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Chapter Fifty-eight

Cyrus

I would applaud them for their resilience if it weren’t for the risk of all my plans being ruined.

The memory flashed through my head.

A crown of gold, streaked with red.

A throne built on a pile of human bones.

A power that electrified the masses, everyone in line and in their proper place.

Once my enemies were out of the way, all of that would be possible. The dreams had been clear about that. But I would never succeed as long as Calix lived and Asteria wore a crown.

By the end, I would see Calix dead, and Asteria chained to my throne by a special collar I’d had made just for her.

Unfortunately, they were proving more difficult than expected.

How much damned iron could Calix take before he finally stayed down?

I swallowed another vile of blood magic, then reconsidered, and pulled out two more, quickly chugging them both. I’d never taken more than one at a time before, only drinking another once the effects of the first began to wear off.

However, desperate times called for desperate measures, and my role as god-king of the realms being threatened certainly qualified.

I shuddered as the forbidden magic coursed through my veins, filling me with a power beyond anything I had ever experienced.

I laughed joyfully, raising my hands in the air and sending bolts of lightning to scatter through the sky in a spectacular display of crackling blue bolts.

Why had I not done this before? It was incredible!

An almost childlike thrill ran through me at the potential this held. But first things first. I forced my attention down to the battle, frowning to see so many of my own men down. Whether it was from Calix’s soldiers or the iron I had deployed, it didn’t matter. They were useless either way. Several of my main weapons had already been taken out as well, which was certainly less than ideal.

Thankfully, the blood magic was strong. Stronger than anything my enemies could summon, I was sure. The power felt more plentiful than my naturally gifted magic had!

I aimed one of my raised hands, arcing a bolt of lightning right at Calix. He dodged out of the way, and I was taken by surprise as a blast of starlight swept me off my feet.

I tumbled backward on the roof, pitching over the side and falling down the other. It felt like I hit every pointed edge on the damn roof, each one digging into my stomach and knees with painful accuracy.

At least I was out of sight. That would spare me the embarrassment of my ignoble tumble.

When I finally righted myself and stood up, I let my wings unfurl and followed down the edge of the roof and around the palace until I found a safe space to catch my breath for a moment. It took a few minutes before I stopped panting, cursing myself for being so caught off guard.

The sound of a horn blowing was a relief. Gravadain had finally shown his face, and just in time. I peeked out from my hiding spot and watched as he raised a wave of water high into the sky, ready to sweep over the city.

I narrowed my eyes, the last thing I wanted was to clean up water damage in my palace. But it was pointless either way, as Arien quickly stepped in and recruited Gravadain’s own son to stop him.

I snarled, watching as Prince Altan raised a wall of water to stop the tides. Prince Zakat joined his assault, flying over the waves to reach Gravadain. He shifted into his orange and teal phoenix form, enabling him to summon even more fire that he aimed directly at the king of Sunrise. It was enough to get me moving, and I flew over the field to find the man I needed.

It took two times circling around, but I finally spotted him, and landed down beside him.

“King Cyrus.” He bowed his head respectfully, lowering the sword that had come up automatically at my entrance.

“Prince Vesper,” I greeted. “I need you to deal with your little brother. He’s causing issues for our ally at the moment. I trust you can take him out?”

Vesper paused at that, blinking quickly. He swallowed hard, and I narrowed my eyes at him. He’d been quite confident about his superior right to the throne of Sunset, that his brother didn’t deserve it. But maybe when it came time to slay his brother, he didn’t truly have what it took to do the deed.

“Of course,” Vesper finally said, straightening as he gathered himself to his task. He nodded firmly, his bronze armor shifting as he set his shoulders back. His blue eyes stood out vividly, the conflict in them fading to resolution.

I waved him off, taking back to the air. I watched as Vesper shifted into his Pegasus form, heading straight for his younger brother. The heir to Sunset Kingdom turned to face his brother, his feathered head cocking to the side before his body lit up, the orange and teal feathers erupting into flames. Vesper followed suit, and the two crashed together, squawking with loud, high-pitched screeches.

I was curious how this would go. Vesper claimed to be the better choice of heir, but was that ego talking, or was he truly the better candidate? I supposed we would find out today. The two scratched at one another, talons grasping and ripping at flaming feathers that fell to the ground in random intervals, their flames extinguishing as they gently floated to the ground.

Their tussle sent them both flying into one of the nearby buildings, and I narrowed my eyes as another piece of Evenfall was damaged, this time by two overgrown birds crashing through the wall. It was a good thing I was about to take the wealth of five other kingdoms. The amount I was certain it would take to repair Evenfall after this was going to be substantial.

But maybe it was a good thing, I considered, looking out at my city and the damage that it had taken. From the rebels who’d burned down or defaced multiple buildings throughout the city, to the damage from this battle…

Maybe I should just rebuild it anew. Get rid of all memories of the past and my father’s rule. Astraeus was dead, and his city with him. It was time now for me to rule, and this city to be mine in truth. A capital for not just Dusk Kingdom, but for my new empire.

