The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch #3)(107)

“As did you, Tea. In our quest to protect those we love, sometimes we end up hurting them worse. But we will solve all that. No more magic. No more hatred. Fox will live. I will make sure of it.”

“Not at the price you’re asking.”

“Then I have no choice, my love.” Althy bent over Kalen, and her fingers moved.

A pure burst of Wind tore through the air, sharp as a sword’s blade and just as deadly. It was Althy’s turn to fall to her knees, gasping in shock as blood dripped from the wound across her chest.

Likh was crying, her hands raised as another Wind rune formed against her palm. “We loved you, Althy,” she choked. “Why would you do this?”

My sister asha laughed weakly. “You are far too young to understand, Likh.”

“You tried to kill me. You blighted me, knowing what it would do. You are trying to kill us now. There is nothing else to understand.” Another sliver of Wind sliced at Altaecia’s knuckles, and the woman cried out in pain. Khalad grunted. He was still out on the ground, breathing hard like he’d been running. His face was strained from sweat and exhaustion, though I was certain he had not been hit. Heartshare, I realized. Like Kalen and I, like Mykaela and Polaire, they had…

I struggled against Druj’s control, but she held fast with little effort, staring in fascination at the scene before her without bothering to intervene. Well now, she enthused, shall we see what unfolds here?

Frantic, I grappled for a way out. Her possession of me was complete; there were no weak spots in her compulsion that I could find. But even at this most vulnerable moment, I could sense Kalen faintly, a remnant from our own heartsharing. I tried to move toward him. Our connection had saved us in the past. Surely…

Tea.

“You are powerful, Likh,” Althy complimented her. “Tea was right. You would have been one of our best asha.”

“Please don’t make me do this,” Likh begged, as sharp Wind brushed against the older woman’s neck, ready to strike the killing blow.

Altaecia closed her eyes. “If I have to sacrifice my life for you to understand, Likh, then I will gladly do so, with all my being.”

Wind died down. Likh made a strange choking noise. Her hands fell against her own neck, her eyes wide. And then I saw the Blight rune surrounding her. No! I screamed, as Druj lifted her fingers, prepared for the last stroke.

The Heartshare rune shone, bright and beautiful. Asleep or not, Khalad’s strength was counteracting Likh’s impending transformation. But it was taking far too much from him, and I knew with sudden clarity that he too would die.

No! I struggled to break free, finding enough strength to redirect Druj’s attention back to me. For the first time, I could feel her difficulty restraining me, the Blight rune forgotten in her desire to overwhelm me again.

No! I cried out. Kalen struggled to his feet despite his injuries. His Wind rune was deadlier than Likh’s, with none of her hesitation. Altaecia raised her hand to construct a Shield of her own, but Kalen’s rune sliced through hers like there was no barrier. The woman screamed as it chopped off one of her hands, the useless wrist dropping to the floor.

The Blight rune flickered and faded. The young asha had not yet transformed, and I had no idea if she was dead or alive, or if the Heartforger was all that was keeping her from her horrific change. I could see the Heartshare rune wrapping itself around them without anyone’s direct guidance. And Kalen doggedly constructed more wards around them both despite his own injuries.

Still, I was trapped. I pushed and shoved against Druj with all my might, but it was like fighting a brick wall with bare fists. She wasn’t just controlling me; she was depleting my strength. I could feel my energy draining from me and adding to hers as she greedily consumed my Dark like a parasite. Severely weakened, I could only watch helplessly as Altaecia rose to her feet, clutching her stump, and turned toward Kalen.

Tea?

No. There was one thing I could do.

I turned toward another brick wall in my mind, planted there not by Druj, but by my own resolve. Desperate, I took hold of the wall I had painstakingly built and clawed my way through until the Veiling broke from the force of my despair, until the door opened.

Tea!

A familiar and warm feeling took over. For a brief moment, I could almost imagine that Fox was beside me, so overpowering was his presence. I pushed with all my might and tore Druj’s grip from my thoughts. I felt her stunned surprise as her presence faded from my mind, replaced by the warmth of my brother’s. The backlash was horrible. Druj flung herself away with a short scream, crumpling onto the ground.

The akvan reared up and screeched. No longer under anyone’s control, it thrashed across the shoreline, its head shaking in agony.

Kalen had already collapsed, gasping into the sand. Altaecia staggered forward. Her uninjured hand was tracing another symbol. The Wind rune appeared around Likh.

“I am sorry, my dear,” Altaecia said sadly. “But we do what needs to be done.” She raised her arm.

The blow never came. Her hand dropped uselessly to her side as she stared down at her chest, where my knife had run her through.

Blood bubbled from her mouth, and my mentor fell. Weeping, I removed the dagger from her body, sinking to my knees before her. She had been responsible for so many atrocities. She had poisoned me, doomed Likh, caused so much death… Still, I couldn’t stop crying.