The wrath of the fallen, p.64
The Wrath of the Fallen, page 64
“Get her out of here!” Samkiel yelled, his armor flowing into place. They wasted no time grabbing the bleeding Faye and disappearing into the darkness.
“I hate being stabbed,” I moaned, still holding my healing midsection.
“Agreed,” he said, his eyes blazing as he stalked toward me. “Let’s keep the stabbings to a minimum, yes?” His big hands wrapped around my arms, and he gently lifted me to my feet. “How is she still alive?” he asked, tapping my ring. “Armor, Dianna. I can’t watch you get hurt again right now.”
“I am not sure, but I have an idea, and you won’t like it,” I said, sliding my thumb across my ring. My armor slid over my body, covering me from head to toe, a feminine version of his.
“What?” he asked, sliding back his gauntlet to brush his thumb over my lower lip.
Instead of wasting time telling him while Nismera was lurking about, I showed him through our bond what Unir had said. He cursed when he learned and then cursed again.
“I don’t care,” he said. “Nismera dies today.”
“Agreed.” My sword sang into existence, and we strode back into the ballroom side by side. Smoke still filled the room, circling and curling in the air currents. The room had grown quiet. Too quiet.
“Remember what I taught you,” he said down our bond, both of us staying silent as we moved through the smoke, looking for her. “Use everything you’ve learned and never assume you’ve won.”
I nodded, and we circled each other, blades out. A streak of silver darted through the smoke to our left, and we spun, our weapons singing. A swathe of hair whipped by us to the right. She was circling us like a predator playing with its prey. The world was so silent, as if this day had been written at the beginning of time, and the universe was watching, waiting, anticipating the climax of this story.
My instincts screamed. I spun, and she was there, her face full of rage. Samkiel appeared at my side just as her blade crashed into mine. Samkiel struck, and she blocked, before slamming a kick into his chest and sending him flying backward. He hit hard, the wall cracking and crumbling before falling on top of him.
I growled and swung my blade, the steel cutting through the air. Queen against queen, each bloodthirsty and brutal, but wanting very different things. If my time here had done anything, it had clarified who I was. A forgotten queen, and I had returned ready to claim my realms at Samkiel’s side. My rage outmatched her strength as I pushed my blade off hers. Again, we clashed, dancing strike on strike, turn for turn.
“Aren’t you worried about your husband?” she asked, saying that word like a curse.
I shrugged. “He’s used to buildings falling on him. Trust me.”
She didn’t need to know that I could feel his heartbeat echoing mine. He was furious and already digging himself out of the rubble.
She charged again, and I raised my blade. She expected that, but she wasn’t ready for how dirty I was prepared to fight. I ploughed my fist into her face, connecting hard enough that I heard bone crack. Nismera stumbled back, covering her nose. Blood smeared her gauntlet-covered fingers when she pulled her hand away. Her shocked eyes met mine, and her face scrunched with lethal hatred.
I grinned and held my stance, jagged breath and all. “What? Not used to bleeding, bitch?”
Nismera snarled, the sound primal and charged. Samkiel had warned me how fast she was. She moved so quickly it was hard to track her, but I’d been trained by Kaden and Samkiel. I wasn’t just fighting an enemy. I was fighting the reason I didn’t get to grow up with my family, the reason Samkiel and I were separated for so long. She was the traitorous bitch who had poisoned his mom, turned brothers against brothers, and forced the world for her will since the moment she took her first breath. This wasn’t just a fight between rulers. This would be retribution for all she’d taken.
I took a step back. She may be a powerful sociopath, but she still had feelings and buttons I could push. I just had to find the right ones.
“Move her forward.”
“Working on it,” I mentally tossed back.
“Use that beautiful smartass mouth,” Samkiel said, and I felt his power building.
“You know, I thought at first your whole global power trip was because you weren’t loved enough. You know, prime daddy issues.”
Nismera’s lip curled before she barked out a laugh. “Please. If you think I care about that, you are dumber than I gave you credit for.”
I twisted my blade again, taking another slow, meticulous step back.
