Winter's War (Her Guardians series Book 4)(44)
“I’m a demon, I don’t play fair, so don’t expect it, boy,” he shrugs, looking every bit like my father as he does.
“Good thing I don’t either,” I say and use my vampire speed to rush at him, catching him off guard a little and cutting his side. He swings around, and I block with my own sword as he throws hit after hit, and I block him. He shocks me by using a red wave of his power, but my sword blocks it, cutting through the wave. His eyes widen as he takes in my fray touched sword, one that Freddy had his friend make for me. I manage to get him back across the room towards the portal with the fifth hit. He knows it by the evil smirk he gives me as our swords clash, and he throws wave after wave of red power between the hits. I look over to see Jaxson holding Winter as she screams for him to let her go and to help me. Her blue eyes meet mine, filled with worry, but I look away before I can feel any guilt for not spending more time with her. For not telling her what I planned today. I focus back on the demon king, his red eyes bright with power as he hits my sword again with a big bang and I twist, so my back is towards the portal. The coldness of the portal hits my back as I’m pushed against it with every hit of our swords. I hit him once more, but this time jump off the ground, catapulting over him and slam my legs into his back He looks on in shock as I send him flying against the ground in front of the portal, and his sword falls into the portal. I run after him and pick him up, pushing him into the blue portal with both my hands. I pull the crown off his head quickly with one hand, as he struggles to hold onto my other hand that is pushing him further into the portal. I edge my feet closer, knowing he could easily pull me in with him at this point.
“If I’m going, then so are you,” he says as he struggles against me, and I push once more and let go, as I feel a sharp pain through my heart. The demon king laughs as he disappears into the portal, and I look down at the silver dagger in my heart.
“No, it can’t be that,” Dabriel says, standing up from the chair he is sitting on in the meeting room. Atti and Jaxson look at me in shock, not expecting me to tell them this when I asked to speak to them all before the war tomorrow. I called this meeting because Winter has to survive, nothing else matters to me, and I know they feel the same way. I never expected to fall for her, to love her more than myself.
“Listen to the prophecy: the words. I know it’s me. I saved her, I brought her back to life. I’m her saviour,” I tell Jaxson. I don’t need to convince them what I already know.
“It’s bullshit and doesn’t mean anything. I’m not losing you because of some old prophecy, not after everything we have been through,” Atti snaps out.
“The blue-sided human will choose a side.
When four princes are born on the same day, they will rule true.
Her saviour will die when the choice is made.
If she chooses wrong, she will fall.
If she chooses right, then she will rule.
Only her mates can stop her from the destruction of all.
If the fates allow, no one need fall.
For only the true kings hold her fate, and they will be her mates.” I repeat the prophecy to them all, and they silently watch me.
“Every part of the prophecy has already come true. We were born on the same day, she chose right and rules all races. We as her mates stopped her from destroying everything with the demon king . . .,” I say and clear my throat. “To close the portal, someone of her blood must die. I can feed on her and have her blood. I’m her saviour, and I will die for her.” I finish my sentence, and Jaxson punches the wall next to him. Atti looks up at the ceiling, and Dabriel looks down at the ground. There aren’t many words that can be said, nothing will change what has to happen. It will be me or her, and I’m going to make sure it’s me. I just hope she knows the strength of my love for her, it’s everything to me.
“Did you always know?” Atti asks me quietly, a look of shock on his face as he meets my gaze. His voice sounds like he has given up all hope, and he finally understands how I’ve been feeling for a long time.
“No. Not at first. I realised when she came back to life, and I had saved her,” I tell him. I remember when I walked into the bedroom and saw her awake on my bed. I remember kissing her as I realised that I saved her and what that meant. Every part of me wanted to run away until she woke up, and then I knew, I knew I’d never leave her. If it meant death, then that was the price I’d willingly pay for my time with her. I never had true happiness, not with anyone, until her.
“That’s a long time to know,” Jaxson practically growls and starts pacing the room.
“The prophecy still says, ‘If the fates allow, no one need fall,’” Dabriel says. I know that part of the prophecy, but I doubt fate can save me now.
“Tomorrow, you need to get Winter out of the way,” I tell Jaxson, who stops pacing and rubs his face with his hands.
“She will hate me for not stopping you. She will hate us all for knowing. We have to tell her,” Jaxson says.
“If you tell her, she will never let me in the castle. She would die to save us all.”
“I think that’s been her plan all along,” Atti says quietly.
“I want her alive, but this is too much, what you’re asking for,” Dabriel says, shaking his head.
“Let’s put this simply, if any of you could die to save her, would you?” I ask them, and they don’t say anything, which is the answer I needed.