Page 48 of A Curse of Breath and Blood (The Mind Breaker #1)

47 AELIA

“We need to get out of here,” Lucius said as fire engulfed the room.

Part of me wanted to grab the notes Erissa had kept on me, and another part wanted them to burn—to let the fire cleanse what Erissa had sullied.

“I need you to carry me,” I said to Tharan. A blinding pain ripped through my back. “I can’t walk.”

Caiden squinted at me as the flames grew, trying to decipher my face.

I wanted to shake him, to tell him everything we shared, but those memories were gone forever. My heart ached at the sight of his confusion.

“We can talk about it later,” I said as Tharan scooped me up in his powerful arms.

“Follow us,” Tharan said as we headed for the door.

Taking one last look around, I tried to find the amulet, but thick smoke blotted my vision.

I buried my head in Tharan’s neck, trying not to cry. I fucked up—sentenced Baylis to an eternity of slumber .

Gideon’s words echoed in my head. You are nothing. You are useless. Weak, pathetic whore.

Our footsteps echoed through the halls as we ran for the sewers.

“Halt! In the name of the king,” soldiers called after us.

Using two coats of armor as conduits, Caiden made a wall of lightning, blocking their path.

“It won’t hold forever, but it’ll give us more time to escape,” he said. His face strained as he concentrated on the magic.

Another troop of soldiers came bounding up the stairs. Lucius fired his crossbow into them, hitting the lead man and knocking the rest back.

The entrance to the tunnels were just ahead. The sewers meant safety.

A plume of thick, black smoke snaked its way across the ceiling, landing before us, revealing Gideon in all his dark glory. An evil smile marred his handsome face.

“Leaving so soon?” He cocked his head to the side. A strand of black hair fell in front of his eye. “I was just getting started.” He called upon some unholy power, a ball of magical light forming in the palm of his hand.

I narrowed my eyes upon him, summing every ounce of courage left in me. “Let us go, Gideon.”

Gideon shook his head, laughing to himself. “Oh, you know I can’t do that, sweetheart. Two high lords trespassed in my kingdom. I cannot let that go unpunished. And besides, you heard Erissa, we need your blood.”

My chest tightened at the look of pure chaos in his eyes. He would not let me slip through his fingers again.

“Set me down.”

Tharan lowered me to the ground, propping me up against the marble wall. Pain, like a hot knife seared into my back.

I motioned for Gideon to come near to me .

“What do you want? Do you think you can get back into my good graces?” He let out a devious laugh. “That ship has sailed, sweetie.”

While Gideon approached me, I sent a message to Tharan.

I’m going to distract him. Do not waste these moments.

Gideon saw my eyes glaze over. “You better be telling your dogs to back off.”

I gave him a half smile. “You know me so well.”

A bolt of lightning tore through him. He shook uncontrollably. Energy pulsed through him, and the smell of burning flesh filled the corridor.

Time slowed. His eyes burst from their sockets. His blood coursed with a multitude of potions and fresh sylph blood. He would not die.

Still, I felt vindicated.

Tharan lifted me back into his arms, but I could not tear my eyes from Gideon’s mangled remains. He was everything I hated about myself. Every dark thought laid bare for the world to see. I despised the person I became when I was with him, yet a small part of me still longed for his validation. He sowed a seed of doubt that grew into a towering tree. I perpetually felt “inferior,” and he affirmed it.

Gideon’s men fled at the sight of their charred king.

Reaching the little cabin, Tharan laid me on the sofa as Caiden and Lucius barricaded the door.

“We don’t have time,” I said, propping myself up on my elbows as I sucked in shallow breaths. “Go into the bedroom and get my pack. Gideon’s soldiers will be here soon.”

Caiden and Lucius stood guard at the door while Tharan went to fetch my satchel. Caiden shook his head as if trying to free a stuck memory.

Tharan emerged moments later, holding my leather bag. “Is this it?”