“I cannot wait to reclaim my realms and erase your name from history. All your work, all you’ve done, no one will remember. I’ll make sure of it.”
Her face tightened in hatred, and her eyes flashed red. I grinned and twisted my wrist, swinging my sword in front of me.
“I’m going to enjoy splitting that head from your shoulders,” she said and lunged at me, all swift, deadly rage.
The floor erupted, lightning shooting from beneath with a loud, thunderous crack. Nismera screamed, her form burning a painfully bright silver. Thunder roared, and hundreds of spiky bolts sparked against the ceiling and walls, consuming the stone and exposing the sky. I turned and fell to my knees, covering my eyes, the heat making my skin burn.
Samkiel appeared at my side, covered in layers of stone and soot. He slid his helmet back, his hair dark and plastered to his head with sweat, and his eyes were molten silver, brimming with his power. He held his hand out, and I took it, allowing him to pull me to my feet.
“That was cool,” I said, turning to look at the remains of the room. Half the building was gone, and a cool wind whipped in from the growing storm he’d created. Thunder echoed, mixing with the sounds of battle outside.
“Thanks,” he said, kissing the back of my hand. “I actually got the idea from you.”
“How?” I snorted. “I never burrowed my way under a building.”
He shrugged. “I’m sure you did something similar. I can’t remember.” He ran his hand over his head. “I think I hit my head pretty hard.”
“Poor baby,” I crooned. He rolled his eyes and led me toward her burned ashes. “So that’s all that’s left of her?” I glanced at him. “Don’t yell at me, but I expected more.”
His face flattened. “I swear to gods, Dianna, if you—”
And just like that, the universe laughed at us.
The silvery ashes at our feet shot straight up and swarmed us, coalescing to wrap around our throats and lift. Her form rebuilt, flowing from bone to muscle, and then skin until she was whole and undamaged once more, holding us both off the floor.
“You think you can kill me?” she snarled. “Fools. Nothing can.”
She tossed us away, and we crashed against one of the remaining walls.
89
DIANNA
I coughed as I came to and started digging my way out of the rubble. The sound of clashing steel spurred me on, knowing that Nismera and Samkiel were locked in battle. The palace shook with the force of their strikes, and I pushed myself up as she tossed him back. His armored boots slid across the floor, and he buried his sword into the stone to slow his momentum. Gods, he was amazing, but I could tell he was barely holding against her.
He leaned heavily on his sword, and when he tried to stand up, he stumbled and fell to one knee. He had fed me earlier, and I could smell his blood leaking beneath his armor. She must have cut him, and if he hadn’t already healed, it must be deep. Fuck.
I darted across the floor before dropping to my knees, sword out as I slid to her. She turned toward me, dodging at the last second as my blade sang through the air. I spun and hopped to my feet as my sword met hers. Nismera bent, and knowing what she was about to do, I raised my knee, slamming it into her face. Her head snapped back, and she cursed me. She raised her sword, and I dropped mine, falling to the ground. My palms met the polished stone floor, and her eyes widened a fraction before I used the momentum to land a kick to her chest with both feet. Her sword clattered to the ground as she went sailing into a thick column, the archway above her cracking and falling atop her.
I spared no time, turning away and running to Samkiel. He was already on his feet when I reached him. I turned to keep an eye on where Nismera had disappeared beneath the stone. She’d recover fast, but the open ceiling meant we could escape.
“Baby, you’re bleeding,” I said, my hand touching where he held his side.
He groaned as he forced a half smile. “Sometimes that happens when you fight with swords.”
“Ass.”
I pulled his hand away, looking at the damage. If it was too bad, he may not be able to hold the spike along my back to ride out of here. The silver armor I thought was damn near indestructible had a huge gash in it. Fuck, Nismera had swung her blade hard. But it was the blood pouring from the wound underneath that worried me. I might have fed too much.
“We have to leave. Now,” I said. “We put up a good fight, but we can’t beat her. Not here. Not today.”
“Putting my pride aside, I agree,” he said.
