin dissolving. I had to imagine that this tie between Eros and I was broken. Torn apart. My head snapped to the side as I felt the heat searing from my neck, the bond was being broken. The pain was indescribable.

A scream made me turn my head in the direction that it came from. Eros was screaming, his eyes glowing a bright green. His neck shone as the flare lived within him and rays of light pierced through his skin where our bond lived. I felt the bond between us starting to dissipate when I felt a blow to my side. Causing me to tumble to the ground. Someone had tackled me to the ground and now I was out of the trance.

Gods, did I finish it? Are we still mated? I gripped my neck and it felt like the marking was gone.

When I looked around to see who had knocked me down, I thought I would jump on him and start beating the shit out of him. Because of Leo, I could possibly still have Eros as my mate. I heard a growl and I turned my head quickly to see him standing with Riley's head in his hand as the rest of him lay on the ground.

"No. No. No!" I screamed and when I did the power echoed off my skin and took everything in front of me down. The trees, the species,Eros.

I stood and started to walk towards him when he was able to scramble to his feet. I snatched the sword from the ground and charged him. "Why would you kill him? He has done nothing wrong. He was only protecting me. Why would you—"

I felt a strange sensation spread across my back and I couldn't move. My entire body was still. I saw the smile creep onto Eros's face as he stepped towards me, and I wasn't able to react. Just move my eyes to follow him.

"You've made a mistake." He pulled his sword out and pressed it into my neck, but that is when I saw a Lilith Silver blade in my peripheral vision pressing into Eros's neck. The man holding it was Leo.

"If you hurt her, I will kill you right here.Rightnow." He grumbled and stepped closer to him with no fear. "She's made it clear that she doesn't love you. She does not want the bond between you two. She is done."

The smirk on Eros's face spread as he dropped the sword at my neck, sheathing it on his belt, with the Lilith blade still stuck at his own. He stepped into Leo and sighed, tilting his head.

"You love her? Is that what you want? To be withmymate?" He questioned with an intrigued voice.

"She is no longer your mate. She made sure to end that between you two. You—"

Immediately, Leo froze. Unable to move or speak, but not because he couldn't. Because he realized something. Something that he shouldn't know.

Chapter 19

"You want to be the man you were for her under the curse. You want her." Eros smiled as he reached out and gripped Leo's shoulder.

Leo quickly swung the sword, but it wasn't fast enough. Eros gripped Leo's neck and I screamed.

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