“She did nothing to you!” he yelled.
The queen shrugged. “She was in my way.”
“Saena—” Xander’s voice cracked.
“No!” she yelled. “I told you, I’m not the same person I used to be.”
A heated moment passed as the two shifters glared at each other. Then Xander took a step back, shaking his head.
“No, you’re not,” he said, grief filling his every word. “You killed… that was… she was… you’re no sister of mine.”
“Finally, you seem to understand.” The queen’s eyes flashed with violence. “Now, I shall ask you one more time, Elyxander.” Each word was clipped as it left her mouth. “Where. Is. It?”
Xander groaned, shaking his head. “I’ll never give it to you. You’ll have to peel it out of my cold, dead hands.”
That was the wrong thing to say. Queen Saena’s lips tilted up into a sneer as her nostrils flared. “Is that so?”
He nodded, his fists clenching at his sides.
“Wonderful,” she crooned. “I hoped it would come to this.”
“What?” Ryllae exclaimed. Shock filtered down the bond, and my bonded mate spoke for the first time since this queen landed.
Stop, I begged her silently. The last thing I needed was for this deadly queen to take notice of my Death Elf.
Luckily for us both, Saena simply laughed. “There is nothing quite like killing, wouldn’t you agree,brother?”The queen’s lips twitched, forming a horrible smile. “Oh, and Elyxander? I almost forgot. When she died, the witch cried out for you.” She tilted her evil head, her eyes flashing black. “How does that make you feel?”
Xander shouted, his howl a mix of anger and deep pain, and he charged at the queen. There was no signal. No battle cry. Just pure, unadulterated rage and sorrow.
The queen looked at him, and shelaughed.
Her aura, which should have been one solid color but was a swirl of the darkest black and deepest red, throbbed. Magic that did not belong to her spun around in a cyclone before forming a shield. Xander slammed into it, and he bounced back, slamming onto the ground. A sickeningcrackfilled the air, and for a long moment, the dragon shifter didn’t move.
“Elyxander!” Aileana screamed, spreading her hands as dozens of green ribbons swirled all around her. She ran over to her mate, dropping to her knees beside him. Her magic covered them both from sight.
“Enough of this!” the queen yelled. “If you won’t give me the amulet, I’ll cut all of you down. None will leave this place today.”
A powerful rushing sound came from above as the Winged Soldiers approached the ground. The earth shook as the first contingent landed in the valley, their black wings spread behind them. Even more remained in the sky, awaiting the queen’s command.
Saena stepped back, speaking in a low tone with one of her soldiers.
The waiting had returned.
This sickening, horrible time in between action was back. My fingers itched at my sides, and my skin felt too tight on my bones. I needed to move, but I couldn’t risk provoking the queen any further.
Footsteps came from beside me. “It appears this might be the end, brother,” Maiela said grimly, an arrow nocked and ready in her bow.
My chest tightened, and I glanced at the hundreds of Winged Soldiers darkening the horizon before us. The green shield still blocked Aileana and Xander from sight, but tension grew in the air.
It wouldn’t be long now.
My heart thundered as the waiting stretched. A hand brushed mine, and love came through the bond. My beautiful mate stood beside me, and the deer Aileana had summoned was beside her.
“I love you,” she whispered, leaning against me. “Even if this is the end, I will go to my death knowing I found my mate. I couldn’t stay back. I needed to see you.”
“Ryllae, you should—”
“No.” She shook her head, smiling softly. “If this is the end, Daegal, I would die standing next to you.”