With a sudden lunge, Nyx strikes, his sword slicing through the air toward Samael. Their blades clash with a resounding clang, sparks flying as steel grates against steel. They move rhythmically, almost gracefully, each parry and thrust a duel of fates. Samael counters with a vicious swipe aimed at Nyx’shead, but Nyx ducks under the blade, rolling to the side and coming up ready to strike.
The room echoes with the sound of their battle, each strike more desperate and forceful than the last. They are a whirlwind of motion, each fighter anticipating the other’s moves.
It’s time to end this, to cast all the pain he’s inflicted into the annals of history, permanently. I summon an obsidian spear, its dark sheen glinting with lethal intent. Nyx steps aside, granting me a clear path. I lunge, the air whispering past the spearhead before it finds its mark.
Silence descends, the chaotic winds cease, and the flames waver as my weapon pierces Samael’s chest. His eyes, dark pools of malice, lock onto mine. A twisted smile plays on his lips, even as the life fades from them. With a nod from me, Nyx acts—his blade arcs through the air, severing Samael’s head with clinical precision. It lands with a thud at my feet.
I stoop to pick it up by the hair, examining the sneer frozen on his face. Nyx, his magic restored, nonchalantly kicks the body before launching a fireball straight at it. I toss the head into the flames, and together we watch as Samael’s body disintegrates into ash, ensuring his reign of terror is extinguished once and for all.
Chapter 28
Nyx
With the flames extinguished,the war finally ends. I place my arm around Lyra’s shoulders, and for a brief moment she leans into me before pulling away abruptly.
“Colton,” she breathes out, her voice thick with emotion as she whirls around. I follow her into the small study across the hall. She falls to her knees beside Colton, and I have to steady myself against the doorframe, hardly believing my eyes.
He still lies on the floor in the center of the room, with Chepi nestled by his side, yipping at us and wagging his tail. I blink several times and take a step closer. Lyra’s shadows—the darkness she poured into him when he was dying—still remain.
Small inky wisps swirl around him, stitching up the last outer layer of skin on his chest. His color is restored, and when she leans over and kisses him on the cheek, I see his chest visibly rise as he takes a breath. I’ve never seen anything like it. I saw him die. His heart stopped. I am certain of it, and yet her dark magic has brought him back.
She feels his chest rise in tandem with my observation and starts to cry again, kissing him frantically on the cheeks andforehead until his eyes flutter open and he steadies her with his hand. Reaching up to cup her face, they lock eyes while everything seems to pause, even time itself, and in this moment I truly grasp the depth of their love for one another.
It doesn’t alter the fact that I need to have a serious discussion with Lyra about what I discovered in my father’s journals, nor does it change that I cannot allow her to marry him. However, I can grant her this moment of joy amidst the pain. When he sits up and pulls her into his lap with a kiss, I step out of the study, leaving them to bask in their moment.
It’s beena few weeks since the battle ended, and I think all of us are ready to leave—myself especially. Lyra and Colton have been staying with Lili while the castle’s reconstruction is underway.
It seems most of the Sorcerers were not truly opposed to Lyra’s leadership. It was all due to Samael’s control over them with that artifact, the mask. Adira, Drew’s right-hand, managed to take Citlali into custody and return her to the Lamia realm to face her own punishments.
Drew and Dorian killed Kaine and his wife but allowed the other higher council leaders to live once they swore allegiance to our side. Bim is going to stay here for a while to oversee things in the Sorcerer Realm until Lyra is ready to ascend as queen. Her birthday is fast approaching, and she will soon be of age to rule. I haven’t had any time alone with her yet to talk, and there has been too much requiring my attention here, so I think I’ll put it off for a bit longer.
“I think I have things under control here if you want to head back to Nighthold. Most of the men have already returned home, and there hasn’t been a violentattack since that night,” Bim says from where he sits at the conference table.
I lean against the window, looking out at the pine trees. “Yeah, I think I’ll do that. You’ll reach out if you need anything?” I ask, turning to look at him. He’s sorting through paperwork, and I don’t envy his job.
“Yeah, we’ll see each other at the ceremony too. Unless you’ve changed your mind about attending,” Bim says, and I pause, not wanting to divulge anything to him yet.
“Yeah, I’ll see you,” I say and channel down to the foyer.
I debate whether to say goodbye to Lyra and ask how long they plan to stay but decide it’s better not to. I need time to gather my thoughts and see what’s been happening in Nighthold while I’ve been away. After a brief stop at Drew’s, I finally make it back home, only to face Flora’s scrutiny when she storms into my office.
“What’s going on, Nyx? I know that look, and I know you’re planning something,” she says from across my desk.
I run a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of exhaustion. “It’s been a long few days, Flora. I’ve barely slept. Can this wait?” I ask, hoping for a reprieve.
She shakes her head, her arms crossed, her foot tapping in impatience. “No, it can’t wait. I’m serious. If you’re planning to crush that poor girl again...”
“I thought you were on my side,” I counter defensively, but her expression softens slightly.
“I am on your side. But this isn’t about sides. This is about letting Lyra be happy. She loves Colton and has made her choice. Don’t ruin this for them,” she advises, her eyes narrowing as she tries to convey the seriousness.
“I don’t want to ruin anything. Why would you say that?” I respond, irritation creeping into my voice.
She sighs, uncrossing her arms. “Because it’s important.You may resent him, but your feelings shouldn’t cost them their happiness. Remember, he is technically your older brother—you usurped not only his throne but also his first love, Z. Don’t rob him of Lyra as well. You can despise him if you choose, but don’t let your anger dismantle their lives.”
That hits a nerve. I pour myself a glass of whiskey, the liquid’s amber color doing little to calm me. “Don’t talk about Z,” I say sharply, pouring more whiskey than intended.
“You never want to face anything that’s painful. Remember, I lost her too, Nyx. She was my best friend, and I loved her,” Flora adds quietly.