I would be tearing down all of the other palaces across the realm; they wouldn’t need them with no kings to rule from them. Instead, I would build Evenfall into a city to rival that of the gods. With a palace that outshone all others.

With Asteria collared beside me, I would rule happily from my throne. Perhaps I’d sometimes allow her off her knees and onto my lap. I could pet her hair as she lay back against me, her small body squirming as I teased her ruthlessly. Denying her pleasure through court sessions, until the very end, where I’d let her cum before all my courtiers.

A fitting punishment for her many sins against me, but it would also show them all what I had—what I had won .

And how much she enjoyed it. Taking her pleasure from me with anticipatory glee. Writhing on my fingers and then my cock, a chorus of her moans and screams, making the entire throne room hard or wet. Knowing they could look but not touch.

And then I’d bring her back to my bed, where I’d graciously allow her to sleep with me. Perhaps she’d even hold me while I slept. Offering me comfort and grace I’d never known before.

True peace.

A loud crash brought my attention back to the present. Ripping me away from the future that I was a mere battle away from securing. The future I was destined for. I glared as I realized what had stolen my attention. A third phoenix had joined the fray.

King Tieran apparently didn’t enjoy having to watch his sons battle to the death. He was flying between them, preventing both from attacking. I watched Vesper curiously, waiting to see what he would choose.

He hesitated, squawking at his father in indignation, before finally moving to attack him directly. Zakat jumped in to protect his father, but Vesper got a good slash in, sending Tieran to the ground. Injured, but alive. Zakat’s loud squawk was almost a roar, and he vehemently threw himself into the fight against his elder brother.

Still, it was clear Vesper was the stronger of the two. I leaned forward slightly in anticipation, waiting for the death blow to be struck. Vesper pinned Zakat against a wall, raising a claw above his chest. Zakat screamed as Vesper struck, the curved, blade-like claw puncturing his skin and beginning to carve a deadly hole.

But right when victory was at Vesper’s claw—a flaming yellow and teal phoenix crashed into him, ripping the claw from Zakat’s chest viciously while sending Vesper end over end through the air. He flew through the roof of a house on his way down, the sound of wood cracking and breaking before collapsing, echoing after him. Zakat flew crookedly for a moment, his wound healing but seemingly forgotten. His eyes glued to…

Prince Altan.

He’d saved Zakat, when he should have still been fighting his father. Why in the Otherworld had the man let his son escape him?

I looked to where Gravadain had been trying to flood Night’s army, only to find them now being forced to battle with swords. Gravadain himself was fighting against who I recognized to be Calix’s General, Titan. The giant blonde man was more than a match for any on this field at his age and experience.

What I had hoped to be the clinching move in the battle, bringing in the eldest of the kings and sandwiching Night between us, proved ineffectual against Calix’s allies. I growled in frustration, running my hand through my hair.

It was time to get back to the main battle at hand anyway. I’d been distracted from Calix and Asteria for too long. I needed to act while the blood magic still coursed through my veins. I summoned my lightning, bolt after bolt hitting the sky, and began to aim at any soldier wearing black at random.

I watched in satisfaction as they hit the ground dead, one after another. Their hearts all stopped in their chests from the lightning that struck them. I summoned more and more, and sure enough, Calix and Asteria’s magic barreled toward me.

The shadows formed a funnel flecked by starlight. Like the night itself was ripped from the sky and thrown at me. A part of me ached to see how well-matched their magic was. Indeed, the magic of mates. I pushed my weakness down deep where it belonged, letting my anger take the fore as I hovered above them in the air, avoiding the impact of their magic.

I sent lightning bolts flying at Calix, avoiding Asteria as best I could. My soldiers approached Calix from behind, but he must have sensed them, as shadows snaked out and wrapped around their necks, pulling them to the side until they cracked and my men fell to the ground, frightened eyes open and still. An expression forever fixed in death.

A growl rumbled low in my throat, and I summoned more lightning, sending as many bolts as I could at him, enough that he wouldn’t be able to dodge. I watched in glee as they shot for him, but was surprised as his form quickly shifted into his dragon’s.

Several bolts hit him, but that damn dragon scale was too tough to pierce without iron. They harmlessly absorbed my lightning with nothing more than an agitated roar for my trouble. I scowled back at him, my lip twitching into a snarl.

A blast of darkness surrounded me faster than I could react, finding myself thrown against a wall and held by shadows at every point. I looked up, enraged, to find Calix approaching, now back in his Fae form and walking the roof leading to the tower I was held against. Asteria was nowhere to be seen.

I slumped a little in my bonds. I did so much for her, and she couldn’t even be bothered to stick around once her attack dragon had hold of me?

I couldn’t think of a man I hated more than the one in front of me. He’d spent years making our kingdom and myself look weak. Making us scramble for control we couldn’t begin to grasp. Showing us all how inferior we are to his greater power.

And then he had to steal Asteria on top of it?

