Page 162 of Daughter of the Dark Sea

Just as they lunged for each other, Barron raised his hand, a giant slab of inky tar slicing down between them.

“Enough of that! I need you both alive. It’s clear we need another motive.” Barron sighed, and shot a beam of shadowed power into a nearby cluster of pine trees. A moment later, a dark, malachite guard and a tall female emerged.

“Bree?” Kora faltered, her power winking out. “Don’t hurt her!”

Bree was faultless. She glided in a green dress with golden embellishments, her head held high. Her long braids swished around a golden circlet placed across her head, and her bright blue eyes narrowed on Kora.

“Why is she still here?” Bree snapped. “Why is this taking so long?”

“We need some extra . . . persuasion.” Barron rocked on his heels.

“What . . .” Kora staggered.

Her water beast growled viciously, her mind dizzying. Bree was . . . her power crested, surging to the surface, and she panicked. Her open palms glowed, blinding her. “What is happening?”

Bree’s musical laugh floated across the air, her jewelled hand clasping something at her chest.

Kora’s power welled uncontrollably, pouring from every pore of her skin, every strand of hair, and lifting in a stream that floated through the air—straight to Bree. She flung her arms out, a wicked smile on her full lips as Kora’s shimmering power flowed into her chest.

Kora cried out, collapsing to her knees as a familiar numbness overcame her. As her power tapered off, leaving her completely drained, Bree hummed, her eyes sparkling . . . near glowing.

And around her neck, was Kora’s talisman, brimming with her power contained in its diamond lighted core. Bree waved a hand, conjuring a few drops of water, and giggled. “This is going to be so much fun!”

Kora couldn’t connect. The droplets of water twirled, but she couldn’tfeelthem. She was such afool.Splashes of tainted wine trickled through her memory from a hazed evening of ballgowns and tiaras.

“Why?” Kora sobbed. Bree was a snake in a ballgown. “You drugged me that night, didn’t you?”

“I need thevelesmafor power,” Bree snipped.

The what?

“My family are destined to rule, and we need magic to do so. I will be the conduit for yours. Seeing as you want to waste it on . . .vermin. As an heiress, my union with the Barron’s will see us thriving and leading for generations. Leaders of the new mage world. The new gods.”

“Union? You can’t become gods!” Kora’s world was shattering all over again. Thanos had sent her back tothisshitshow?

Bree smiled, wrapping her hands around Blake’s arm. “We are betrothed!”

Blake grimly peered down at Bree’s clasped hands, his lips curling, and glanced back to Kora. His jaw clenched as his shadow-rimmed green eyes enveloped her. “It’s a recent development,” he added.

She’s nothing compared to you.

Everyone here knows that you’re nothing.

Kora glanced between them, and her gaze settled on Bree’s bright blue eyes.

He’s been calling for his blue-eyed beauty.

No . . . it couldn’t be . . . had this been going on forthatlong? Or longer? She revulsed from the couple, nausea churning so deep that she vomited all over the ground.

“No . . . I . . .”

“He’s mine now, and I’m not letting him go.” Bree’s grip tightened.

Rage surged within Kora, smothering her heartbreak as her eyes tunnelled on Bree’s slender jewelled fingers curling around Blake. “You can have him,” she snapped, and Blake flinched.

You blind, ignorant fool!

“You can’t become gods!” she repeated. “You will killeveryone. Just because the gods are not here, doesn’t mean they’re not watching. You’re messing with forces outside of our control! Please,” she resorted to begging. “Please don’t do this. These islands will die. Mages will die. Azaria won’t back off. Galen won’t stop.Iwon’t stop.”