Page 140 of Reign of Stars and Fire

“Strike the flesh, dim the foe,” Ari said, voice rough. He twirled his sword. “A gift from a king to a new king. I told you, you never stood a chance.”

The blade of Ari’s sword pulsed in fiery threads. A descendant blade that robbed strength. One strike, and Davorin weakened. Still, he winced and stood in the tide. He lifted his sword.

“As you wish,” Ari said and raised the fiery sword again.

Davorin blocked a strike. He staggered deeper into the sea, rough breaths slid through his teeth. It was almost pitiful.

“You won’t . . . wear my crown,” he bit out.

“No.” Ari rolled the blade again in his hand. “I’ll wear mine.”

Before he could swing again, a war horn blew in the fading red dawn. Behind me, Calista, still shaking, had slid the queen’s ring onto her middle finger. The way they’d used the ring in the battle of the East, the Nightrender’s shadows connected with his wife’s ring, and summoned them through.

Dozens of warships appeared. Black sails, white with ravens painted on the front. Sea serpent stemposts, countless shields hooked on the sides. Chants and battle cries from new warriors, new magic.

Gusts of wind from air fae angered the sea. Some ships were borrowed from the Court of Blood, made to look like the whole of the Eastern and Northern armies had come. More blood fae stepped onto the beach from the trees, and Davorin took it in, a look of despondent rage on his face.

He looked to me, to Ari and the sword that would end him, then down to the waves.

A defeated curve twisted over Davorin’s lips. “Keep her guarded, Awakener. You’ll never know when I’ll return for her.”

My stomach backflipped. Davorin thrust a hand into the sea before I took another breath, and returned with a writhing, silver eel.

“No!” Ari lunged for the battle lord.

In his final effort, a final bit of strength, Davorin slid into the eel form and fell into the black tides.

“No!” Ari roared again, slicing at the sea. “Valen, help me! He’s getting away. Stop him!”

Straightaway, the ground rumbled, not on the shore, but in the sea. Sharp points of coral and stone shot to the surface. A wall of sea stone completely barricaded the portion of sea from the open waters.

My heart raced. Ari kept diving under the tides. He kept striking the waves, kept shouting Davorin’s name. From the ships, Night Folk held lanterns out to see better, others leapt into the sea with Ari.

But in my heart, I knew. Davorin was gone.

Chapter44

The Golden King

“Ari! Ari, enough.”Kase swatted at me over the edge of the black Kryv ship. “He’s gone. There’s no one down there.”

I swiped my wet hair out of my eyes. “You don’t know that.”

“I do.” His voice softened. “I don’t feel any fear but yours and . . . all of ours. His is gone.”

“He’s not afraid then.”

Kase sighed. “He was. You had him pissing his trousers. He expected to die and saw a last resort. He’s gone.”

“Dammit.” I pounded a fist through the surface of the water, the truth of it crushing my chest until I couldn’t draw in enough air.

I swam back until my feet touched the sandbar. With effort, I staggered forward, but at the sight of Saga rushing toward me, I dropped to my knees. My shoulders curved forward. The back of my throat tightened until I thought I might suffocate.

“Ari!”

Before Saga lowered to her knees, I wrapped her waist in my arms, and buried my face against her middle.

“Forgive me,” I said, voice rough. My body shook in emotion I fought to stifle.