Immortal Reign(108)

Taran and Olivia studied Magnus carefully.

“Are you well?” Olivia asked.

“I’m very well,” Magnus said smoothly, knowing it would be best if they didn’t realize what had happened. “Everything is under control.”

A bigger lie has never been spoken in history, he thought.

“I will kill your niece,” Kyan hissed from inside him. “I will burn her until she’s nothing but ashes.”

Magnus leveled his gaze at Olivia. “Fetch the child.”

She cocked her head. “Child?”

“Lyssa. Bring her here immediately.”

Olivia exchanged a look with Taran. “That’s not possible.”

“What?” Lucia exclaimed. “What are you talking about? Why isn’t it possible?”

“Princess!” Nic shouted at Lucia. “Cleo’s right. Kyan didn’t kidnap Lyssa. They never discussed her, I never saw her. I don’t know where your daughter is, but she’s not with them.”

Taran flicked his hand, and Nic went flying backward, hitting a column hard enough that Magnus heard the far too familiar sound of breaking bones.

But when Ashur moved to his side, Magnus saw that Nic still moved.

That boy was definitely resilient. Magnus had to admire him for that.

The bloodstone hadn’t stopped hurting him for one moment. It was like his hand was on fire, the searing pain sinking deep into his bones.

But he didn’t dare take it off his finger.

Lucia had a blade in her hand, a golden dagger Magnus hadn’t seen before. She raised it up. “Do you know what this is?” she asked.

Magnus shook his head.

Olivia and Taran came to his sides, but both their gazes were fixed on Lucia.

“Sorceress,” Olivia said gently. “I think you need to use a different blade. That one could be problematic.”

Lucia raised her chin, her gaze now filled with raw maliciousness. “I’m hoping it will be, actually. I’m hoping it’s incredibly problematic for you.”

“Stop your stupid sister from whatever she’s thinking of doing,” Kyan growled. “Or I will burn everything you’ve ever cared for!”

“Quiet,” Magnus muttered. “Lucia is speaking.”

“What did you say?” Taran asked.

“Nothing, nothing. Just enjoying the show.” Magnus gestured toward his sister. “Lucia, will you be getting on with the ritual? Time grows short.”

Her bleak gaze met his, but there was no recognition there. She still didn’t see him past the threat of Kyan.

“I wanted to find another way,” she said as she drew the edge of the golden blade across her palm, then dripped her blood onto each of the crystal orbs. “But there’s no choice. I don’t know if this will work or if it will kill you—” Her voice broke off. “Magnus, I’m sorry. If I’d never been born, none of this would be happening.”

“Don’t say that,” Magnus said firmly. “You have been a gift from the moment you came into my life. Never forget that.”

Their eyes met and held. And . . . yes. There it was.

Tears spilled down her cheeks.

She knew it was him.

“Stop her,” Kyan yelled from within Magnus. “I demand that you stop her! I was meant to be free—free with my siblings. I was meant to rule this world! To reform it however I saw fit! You can’t stop that! I am fire. I am magic. And you will burn!”

The orbs had begun to glow brighter, like tiny suns.

“Do it, sister,” Magnus said, steeling himself, since he knew very well how badly this could end for him. “Whatever you feel you need to do to end this, do it right now.”

“What is happening?” Taran said, moving forward. “This isn’t right. This isn’t the ritual.”

“No,” Lucia said, shaking her head. “It definitely isn’t.”

Lucia raised the blade above her head and brought it down hard over the obsidian orb.

Olivia screamed.

Taran was closing the distance between him and Lucia as swiftly as a hurricane, but not before she shattered the moonstone with the dagger’s tip. He froze in place, as if he’d hit an invisible barrier, his knees buckling from under him.

Magnus grabbed hold of Cleo’s hand, pulling her against his side.

“Do it!” Cleo yelled.

Lucia destroyed the aquamarine orb, and Cleo’s grip on Magnus’s hand became painfully tight as she cried out.

“What are you waiting for?” Magnus roared. “End this!”

The amber orb shattered on contact.

Magnus felt something hit him. Something solid and sharp and painful. It felt like his flesh was being torn from his bones.

He tried to see through the pain—toward Lucia at the table. She looked down at the broken pieces of the Kindred orbs. They were still glowing, brighter and brighter until their light began to obliterate her from his view.

Move, Lucia, he thought frantically. Get away from them.

But she stood frozen in place, as if unable to move away from the magic that was going to explode and surely destroy them all in the process.

A moment before his vision went stark white, he saw a shadow—Jonas, free from his vines, leaping toward Lucia and knocking her out of the way just as a thick column of light shot up from the shattered orbs.