Page 19

Time stretches, slowing to an unbearable crawl as the world around me dissolves into chaos. The roar of battle fades, muffled and distant, as if I’m underwater. My eyes lock onto the Mirror of Thorns in my trembling hands, its surface swirling with shadows and light. My chest feels tight, as though I can’t draw a full breath, and tears stream freely down my face, hot and unrelenting.

Lucian’s voice echoes in my mind. “It has to be your call.”

I’ve fought so hard to get here, risked everything for a chance to save Lara. Every step, every choice, every sacrifice has led to this moment. My hands ache from holding the Mirror, but it’s not the weight of the relic that overwhelms me; it’s the choice it demands. The choice I have to make.

My thoughts spiral, fragments of memories colliding in my mind. Lara’s laugh, bright and carefree. Her voice calling my name in the woods. The blood, the emptiness, the desperate hope that I could somehow bring her back. And now, this. This relic that holds the power to end the Solstice Society’s reign but might also extinguish my last chance to save her.

“Sylvie.” Lucian’s voice pulls me back to the present. I look up, meeting his gaze. His eyes are steady, unwavering, but I can see the concern beneath the calm. He crouches beside me, his presence grounding me in the chaos.

“It’s your choice,” he says quietly, his voice low enough that only I can hear. “Whatever you decide, I’ll stand by you. Even if it means we die trying, I’ll fight for you. But you have to decide now.”

Tears blur my vision as his words sink in. I glance at the Mirror again, its glow pulsing faintly, as if it’s alive. “Lucian,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “If I destroy it, what happens to Lara? What if... what if it means she’s gone forever?”

His expression softens, and he places a hand on my shoulder, steady and reassuring. “I know how much she means to you,” he says, his tone filled with a gentleness that almost breaks me. “But this isn’t just about Lara anymore. If you don’t act, Amara’s magic will destroy everyone here. And then none of us will have a chance to save her.”

The Mirror feels like it’s burning in my hands, its power thrumming through me, as if it’s waiting for me to make a decision. My tears fall onto its surface, disappearing into the shifting shadows.

A sharp blast jolts me back to reality. Vada’s body hits the ground, motionless. Amara’s magic swirls violently around her as she cackles, her hysteria reverberating in the air, the air thick with her oppressive force.

“Sylvie, we don’t have long,” Lucian urges, his grip on my shoulder tightening. “You have the strength to do this. I know you do.”

But do I? The question pounds in my head, relentless and cruel. I’ve come so far, but standing here now, I feel like a frightened child lost in the dark. I glance around at the others, their faces etched with determination and fear. They’re all waiting, trusting me to make the right choice.

Everyone in this room has trusted me—to some point. They’ve helped me, whether impassively or out of the kindness of their hearts. Ravenna didn’t have to offer me a job, didn’t have to help me meet with the Guild or get three of the most powerful witches to help me. Nicole and Rebecca—they’ve been nothing but helpful and kind to me from the first day I stepped foot onto Blackthorne soil. And Lucian…

I could never repay him for everything he’s done. The help he’s given.

And I love the man that’s staring into my eyes, waiting for me to make a call that could end his life for good. Allowing me the choice. My sister, or him.

It’s an impossible choice, but it’s one I have to make.

Ravenna’s voice cuts through the fog. “Sylvie, listen to me. If you don’t destroy that Mirror, Amara’s magic will only grow stronger. She’ll kill us all, and everything we’ve fought for will be for nothing. I know it’s a terrible choice, but you have to make it now.”

“You are all idiots!” Amara screams. “The girl will never destroy it. Her sister’s humanity depends on that relic. Quit while you’re ahead. Bow to Solstice and we’ll take mercy on you,” she says, a wide sneer on her face. “For a little while, at least.”

The amount of absolute disdain I have for this woman takes hold of me as a strangled cry escapes me as I clutch the Mirror tighter. My vision blurs, and my chest heaves with silent sobs. The world feels like it’s crumbling around me, and I’m the only one holding it together.

Lucian’s hand moves to my face, his thumb brushing away a tear. “Sylvie,” he says softly, his voice steady despite the chaos.

I close my eyes, drawing in a shaky breath. The weight of the Mirror presses against my palms, and for a moment, I let myself feel the pain, the fear, the hope. Then I open my eyes and meet Lucian’s gaze.

