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

Althy, teaching me how to cook, her patience while she instructed me in the use of herbal remedies. Althy, bringing me to the marketplace in the mornings, her justified anger at those who would swindle others out of their hard-earned savings. Her compassion for the poor. Her desire to heal everyone she touched. That was the Altaecia I knew. This was not the Altaecia I wanted.

Druj shrugged. “Sakmeet served her purpose. The destiny I told her proved true—her writings will change the world. They brought us here, together. We are a powerful team, Tea.

“I have always been the same woman you knew. I do love you, and Kalen and the others. And that is why I do not wish to end it like this.” Altaecia’s face was streaked with tears. “Please, Tea.”

“You drove me mad. You made me kill my own sister! You hurt so many people, including Mykkie and Polaire.”

“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.