Page 13 of Claimed By Shadow and Blood (Of Fae and Wolf Trilogy #2)

As my heartbeat steadied, I picked up on more sounds: low breaths, and the faint rustling of fabric. Thick, cold magic pressed upon me, stealing my breath. I’d never been this weak. The air seemed unable to reach my lungs.

I looked upward at a high, vaulted ceiling and a cloud of darkness that spun in lazy vortices, tendrils occasionally sloughing off to drift down and vanish before reaching the floor.

My shadows stretched into the darkness and circled the pedestal, licking up to the sphere and tasting the raw power of its fluctuations.

It was like trying to put my hand into an uneven waterfall.

My spine stiffened instinctively. After my father’s passing, I had known that the magic would not be so potent and would seem unsteady compared to its usual flow, but actually tasting that weakness had bile creeping up the back of my throat.

The power made every nerve in my body thrum.

It was a disconcerting sensation that worsened my fatigue and nausea.

Vyraetos moved to the other side of the pedestal and hovered his weathered hands over the sphere.

The dull purple light flickered beneath his fingertips, signaling that it, too, had been weakened by my father's death.

The other council members stepped forward and formed a tighter circle around us, their breathing synchronizing into an eerie rhythm that made the hair on my neck rise and was more sensation than sound.

Raising his hands, Vyraetos said, “In light of the treacherous betrayal that has led to King Merrick’s untimely demise, it is incumbent upon us to ensure the protection of our realm’s magic. All present are in agreement about our course.”

“Vest the power in King Merrick’s heir. Vest the power in Prince Vad.” The assembled members spoke as one, their voices hazy amidst the power of the chamber.

The tang in the air intensified, becoming more like the scent of lightning and storms surging among fires.

Vyraetos turned his gaze upon me, his voice a low rumble. “When I indicate it, place your hands on the orb, then endure.”

My fingers twitched as I inclined my head.

The weight and burn of the magic already had my knees wanting to buckle.

Trials and tests of endurance were among my least favorite in this kingdom, but this would prove whether I was still fit to lead.

My stomach twisted in anticipation, and my nerves sang as I braced for the pain.

I closed my eyes, pulling Briar into my mind once again.

Just the thought of her helped me stand stronger.

Vyraetos hummed a low note. The other members joined in, and the air vibrated with their voices. “The eternal night embraces us. Ancient Fate is summoned. Behold this, the son of a king who was wrongly slain. Shadows bear witness to this, son of our magic, protector of our kingdom, chosen by Fate.”

My skin prickled, and my muscles tightened. The tension in the chamber rose with each breath. Then Vyraetos gestured toward me.

Stomach heaving, I placed my hands on the dark orb, fingers splayed across the surface. The stone was almost feverishly hot, and power thrummed through it like a massive heartbeat while the shadows churned above.

Vyraetos spread his arms wide as the council members continued to hum. “Vest in him the fullness of power. Vest in him the fullness of the shadows.”

The orb heated more, seeming to burn my flesh, but I kept my hands steady and set my jaw. My blood pumped faster as the shadows above began to twist like a cyclone. The dull purple light flickered more as if the magic itself taunted me.

Briar .

I have to remember Briar.

The council members chanted, “Vest in him, vest in him,” as Vyraetos continued, “Prince of Shadows, Prince of Night, receive the weight, measure, strength, and depth of our hallowed powers.”

The weak light in the orb pulsed, and the shadows above me descended in thick, writhing streams.

Then the first shadow struck and pierced my chest like a chilled onyx spear, severing bone and sinew as it cut into my heart.

My shadows flared protectively, trying to force the first shadow tendril away.

I gritted my teeth and locked my stance to keep from bowing forward as the shadow yanked me downward and a heavy buzzing filled my ears.

The second shadow struck, this one driving into my left shoulder and slicing all the way to my wing. My breaths shallowed, and my jaw clenched until my teeth ached. Intense heat and vicious cold seared through me. I’d never experienced pain like this.

This is for Briar. Hold on to that.

I needed time to rescue Briar. Time to seek vengeance. Time to protect what remained of my family and my kingdom.

The humming of the council members continued as the vibrations from the magic intensified.

My gaze darted upward again in time to see the third shadow shoot toward me. Light and darkness exploded in front of my eyes as the icy tendril pierced my right shoulder. My wings flared and twitched as agony splintered through me.

Another shadow punctured my temple and drove through my mind, igniting memories and thoughts with blinding clarity.

Briar . I called her face in my memory again and held on tight.

I focused on the taste of her lips and the heat of her body against mine, gripping the orb tighter and leaning forward to brace myself, and then a fourth, fifth, and sixth shadow sank into my spine, my stomach, and my skull.

A strained grunt escaped my lips, but my jaw remained shut.

Sweat poured down my brow. Pain saturated my consciousness and swallowed me whole.

Not one point on my body was free of this torment.

Screams of agony sealed in my throat and chest, trying to rip out of me, and yet depriving me of the very breath I needed.

A seventh shadow tendril appeared in front of my face, then speared me through the eyes. Heat, cold, and darkness exploded over my face and through my mind. Everything vanished, and I fell into the void.