Page 275 of The Queen’s Shadow

I couldn’t let this happen, I had promised the Obeah Man I would not fail…

“Oh Nytara. You’re a disgusting creature.” Trenton sneered down his nose at me. He threw another fireball in my direction and I barely made it out of the way this time, my limbs feeling heavier and heavier under the powerful press of Niahmara’s magick. “You were useful as a slave… but now…” He tutted his tongue at me as he approached, and I fell to my knees before him. “I will enjoy ridding the world of your stain.”

I looked up at him, as he drew another ball of fire from his lighter, using his magick to turn it into an inferno before me.

My last thought was how I had let Conrad down, just as I had failed Niko.

There was a chattering and a screech, then suddenly, an explosion of rainbow feathers collided with Trenton’s face.

“Argh!” He cried, as Aquaflit tore into the side of his head. I watched as the painted drake ripped Trenton’s ear clean off and the fire mage howled in pain and rage.

The commotion had distracted Niahmara and I took the opportunity to dive toward her. I drove Bond Breaker into her chest, snarling at her as she fell, bleeding, to her knees before me.

“Traitor.” I hissed as I kicked her, dislodging her body from the sword.

“I didn’t have a choice.” She gasped, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“No. I didn’t have a choice.” I spat. “She freed you, and you betrayed her.”

Niahmara looked up at me from an increasingly large pool of blood, her eyes somehow full of both guilt and denial. “I hope you die here.” I spat.

Aquaflit had driven Trenton back out of the caves and I heard the dark wizard shout as he fell out of the lip of the caves and into the angry sea beyond.

With my path clear, I spun on my heel and ran forward. I needed to make sure there were no other obstacles, and pray that Conrad would be back before the tide fully came in.

Amon

‘Alexa, play Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls.’

The scent of summer rain flooded my senses and I could nearly feel the liquid ink of her hair between my fingers. I was haunted by the memory of her skin against my palms. The soft, gentle sounds she whispered when I made love to her seemed to echo in my ears and my mouth exploded with the phantom taste of her lips.

She was fucking exquisite, the way she commanded the darkness. The way she looked at me without fear. The way she said my name as if it were a promise… A gift.

As if I were worthy.

As if I weren’t the devil, sent to this earth to punish the innocent.

She looked at me with eyes full of understanding and forgiveness as I bound her in shadow before me.

“Kill me.” I begged her, as I watched my hand bring down the blade, aiming for her throat. She shook her head and took control of my shadows, gently untangling herself from my grasp. She moved like a dancer through the air, dodging each slice of my blade, her eyes never leaving mine.

“How could I kill you, Amon? I can’t breathe without you.” She whispered, sliding under another one of my ruthless attempts to end her. Suddenly she was past my sword and pressed against me.

She was everywhere.

She was all around me and I couldn’t bear the pain in my chest as what was left of my heart, broke.

She touched her lips against mine, and it wasn’t until she caught one of my tears with her mouth that I realized I was crying.

“She will not allow both of us to leave here alive.” I whispered against her, even as I felt my body prepare to drive my blade through her back. She wrapped her shadows around us, holding me still beneath her. “The Dominion will not mourn my death, Raven. I am the devil. I have done nothing but bring pain and devastation to this world.”

She pulled back slightly, frowning at my words as my magick raged against hers. We hovered in a never ending sea of darkness, our shadows simultaneously stroking against one another only to then try to tear each other apart. I was a hurricane, but she was an unstoppable force. There had never been two more evenly matched daemons, and it was suddenly abundantly clear why we were mated.

We were one.

She caressed my face and brushed away one of my tears. I allowed myself a moment to marvel at the fact that she was in front of me. She was touching me.

“You are not the devil, Amon.” She gave me a sad smile. “The devil wouldn’t cry.”