“What do you mean?” Xander asked gruffly.
“You need to stall,” Kethryllian replied. His head swung round as he met all our gazes, one by one. When his eyes landed on me, they moved down, lingering on my stomach. This, more than anything else, confirmed what I already suspected to be true.
He spoke once more. “The six of you must do something. Anything. If you die today, Ithenmyr’s hope dies with you.”
His voice appeared in my head, his words for me alone.You carry the sparks of life in you, High Lady. Youmustsurvive.
Daegal cursed, but all I could do was stare at Kethryllian.
“Can you help us?” Xander asked, his voice jerking me out of my thoughts.
I couldn’t deal with this right now. Sparks of life or not, I needed to
The Guardian shook his head. “There are limitations on my power. The balance has shifted, and my magic is unstable.” His eyes widened as he looked at the horizon. “You must fight. This is not the right time.”
“What do you mean ‘right time’?” I asked.
“When the time is right, perform the summons,” he said, effectively ignoring my question. “Only then can you use the Gilded Amulet and restore the balance.”
A large shadow fell over us all. The sky darkened. A shiver ran up my spine, and my words dried up in my throat.
Xander didn’t lose the ability to speak, however. A curse that would have most soldiers blushing left his mouth as he thrust the amulet in my direction. My fingers barely wrapped around it before he dropped his sword on the ground. His clothes soon followed suit.
The sun disappeared entirely, and I looked up as a giant blue dragon and hundreds of Winged Soldiers darkened the sky. A pit grew deep within my stomach.
They were flying right at us. There was no time to question how they found us. No time to wonder what, exactly, Saena was doing here.
My magic pulsed in my veins, and I inhaled sharply, shuddering as Xander shifted.
Death was in the air.
Nothing Would Keep Me from My Prize
SAENA
Astrange, foreign sensation washed through me as I flapped my wings, leading my army towards the mountain. It felt like bubbles in my stomach, giving me the strangest urge to… smile. It took me far too long to realize what this was: happiness.
I could not remember the last time this feeling had coursed through my veins. But today, I was happy. Today, I would finally get my hands on the Gilded Amulet. I would no longer be at anyone’s whim. No longer be anyone’s plaything.
After this day, no one would have any power over me.
With the Gilded Amulet in my possession, the Four Kingdoms would fall at my feet. The vampire queen and the Ipothan Council of Lords would have no choice. They could either recognize my authority, or they would die. Nothing would get in my way. Especially not the enormous green dragon standing guard in front of a measly group of elves. As I swooped lower, coming closer to the mountain, I eyed the red and green ribbons in the air.
Did they think this would stop me?
I wanted to laugh. Instead, I roared and fire lit up the afternoon sky. The elves shouted at each other, and I caught sight of a strange deer standing near the group. Its flank was odd, as though it was made of bark, but it did not matter. Nothing mattered anymore.
I would destroy them all. No one would stand in my way.
The day Dante had ripped our child from my womb, leaving me for dead after calling me nothing but a dragon-whore was the worst day of my life. His actions had taught me the value of power. Of might. I thought he loved me, but I was wrong.
Love was a lie taught to weaklings.
My brother said he loved me, but that did not protect me from the dangers of this world. Dante had still destroyed everything I cared about.
No.
Love didn’t exist, and family didn’t matter. Riches and power were the only things I could rely on. Gold let no one down. Power never turned on someone, betraying them in the worst possible fashion.