The years I’d spent thinking Calix a friend were long gone, and by the way he fiercely glared at me, his eyes glowing with the hatred he felt, I knew he wished for nothing other than my death.

Two men I once thought friends, both betraying me for the woman we all wanted.

Dragons might be well known for their rage, but one should never ignore a Pegasus pushed to their limit. It was something anyone who rode a horse understood: the power the animal has should never be discounted.

And Calix made a grand mistake in doing exactly that.

He sauntered over menacingly, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword with bloody fingers. His eyebrows were scrunched together as if I were a misbehaving child he was about to voice his disapproval to. But the moment he got close enough, I summoned the magic in my veins, thankful I took those extra doses, and let it explode.

The shadow binds disappeared in puffs of black smoke while Calix was thrown backward, falling the whole way to the ground. I smirked at the sight and unfurled my wings to fly down and end this once and for all. I flew about thirty feet, planning to make an entrance for this grand finale, when pain flared in my lower leg, and I screamed in pain.

I bit down on my lip to stop screaming, turning mid-flight to see a silver and purple dragon flying below me, her teeth sliding out of my leg. Her blue eyes flashed with starlight, and the rage I’d always seen within them flared just as brightly.

She licked her tongue across her fangs, licking my blood from them with satisfaction, before she growled lowly at me. The second bite she’d taken out of me in this battle. Not content with her betrayal, she would see me harmed by her own hand, or dead by her king’s.

I would have to spend a great many years training and breaking her before she could ever be trusted again. If she ever could be. But one didn’t need trust to have a relationship. If they did, I wouldn’t ever have any. I just needed her back with me.

Someone who understood. Even if she didn’t agree with my actions, her understanding of who I was… was greater than anything else.

“Asteria, you can end this now,” I attempted, hoping rationalizing with her would force her to see some sense. “There is no hope of winning against me, but you can still save the lives of your people.”

A sinister growl was my only response to my attempted manipulation, as if she knew I would never let them go. Her teeth came at me again, and I flew backward quickly, shifting fully. I was always faster in my Pegasus form. It was built for speed in the air, where her dragon form was much bulkier and, as a result, slower.

I sped through the sky with Asteria on my tail. Dragons might be slower than Pegasus, but they were still by no means slow . And her fury was clearly fueling her, as I was barely keeping ahead of her. I switched up my direction and veered right, between two tall buildings.

Her roar of frustration sounded behind me. Her dragon form was too broad to maneuver in such tight spaces. Evenfall was added to over the years, with an increasing population meaning we put buildings wherever we could fit them. There was scarcely a bit of space between the buildings now, which fit a Pegasus well enough, but nothing bigger.

It gave me some time, at least. I crossed through the city by flying through the alleyways, keeping Asteria circling above. I tried to lose her by cutting through them in random twists and turns, but frustratingly, she was too fast for me to disappear into the city.

It was the sound of the mind-numbing screeches that saved me from Asteria’s teeth and claws in the end. My wings sagged in relief for a moment. Until I spied the blasted creatures above me. Asteria was right in their line of sight, and they were heading for her, claws out.

Concern struck me immediately as they attacked. Asteria’s roar echoed as she released a steam of fire at them. Most of the sirens dodged it, but I watched as a few burned, leaving the disgusting smell of charred bird in the air. Clearly, she was fine.

I took the opportunity to shift back, and leaned my head back against the brick wall of the alley I found myself in. I never wanted to have to fight Asteria herself, but she was making it very difficult. I may end up forced to fight her just to subdue her.

If only Calix hadn’t corrupted her, we wouldn’t be here now.

But we were, and I might be forced to do something unsavory for the sake of my long-term goals. Already, the battle wasn’t going quite as I hoped. The easy victory with my iron and blood magic and allies was instead met with equal power. Not to mention equal loss on both sides of the fighting, all thanks to the iron. It didn’t distinguish between ally or enemy and just burned whichever Fae it touched, leaving many of my own soldiers down or outright dead.

Calix, however, had humans fighting for him, somehow actually giving him an edge number-wise. I’d thought the humans useless, but they were proving more effective than I’d imagined. They attacked in groups or took on one at a time, relying on being underestimated.

Losing this war, thanks to slaves , would be embarrassing on a level I couldn’t even contemplate.

“You need more. ”

I nodded absentmindedly as the idea filtered through my consciousness.

“You are so close now .” A voice whispered within me, but with a deep, echoing resonance to it. “ You must bring death to your enemies. Take all you have on you, and when the moment is right, summon all the power that blood magic can offer you. Only then will you become what you were meant to be.”

I lifted my head, looking around in suspicion for a moment. Something felt different, but I couldn’t put my finger on what. The idea seemed dangerous, but my subconscious clearly thought otherwise.

I looked up, finding Asteria battling with the sirens. I summoned my wings and made to find Calix, determined to see this over with before it was too late to save my plans.

I had a destiny to fulfill that was greater than any of this petty squabbling. Plans that would impact all of the realms. Plans that would see everything changed.

A new throne.

A new kingdom.

And the worship of millions.