“Hold your side,” I instructed before wrapping my arm around his back. “Let me help you—”
She’s fast. Samkiel had told me over and over again, yet I’d still never learn. It was only a second since I had checked that rubble, but a second too long. Nismera stood only feet away, coated in dust and debris, holding her golden spear. My eyes widened, and my heart thudded, time slowing. Her smile was crooked and cruel, her teeth flashing brightly in her blood-covered face. She pointed the tip of the spear at Samkiel’s back, and the power along its edge grew.
I knew what it would do, what it would take, and how fast it would eat through him. Was this what the poets wrote sonnets about? Was this what Gabby had meant when she spoke of a love that far outweighed yourself?
Whatever it was, I allowed my heart to make the choice for me. My turn was nearly instinctive. Samkiel looked at me, bewildered as I held his arms. Then his eyes went wide with terror and rage. He’d seen Nismera and the spear. The power emanating from it made the air waver, but she held it, controlled it, directed it. He looked into my eyes and knew what I was going to do, and he hated me for it.
He threw his hand out, not to block the stream of power coming from the spear, but to push me away. I watched it all in slow motion, knowing it was already too late.
The light grew brighter as it hit my body. His sword clattered to the floor. Heat pierced my back, and I saw his mouth shape a word. I thought it might have been no. Fool. He was a fool to think I’d let something happen to him. Was it possible that he didn’t know how much I loved him? I was glad this was the way I left this world. It’s what I would have wanted. To die in my lover’s arms, knowing I had sacrificed my life for someone I couldn’t live without. I was able to memorize his eyes and his face, and know that the last thing I’d see would be him. He was so beautiful, and I was going to miss him so much.
I thought it would burn. That it would be agony when my body turned to ash and disappeared. But the truth was, I felt nothing, no spark, no ember, and no hint of pain. I was simply there, and then I was gone.
I sent him one final thought, hoping it would be enough to keep him from ending the world.
“Remember, I love you.”
And I hope he did.
90
KADEN
The wind tore at me, slicing through the mountains and ripping at the forest. Lightning pierced the ground over and over, and thunder growled continuously from overhead like a hungry beast. Godsdamned Samkiel, and they said I had anger issues.
Ittshare’s grin widened, and blood ran down his chin as my foot pressed down on his throat. My body jerked, and I stopped. My elbow remained cocked back and my fist raised, hanging in the air. I looked past the panicking crowd and spotted Isaiah. He was hunched over as if in pain. His eyes found mine, his brows scrunched, both of us feeling the absence of … something.
A caw sounded and pierced my ears through the chaos. Wings folded as a bird made of midnight landed on a hanging shopkeeper’s sign feet from Isaiah.
“No,” I whispered the word. Death had come, but come for whom?
Death’s hollow, opaque eyes looked at me, and the sorrow in his gaze turned my insides liquid with terror.
A crack sounded above us, followed by a deep, anguished howl. Everyone who was fighting or running stopped and glanced toward the sound. My heart thudded as day turned to night, the stars that stretched past the atmosphere blinking out as if even they sought to hide from what was coming. The dark clouds thickened and roiled, their color deepening to a violent purple.
Lightning flared inside of them, cracking against the air like whips set to skin. The wind roared and slammed us against the ground. I pushed myself up, fighting against the powerful gusts. Many of the people around me weren’t even trying to stand, but were attempting to crawl toward shelter. The clouds began to rotate, picking up speed until they shot toward the ground in a column of violence and devastation. As more and more of the death winds formed, the sky screamed as if it were in pain. They burst into existence, slapping to the ground and eating everything they touched. Nothing was spared, and nothing would be, because this storm was not just the manifestation of a god’s anger. These tornadoes were laced with the devastation that was Oblivion.
Chaos erupted.
Civilians and enemies alike, Oblivion ate it all, leaving nothing but the echoes of their screams. Their ashes joined the ravaging wind, a sacrifice to his wrath. Buildings were reduced to sand, the dark power lashing out without prejudice or reason, seeking to devour the very world. The ground shuddered and tore, the vicious tornadoes ripping at the planet. Those far too old to run held each other as Oblivion ate them. Others tried to run, holding the hands of those they cherished the most, but how could they outrun annihilation?