“Yes, bring it here.” I rummaged through it, looking for the one thing that could save us from the horde of soldiers descending upon the tiny cabin.

My pulse raced with anticipation as I pulled the Scepter of the Dead from the bag.

‘ It is time, ’ the Morrigan’s voice hissed in my head. ‘ Bind your blood to me and let me unleash my army upon these mortals .’ Excitement radiated through her ancient voice.

Calling Little Death to my hand, I pricked my finger. A drop of blood pooled on its tip.

“Tell your soldiers no innocents are to be harmed. Only soldiers and royalty.”

‘ Once you touch your blood to my scepter, the army is yours to command. ’

“What are you doing?” Tharan said, his face a mix of confusion and horror.

The sound of soldiers rattled the cabin as they encircled us.

“Come out! By order of the king. We may let you live.”

I looked at Lucius.

A single tear fell down his pale cheek.

The sound of the soldiers banging their weapons against the stone cabin rang in my ears.

I looked around at the men. Just a few months ago, they were strangers to me. A pressure built behind my eyes. I knew what I had to do—the only way to save the ones I loved. I failed them so many times before. My father, my sister, Caiden; I would not fail them again.

My eyes flicked to where Caiden stood, bracing himself against the door, fighting the exhaustion .

I swallowed hard. It was time for me to leave the Traitorous Queen behind and become the Queen of the Dead.

Setting torches to the tin roof, the soldiers hoped to burn us alive. Thick black smoke blotted out the light from the candles and filled our lungs.

Rubbing my bloodied finger on the scepter, I brought the goddess to life.

‘ Release me, ’ the Morrigan cried. A blast of cold air flooded through the windows and doors, extinguishing the flames.

“Save us!” I yelled. “I release you. Come to my aid.”

Gripping the scepter tightly, the magic seeped into my bones, binding itself to me. I gasped for air. A chill gripped my body, slowly growing more intense with each passing moment. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. The color drained from my skin as my bones became brittle.

Phantom soldiers rose from the floor, creating a barrier between the cabin and the Highland army.

Tharan scooped me up, carrying me out the front door, where Brutus Strong paced on his dappled gray gelding. His men stared dead-eyed at the ghost army before them.

“We aren’t afraid of ghosts. Are we men?”

The men beat their chests with their fists in a sign of courage.

“Let us go, and none of your men will die,” I said in a voice conjured by the Morrigan herself.Once again, I found my body being controlled by someone else. At least this time, it was my decision. My choice.

Brutus only laughed harder. “You think these apparitions will protect you? You and your friends are nothing but ants waiting to be squashed.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Kill them, and let’s be done with it.”

Plumes of black smoke rose with the red dawn as the castle burned behind us.

This would not be my ending .

As the soldiers moved closer, I raised the scepter high above my head. “Destroy them.”

The scepter took its payment. I gasped for air as life seeped out of me and into the relic.

Lowering their spears, the ghost army charged, impaling the Highland guards. Screams rang out across the snowy fields, as one by one, Highlanders fell to their knees. Their blood stained the fresh snow red.

As chaos ensued, Tharan moved me toward the pen, where Arion ran in anxious circles. Raising a calming hand, he subdued the stallion enough for me to climb on.

“You’re going to have to ride with me,” I said, slumping onto Arion’s neck. “I can’t hold myself up.”

Without hesitation, Tharan heaved himself onto Arion’s back. “You are both welcome in the Woodlands.”

Caiden and Lucius stood by the fence, taking in the carnage before them.

Lucius slid a bit into Arion’s mouth.“We will meet you there.” He handed the reins to Tharan.

They nodded at us and headed for the royal stables.

I prayed to Ammena for their safety.

Tharan clicked his heels, and Arion bolted into a full gallop. As we fled, I watched the Morrigan’s army— my army —slaughter Gideon’s men . A pang of guilt rang through my heart. They were so young. They did not deserve an ending like this. I tried to remind myself they were glamoured to feel no pain. At least Gideon gave them that.