Bay grinned and her spirit form bounced happily at Emon’s suggestion. "Yes, that threat may also force their allegiance should things go badly."
I sighed, eyeing my shifter with wariness, despite Bay’s excitement. Emon was becoming more and more volatile and the shadows in his eyes were the same shifting darkness that distracted me when I peered into his aura. It had been there for just mere seconds but it was enough for my instincts to tell me something was wrong…severely wrong. Pursing my lips, I braided my dry loose hair back, grateful Bay's power had kept the rain from me for now, but once she became my shadow I would be exposed to the raging weather once more. This way, at least it would be manageable.
Flipping it back over my shoulder, I looked down at Riella, Zaki, and Emon. "Stay safe, please." Breathing deep, I rolled my shoulders and cracked my neck side to side. "I am ready Bay and I am honored to have you as my friend and shadow."
Bay's eyes tinged with pink again, washing away from the storm. "I am only sorry my death will cause you pain, my goddess and friend.Ligare."
Her bright electric blue soul sprung outward, straight into my chest. Kneeling with a gasp, I coughed before taking over her memories of her death, the last moments Kira, the former leader of the water fae, had robbed of her beautiful life.
Chapter 53
CatchingRemnantbeforeshefell, I held her tightly to my chest, attempting to shield the heavy downpour of rain plummeting down upon her. The rain shield the water fae had created to keep her dry had disappeared the moment she crashed into my soulmate's body, drowning her once again in the torrential water.
Lightning cracked like shattered glass in the sky, a rolling thunder soon rattling our bodies, followed by a suddenly fierce blustering wind, kicking up the water from the step and with it—a rotten decaying stench of death.
Jerking, I bared my fangs into the sparkling rain soaked night.
"It's the north wind Fi," Riella called out to me, the shadows still keeping her somewhat dry as she used her spear to stay steady on the step.
Lowering my gaze, I ran my hand through my hair questioningly, "What news does she bring,my cub?"
Riella tilted her head, the winds swirling around her, whispering its secrets. "She says…a dark one comes, eyes of black, and he brings stones of red. Death, death is coming."
"When has itever not come for us," I snarled, gently laying Remnant's body down on the step, already seeing the struggle start to claim her body.
Even my soulmate faced death in memories of another. It sunk its claws into her, shredding her to nothing but pain and grief, and I fuckinghatedit.
Hated every painful wrinkle on her face as she whimpered from the torture, hated every gasping breath she took as someone stole her life, hated every tear that fell down her cheek as she grieved for another soul she still believed she should have saved.
My hands fisted at my sides.
She owed themnothingand yet here she was again, giving everything. Down to the very final thud of her heart. I looked up at the waterfall of steps unable to even see past the rain where The Well speared the very clouds.
She had thousands to climb, thousands of deaths to suffer, lowering my gaze I felt my body swirl with darkness, felt the hunger consume me. There would be no more death weighing upon her, no more than that she already had taken on. Whatever came thisway, it was mine to war with and it wasn't going to fucking win.
Both Riella and I tilted our heads when the winds began to howl with the thunder roaring above us, erratic screams calling out from the horizon.
"Faedere," Riella breathed, stepping closer to me with her spear. "They sound like the beings when we first entered Hell."
I growled low, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. "Demons," I glared in their direction, lightning illuminating the winged beings in the distance.
Riella sniffed and wrinkled her nose, "And blood wraiths."
I nodded, not taking my narrowed gaze off the hidden army heading for us. "Yes."
A faint steady beat of drums pulsed through the storm, streaks of fire bursting through the heavy downpour bringing with it the stench of decay mixing with the sharp bitterness of rage, resentment and a burning desire to destroy.
A burning desire I felt deep in my core as well, a fiery rampage that wanted to consume, the anger never being satisfied…the wrath always thirsting.
I crouched low, staring straight into my daughter's eyes, soaking up every golden swirl mixed with her mother's emerald green, imprinting the vision of her forever in my mind. "It seems the blood goddess has joined forces with the demons of Wrath, my cub."
Riella's lip trembled. "Is she coming for me again, will they take me away from you and maedere?"
Sweeping her up into my shadowy arms and feeling her small heart thundering fiercely against me, I soothed her with a rumbling purr, "I won't let that happen my cub, but I must go and meet them before they get closer to you or your mother."
Riella arms tightened. "I don't want you to go," she whimpered.
I squeezed her back. "I know my cub, I know."