“I know what I have to do,” I whisper, my voice trembling but resolute. And with that, I make my choice, tears rolling down my cheeks as I do so.

I grip the Mirror tighter, its surface pulsating with an otherworldly energy that courses through my veins like liquid fire. Every fiber of my being feels stretched to its limit, the weight of the relic pressing down on me, demanding more than I think I can give. My chest tightens as fear claws at the edges of my resolve. What if I fail? What if destroying this takes everything—my life, my soul, my chance to save Lara?

I’d rather die trying to protect the people I’ve grown to love.

There’s no room for hesitation. I plant my feet firmly, drawing in a ragged breath as I summon every ounce of strength I have left.

“Please,” I whisper to whatever power might be listening. “Please let this work.”

I close my eyes, my trembling hands pressing against the Mirror’s cold surface. The energy radiating from it lashes out, jagged and sharp, cutting into me like shards of glass. My head throbs, my heart pounding so hard it feels like it might shatter, but I hold on. Somewhere in the distance, I hear Lucian’s voice calling my name, but it’s muffled, as though he’s a thousand miles away. All I can hear is the hum of the Mirror, deep and resonant, like a storm building inside me.

“Sylvie!” Amara calls. “You mustn’t do anything to that artifact. Your sister’s life depends on it! You best not forget?—”

“Enough!” I scream, my voice breaking as I pour every ounce of my will into the relic. Light bursts from my hands, blinding and searing, illuminating the chamber with a brilliance that feels both holy and destructive. The Mirror resists, its shadows writhing against the light, but I press harder, my teeth clenched, tears streaming down my face.

Memories flood my mind, unbidden and sharp. Lara’s smile. The nights we spent whispering secrets. The promise I made to her. The love I’ve clung to, even in her absence. That love surges through me now, mingling with the raw power tearing through my body, and I scream again, louder, pushing back against the Mirror’s darkness.

The relic begins to crack. Fine lines spiderweb across its surface, glowing with a light that burns brighter with every second. My body shakes violently, my knees threatening to give out, but I can’t stop. I won’t stop. The room trembles, the walls groaning under the force of the magic unleashed. The Mirror lets out a piercing shriek, its power fighting to the very end, but then… it shatters.

The explosion of light and energy knocks me backward, and I collapse to the ground, the breath ripped from my lungs. The shards of the Mirror scatter across the chamber, disintegrating into wisps of smoke that dissolve into nothingness. The oppressive weight in the air lifts, leaving an eerie stillness in its wake.

When I open my eyes, my vision swims, the world a haze of blurred shapes and muted colors. I can barely make out Amara, standing frozen, her once-powerful presence reduced to something frail and human. Her dark magic is gone, stripped away by the destruction of the Mirror. Her two men stagger, their hulking forms diminished, their strength drained.

It worked.

“No!” Amara’s wail is guttural, filled with rage, agony, and desperation. She lunges toward the nearest exit, her voice a torrent of obscenities and furious threats.

The vampires are faster. Dorian intercepts her, his blade a blur as he slams the hilt into her side, forcing her to the ground. Viago and Kristoff close in on the two men, their movements precise and efficient. The enforcers barely have time to react before they’re immobilized, Viago’s blade pressed against one’s throat while Kristoff pins the other’s arms behind his back.

Amara thrashes, her fury undiminished even in defeat. “You think this is over?” she spits, her voice venomous. “You’ve won nothing!”

I watch through half-closed eyes, my body too weak to move, as Lucian steps forward. His presence is calm but commanding, his gaze cold as he kneels beside her. “It’s over for you,” he says quietly, his tone laced with finality.

Amara glares up at him, her defiance unwavering, but there’s a flicker of fear in her eyes now. She knows she’s lost.

“We take them. Alive,” Viago says. “They will be our prisoners for the remainder of their days.”

“Sylvie,” Lucian’s voice breaks through the haze. He’s by my side in an instant, his hand steadying me as I struggle to sit up.

“It’s done,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. My head lolls against his shoulder, my eyelids fluttering shut as exhaustion overtakes me. The last thing I see is the shattered remnants of the Mirror, glowing faintly before fading into nothingness.

“It’s done.”