Was this the true power of a god? Or something far worse? I’d been wrong. Death hadn’t come for just one of us. He had come for us all.
My head whipped toward Isaiah, and I saw the reflection of my fear and anger in his eyes as we both understood what was happening.
Samkiel hadn’t just unleashed Oblivion, he’d unleashed himself. He was a violent, brutal storm. All his life, he had harbored destruction and death, somehow keeping it contained beneath his skin, but it had just been waiting for an opportunity, a moment when his control slipped. Only one thing could have caused this fracture.
“Dianna,” we said in unison, the sound lost in the wail of the wind.
Cameron landed next to us with a thud, his armor and the side of his face bloody. His eyes were wild with fear and despair, already knowing that only one thing would have prompted Samkiel to so violently unleash Oblivion on the world.
The death of Dianna.
Isaiah gave me a small, sad smile as the world descended into madness.
“I know,” I said as his skin cracked, the fractures burning brightly.
His form crumbled to ashes, and mine followed, the sensation now almost familiar.
91
SAMKIEL
There was an echo in my ears, my soul aching as if all the air in the world had been sucked out. Darkness grew, and noise battered me, but I could only hear and feel the absence of her. I wondered if that pain had ripped me open. Maybe it had flayed my skin and pierced my skull. It would explain the agony I was in. Another pulse of power tore from me, and it felt as if the weight of the world had finally been lifted from me. It was an exquisite release, a starved beast stretching free of its cage, and all it did was howl.
Nismera chuckled. “What will they say now that they see the truth of the once proud crowned king?” Nismera asked, her tone gloating. “They will finally say what I have always known. That you are nothing but a being of destruction.”
I had not realized I had moved, had knelt, until my fingers were covered in her ashes. My hands cupped her remains, and they coated my skin a deathly shade of gray. All that was left of my love fit in my palms. Droplets fell into the powdery dust. They were not tears but rain.
I thought losing Dianna would create a violent rage inside me. I thought I’d feel that void, the emptiness snapping like before, and I’d explode in anger, yell, scream, and rage, but my violence did not manifest in that way. It emerged in silence, pure, cold-blooded, murderous silence, as the remains of all I loved slid through my fingers.
One heavy boot slammed down against the floor, and then the other as I slowly pushed to my feet. An iridescent shimmer slid down my silver blade before burning obsidian black. The tip raked across the stone, sparks flying off it as I turned toward Nismera. One breath, then the other, all sound emptying from my head. I watched her eyes flicker toward Dianna’s remains before focusing back on me.
“Stop,” she said as her legion generals flooded the room. She nodded toward my hand, and they fanned out around us. I didn’t need to look. I knew Oblivion hummed in my fist.
The room darkened, and thunder vibrated the air. The wind raged, echoing the howl of anguish that roared from the hole where my heart and soul used to be. This was the beginning of a living storm, and I had no desire to even try to stop it.
Stone bent and cracked as the rest of the ceiling disappeared. Her generals screamed as they were sucked out by the force of the wind, their bodies shredding in mid air. Clouds, dense and thick, towered in the sky. Long black wisps of the same power that formed my blade whipped from the thick, towering clouds, hungrily eating every building and tree they touched. Lakes receded, leaving the water life writhing on the bare ground.
A world ending. If I cared to listen, I could almost hear the planet screaming in pain and terror, but I didn’t care. She had taken my reasons, every one of them.
Rage and hate bubbled in my gut, giving birth to a thousand and one emotions, and none of them were good. My blade sliced through the air as I lifted it, watching Oblivion crawl over the dark metal. The black coalesced at the tip, purple sparks reaching for my gauntlet as I touched it to the shiny metal. It crawled and twisted, drawing out the light until my once prestigious silver armor burned black. My head still lowered, my gaze ripped toward her. Power pulsed within my eyes with such intensity that it heated my face. It ached to be free, and I had just given it the most perfect target.
