Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5)(36)
He flashed white teeth at me through the black blood on his face. “Be happy we survived.”
I muttered under my breath, “Surviving isn’t shit, if you’re insane.”
Mrs Damon pointed one of her glowing daggers at me, not at all the prim woman she normally was, being covered in black blood like us. “Especially you, young lady! You put yourself at risk fighting up in the f*cking air with them!” More waving of her dagger. “That kind of reckless behavior is unacceptable!”
“Mrs Damon, with all due respect,” I spat on the ground, some of it black blood, “you can go f*ck yourself.” I managed a sweet smile even as I gripped my bruised ribs. My wrist was twisted and smarting something fierce. “Okay?”
She growled, but Mr Damon grabbed her arm, holding her back when she wanted to pounce on me. He waved one of his axes at the back of the room where everyone was standing completely mute, watching us, almost all the none-Royals with wide eyes. “We need to finish this, so they can get out.”
And, speak of the devil, a goddamn fire Elemental in utter stupidity stepped outside the f*cking protection right as Mr Damon was speaking…and instantly dropped to his knees, hands going to his head as he started screaming bloody murder. His eyes glowed fiercely, fire beginning to lick along his body as his power went berserk.
I cursed profoundly and raced toward him, dropping my swords to grab his head. Fire skimmed along my fingers, making me shout in pain. I still tilted his head back before he completely lost it, and I pressed my mouth to his, sucking in…pulling on my power, glowing brightly. I swallowed down the black, purified soul consuming him. I shuddered hard at the absolute malevolence, but I sent him back through the protection of the golden wall with a hard shove while I coughed and hacked. I wiped my mouth and gritted my teeth while I picked my swords back up with slightly singed fingers, straightening on wavering feet.
I pointed my swords at the stunned, silent group, someone holding the whimpering idiot behind the protection. “I swear to f*cking God, I won’t save the next idiot to step past this protection because,” I spat again, coughing, “that f*cking tastes like shit. Understand me, people?” I paused as they nodded, mute. “To make sure you all understand, here it is in simple logic: keep your f*cking hands and feet inside the goddamn ride at all times or you can kiss your asses goodbye.”
“Caro…” Unbelievably, there was a bit of a reprimand in my King’s tone.
I stared at him wide-eyed, throwing my swords out wide. “Are you f*cking kidding me? I’m worn the hell out from saving your asses, about to do something I truly hate, and that idiot,” I pointed with my sword, “can’t follow rule one!” I jabbed my right sword in the dummy’s direction with each word. “Stay. Behind. The. Damn. Protection.”
King Collins’s eyebrows rose. “Then why don’t you finish up, so you can rest?”
My nostrils flared as I watched him a moment. “You know, I’m going to ignore the fact I think you’re about ready to laugh at me, and do what I need to do.”
With a steady voice, he stated, “That sounds like a reasonable plan.”
I blinked. “You’re one damn condescending bastard.” I turned away, griping as I moved, “And I didn’t even get a f*cking thank you for my hard work.”
Mr Damon chuckled quietly, murmuring softly, “And you still won’t get one once we wipe their memories.” His brows lifted. “The Temple is sounding better and better, isn’t it?”
“Shh,” I muttered quietly, glancing back at the group. My gaze roamed and landed directly on King Zeller, whose brows had lifted, he apparently having heard the comment. “Great.” I glared back at Mr Damon. “He’s all yours when we’re done here. I’m not about to tackle his ass to do what we have to.”
“Not a problem,” Mr Damon stated factually, even as I heard a slight ruckus happening behind us. We ignored it, the three of us spreading out in the room.
“Fuck, I hope I didn’t kill as many as I think I did,” I murmured, starting to glow as I set my swords down on the ground. “This isn’t going to feel pretty.”
Mrs Damon, still covered in black blood, clipped in her prim tone, “Maybe next time you won’t rush off like the damn grim reaper, and instead hang back like you should have.”
“Enough,” Mr Damon murmured, each of us glowing brightly. All three of us were raising our arms to shoulder-level in front of us, palms down toward the ground. “Let’s finish this.”
Jaw clenched, I let my power out through my hands, bright white shining down on the floor. There was enough light from the three of us to fill our half of the room. I heard gasps and even a few screams from those in the protected area, all of them now able to see from our power the Shadow bodies littering the floor, the entire floor a freaking deadly battleground of the evil departed.
I pulled from the stars, from the pure, shouting on a groan as I drew the magnitude of malevolence into my hands, lifting my arms high. All the Shadows I had killed elevated into the air. Which was at least half of the Shadow bodies. I screamed, “Ah shit, this is gonna hurt!”
I slammed my hands down hard, unable to do anything else. I let the fire from the stars out through my palms, the dead Shadows I had killed instantly shattering into millions of tiny pieces. Groaning, I crashed my hands together, and all of those pieces flew in front of me in a straight line. I shouted the order, stars sparkling with each of my breaths, “Come to me.”