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fifty-six

I t was a family standoff. Galen held me against his chest, while Rafael’s knife sat snug against Sylvia’s throat. “Let her go,” Raf growled between gritted teeth.

Galen gripped me tighter. “Never.”

The Queen’s Guard swarmed around Raf and Sylvia like angry hornets, trying in vain to break his shield.

Magic ricocheted back at the soldiers as they attacked, then poof —they were gone.

He’d reduced all six men to dust without moving a muscle.

Rafael pressed the knife tighter into Sylvia’s neck, drawing blood, and then… it was her turn to disappear.

She’d shifted into her animal form, I realized, as I spotted a striped black and tan cobra coiled on the ground. Sylvia lifted her body in the air, swaying as she exposed her hooded head and fangs.

Rafael struck, but she was nimble. She lunged at his ankle and he let out a surprised yelp. It was the first time I’d ever seen true fear in his eyes. Leon was instantly at his side. He threw up a shield of wind and supported Raf as he crumbled to the ground.

I didn’t realize I was screaming until Galen covered my mouth. I bit him and he snapped back his hand, bleeding.

“Raf!” I wailed. “Let me go to him—let me heal him. Then I’ll go with you. I promise.” Tears stung my eyes as my world began to shatter.

Sylvia shifted back and smiled as she stood between us and freedom. Everyone was through now besides Raf, Leon, and I. We’d been so close. And now I was watching Rafael die in front of me .

I pulled at the chain until my hands bled. I wrenched and twisted in Galen’s arms, but he was as unmoving as an oak tree as he held me captive. We needed Louis—we needed help.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to sink my fangs into you,” Sylvia said to Raf.

“King Cobras leave more than a nasty bite, I’m afraid.

My venom kills quickly, even a faerie of your caliber should stop breathing within minutes.

” Sylvia gave a mocking grin. “Oh, and while you’re still conscious… ”

Raf looked up at her with burning hatred as he began to convulse in Leon’s arms. “ This is how I killed your mother. A small dose to make it as slow and painful as possible. The whore— flaunting her relationship with your father in front of me. She blood-bonded with him, with my husband . Then she dared to ask me to spare you. And I did. For Randall, not her. For one-hundred years I’ve let you live and how have you thanked me?

By being a thorn in my side and an ever-present reminder of your father’s betrayal. ”

Rafael sent shadow straight at her chest, but she blocked him with a shield that he would’ve normally been able to destroy. In his weakened state, his magic was fading. Leon was frozen in place, waiting for Rafael to give him a command.

“Leon, get him through the wall to Meli. She’ll heal him,” I said, before Galen covered my mouth again. Leon supported Raf in his arms, shielding them both, as he began to hobble towards the wall.

“One more step and I drain Marigold. The portal is open. We don’t need her anymore,” the Queen warned. Leon continued walking.

“Bring me the girl, Galen,” Sylvia ordered. Leon paused as Galen hesitated, before dragging me to her. “I’ve been wanting to sample you for so long. Galen tells me you’re special .”

“Mother, don’t do this,” Galen said with a low rumble in his throat.

“ Just a taste . Good boy.” He let me go reluctantly and her lips hovered at my throat. I held my breath as teeth sank into flesh.

I screamed as sharp pain tore through me, ripping away any chance of stoicism. There was no euphoria, no oblivion, only searing agony as her fangs sank deeper. I could hear Galen in the background shouting, “Stop! You’ll kill her. She’s mine.”

Rafael was pleading with his last breaths, “Fight her, Goldie. Help her, brother!”

I could feel my pulse beating beneath her canines. Hot tears fell down my cheeks as I held onto Raf’s words.

Sylvia pulled back, hissing at Galen to stay back. “What is she? She’s mine now.” She bit down again, drawing fresh blood as I screamed for someone— anyone .

Magic was rushing out of me too quickly.

I was useless. I’d been so close to making it home, and yet here I stood, a few feet from freedom.

But Raf … I couldn’t let him die. I roared in frustration, refusing to accept this fate.

I clawed at her face, tore at her hair until she was forced to loosen her grip that had become slippery with blood.

Galen lunged between us and pulled the chain from my neck. Sylvia shoved him back, lost in blood-lust, but I felt my magic crash back into me. An angry tidal wave growing into a tsunami. With rage as deep and cold as an arctic sea, I screamed, “I BELONG TO NO ONE.”

Sylvia’s fangs ripped from my throat as I transformed and whirled around to face her. Her face grew pallid against her red lips as her jaw fell open. I glared back at her, furious. I wanted revenge. She’d murdered Odin. Raf was dying. She’d nearly drained me. I was going to kill her.

I backed up before sprinting forward, blinding her with brilliant light. Running at a full gallop, I gored her in the chest, slicing through flesh, muscle, and bone. I arched towards Leon and Raf, the Queen still impaled on my horn.

Rearing up, I threw her into the stone wall, with a loud bone-crunching splat. Leon, Raf, and I flew through the doorway together before I twisted around and faced the portal.

Galen’s dark silhouette waited on the other side. He made no move to follow us. In our last moments together, he’d saved me, showed me a glimmer of the male I thought I knew. It shredded the last tattered scraps of my soul. I knew who he’d become with them . And yet, I wouldn’t help him.

Never again would I let him hurt me. We stared at each other in a silent goodbye as I sealed the portal.