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Grayden's voice came through her mind loud and strong. She instantly panicked. What did he mean, take care of Selenia? What was he doing?

Renya looked up and spotted him, waving his hands at the top of the hill in front of her.

“No!” she screamed, racing towards him. But it was too late.

The large dragon landed on the hill next to him, red talons digging into the earth. Renya could just make out Cressida, wearing blood red armor and thigh high leather boots. She slid off the dragon, approaching Grayden. He pulled out his sword and lunged at her, but her magic was too fast. Her dagger was outstretched, her magic now binding Grayden, holding him still.

Renya ran as fast as she could, her legs barely touching the ground as she sped towards Grayden. A few Shadow Realm soldiers tried to stop her, but she lashed out with her magic, the golden tendrils knocking them over before they could touch her. She made her way up the hill, stumbling and screaming at the top of her lungs.

“It's not him you want. It's me!”

Cressida turned towards Renya, a vicious and victorious smile on her pale face.

Grayden's eyes reflected the horror he felt. Unable to move, he stood there, helpless and gagged by magic.

“Why, if it isn't our star-crossed lovers,” she cooed, her voice soft as silk and sickeningly sweet. “Have you come to trade your life for your mate's?”

“Yes. Let him go, and you can take my power. And then you can kill me. Just please, let him go.”

“I'm not sure that's a deal I want to take,” Cressida said, moving towards Grayden. She slid a long nail against his cheek, cutting his face with the sharp edge until it bled. “It's much more fun to hurt him and watch you suffer. Tell me, do you feel what he feels? Do you enjoy your little bond?” She sneered as she gripped her dagger and slid it in between the unprotected side of Grayden's armor, piercing his body deeply.

“No! Please stop!” Renya sobbed, unable to stand the sight of the knife in Grayden's flesh, the pain he felt making her ill as she experienced it through their bond. “I'll do anything.”

“Will you?” Cressida purred, holding the dagger in place at Grayden's side and fixating her violet eyes on Renya. “Would you vow to join me?”

What? Join her? Renya couldn't even comprehend what Cressida was asking. She assumed her power would be taken and she would be discarded immediately.

“Please, just take my power and kill me. Let him go.” The sobs continued and Renya dropped to her knees as the blood ran down Grayden's side and onto the dirt below him, pooling at his feet. His eyes were wide, and he was losing blood too quickly.

Cressida twisted the dagger and unbound Grayden at the same time. Free of the magical bindings, he cried out before he hit the ground, bleeding worse than before. Renya moved towards him, but Cressida's magic turned toward Renya and trapped her instead.

The Shadow Queen moved back towards Grayden as he struggled to get to his feet. She kicked his injured side, and he grunted and fell back to the ground. The wound continued to hemorrhage, and Renya could do nothing but watch as his life's essence spilled on the dirt.

Renya continued to sob hysterically. “Please…” she begged. The desperation surged through her, and she knew in that moment, she would do anything to save him.

Cressida sank to where Grayden lay. He was still struggling to get up, even though he could barely move. Renya could see him reaching for his dagger in his boot. Before he could grasp it, Cressida's magic reached out and froze him. She brought her own dagger to his neck, ready to finish him off.

“I'll do it!” Renya screamed, the horror of the moment almost making her faint. “I'll join you.”

Cressida looked at her and smiled cruelly and then licked her lips. “You'll need to promise in blood.”

“I'll do anything,” Renya said, unsure of what she was agreeing to, but determined to save Grayden.

Cressida once again released her hold on Grayden. He struggled to get up, his hand clutching his side. “Renya, I'm not...worth it. Please. You have to give me up—you know it, and I know it. This is...not how your story ends.”

She looked over at his handsome face, covered in dirt, blood and sweat. She could see the moisture in his eyes and knew this would hurt him almost as much as her death would have. But she couldn't let him die. She wouldn't let him die.

Cressida grabbed the dagger and sliced her hand before doing the same to Renya. At this point, Renya was so numb that she didn't even feel the pain from the cut. Cressida pressed their hands together, their blood mixing together. “Do you promise to join my cause and take up my fight?”

“Yes,” Renya said, trying not to look at Grayden while Cressida conducted the ritual. The second Renya said the words, she felt the anguish rip through Grayden. She tried to hear his thoughts, tried to push into his mind, but all she could sense was his pain, both emotional and physical.

Cressida smiled, her look sinister and dark. She grabbed Renya, pulling her towards the dragon.

“No! Please, just let me say goodbye!” She pulled free of Cressida and ran over to Grayden. Renya threw herself against his chest and kissed him passionately. Their tears mingled together, and she couldn't believe she had to be parted from him again. But she'd rather bear their separation than his death. Grayden clung to her, his mouth trying to kiss every part of her face, knowing it was the last time.

“I'll always be with you,” she whispered, the pain between the two so intense that it was almost incapacitating them both. “I'll always love you. Please, don't come for me. Stay safe.”

Before Grayden could respond, Cressida pulled her away. Renya kicked and screamed, shouting obscenities. She managed to break Cressida's hold for a split second, but the Shadow Queen just laughed and bound her with magic once again. She used her powers to manipulate Renya onto the back of the dragon. A harness, almost reminiscent of a saddle, was secured to the back of the huge beast. Cressida forced Renya down into the seat before tying her hands to the saddle. She moved to the front, and the dragon took to the sky.

Renya watched Grayden grow smaller and smaller before he disappeared and all she could see was the darkness of the night sky. As they soared higher, the cold air bit at her tear-stained cheeks. She closed her eyes, trying to reach out to Grayden through their bond one last time, but found only a hollow emptiness. Whether it was the distance or Cressida's magic, she couldn't tell.

The dragon banked sharply, and Renya's eyes snapped open. Below her, the Twilight Kingdom burned, orange flames licking at the night sky. The sight of destruction brought a fresh wave of guilt and sorrow. How many lives had been lost because of her? How many more would suffer under Cressida's rule?

“Beautiful, isn't it?” Cressida's voice carried over the wind, filled with cruel satisfaction. “This is just the beginning. With you by my side, we'll reshape this world into what it was always meant to be.”