Savage Beauty(64)

“Aura!” my sister screamed, catching me as I fell.

I looked at Luna. “Take my power,” I said, grabbing her hand and forcing every ounce of power I had into her. “You were born to kill him. Make me proud.” I coughed, blood spraying all over my pretty gown. Lightning crackled between our palms as my power flooded into my sister’s flesh, and she was blown back by the magical wave that crashed into her.

I fell backward, the warm earth embracing me, and stared at Mother Sun, who was almost gone. Just like me.

And then she winked brightly and disappeared altogether.

Crickets sang out. An eerie feeling stretched over the earth. My breath weakened and then finally... I felt peace. At last.

The sun in the sky was completely covered by the moon, bathing the world in complete darkness. My soul smiled, knowing what beast was unleashed in the night.





chapter twenty-six




PHILLIP

Luna saw the moment Malex’s eyes shifted to me. My skin began to crawl, but I had to do something. She needed help. The sudden power transfer had stunned her. She sat up with her mouth wide open, her breath heaving. Aura’s body was lying in the middle of her macabre garden, staring at the heavens. She’d saved Luna, surprising us all.

But Malex wasn’t one for wasting time, and Luna was within striking distance.

I ran for her. All I had was my body to defend her with, but I would do just that until he killed me, too.

A strange glow began beneath Luna’s skin, pinkish-purple and dull at first, but it soon grew brilliant. She stood and stretched her arms out to look at them.

“This is what being a full-blooded fae King feels like?” she asked, her voice echoing around us all.

Malex let out a war cry and lunged for her, but she called on the earth and a great mound rose up from behind him and swallowed him whole. A few moments later he emerged, dirt speckling every part of him. “You’re going to regret that,” he seethed.

“Let me help you, Father,” Luna said with a malicious smile.

She raised her hands, calling the thunder. Clouds stacked quickly, building into a crescendo of lightning that struck from the sky. And then the rain began to fall in heavy sheets toward the earth.

Luna wasn’t... Luna.

She was cruelty embodied.

Luna laughed while flames licked at her father’s flesh.

She swirled the flames with air she created. He cried out in agony. She had to end him, but it was killing her to do it. The power thrumming beneath her skin was pure evil.

This wasn’t Luna. This wasn’t the dark witch who turned out to have a heart of gold. This was something dark and dangerous.

She heard me running toward her and turned to me and smiled, letting go of her magic for just a second. That was enough for Malex to run her through.

A blade, thick and sharp, stuck out of her heart. Blood pooled in her mouth, coating her teeth as she gave a shaky smile and fell to her knees. “Run,” she coughed out. “Phillip, run,” she pleaded, her body folding until her face hit the ground.

“Luna!” I shouted, unsure of what to do or whether it would hurt if I touched her.

“Stupid human,” Malex snarled, spitting at the ground beside me. He put his boot on Luna’s back, pulled his sword free, and with it, he took her last breath.

Tears pricked my eyes.

“You bastard!” I launched myself at him, but there was an invisible shield around them both; impenetrable, no matter how I beat upon the surface.

“You’re wrong,” Malex snarled. “They were the bastards. Thieves. But I’ll take it all back now.”

His hand hovered over Luna’s back as the moon moved. It no longer blocked the sun and light, though muted, burst over the land once more. In that moment, I saw Malex for what he was–a monster, a father who cared nothing for the children he’d created. A pathetic excuse for a fae, who lied and deceived his own flesh and blood before tearing them to ribbons and then ending them with his own mortal hands.

He was bathed in dirt. His clothes were charred. And the scents of burnt fabric and sweat weren’t the only ones in the air. Malex was desperate.

I needed a weapon. Luna wore all types of blades, I just needed to grab one. I eased closer. Step by step, I made my way toward him.

He closed his eyes, pushing harder on Luna’s back, trying to gather his power from her. Gritting his teeth, he shook her limp body and tried again, but nothing happened. No power flowed from her into him.

“It’s not working,” I laughed.

“Shut up,” he growled, trying again.

Nothing was happening. Not like when Aura died and gave Luna her power. “Maybe all that power you’ve been seeking died with them.” Laughter bubbled up from me again. “Serves you right.”

A look of rage on his face, he approached, the sword, still slick with Luna’s blood, raised over his head.

Movement caught my eye, and when I looked, I saw Luna on her feet behind him, a vision of lovely death. She wrenched the sword away from him, catching Malex by surprise. I ducked as she spun in a full arc and sliced his head off, and then lightning fast, took off his arms. They landed on the ground beside his body and then it, too, fell to the earth with a dull thump.

Before the dust settled I was on my feet, rushing to her. “How are you alive?” I started to kiss her lips, but she raised her hair off her neck to reveal Malex’s mark. I gladly erased it from her skin, running my hands over her arms and back as I searched for wounds, but there were none beneath the shredded tunic. “How is this possible?” I asked, shocked.