“I am.”
Kane kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll be right back.” He flung the prince over his shoulder, then grabbed the king by the hair. He motioned to Black with a nod of his chin. “Lead the way.”
Black didn’t bother trying to open a door but crashed through, using the queen as a battering ram.
Licking her lips, Josephina faced the crowd. Every eye was glued to her, wide, expectant and angry.
“All right,” she called. “You saw my strength, my skill. You saw the strength and skill of my friends.” As she spoke, she could feel the rest of the energy leaving her, and within a few seconds, a strange heaviness was settling over her limbs. To mask the oncoming weakness, she eased onto the king’s throne and continued her speech. “There’s more where that came from if—”
A shadow dropped from the ceiling, snagging her attention as it landed on White’s shoulders. The girl had no time to react. One second she stood proud, the next her head was on the floor—without her body.
Josephina screamed.
As the girl’s body flopped to the floor lifelessly, blood pouring from her severed neck, the person responsible landed on her feet and straightened.
“I told you that you’d regret what you did to me,” the Phoenix said with a grin.
Red realized what had happened to his sister and fell to his knees.
Green released an agonized “Nooo!” The first word he’d ever spoken in Josephina’s presence.
A pallid William clutched his heart.
Shock slammed through Josephina. The horrific nature of what had just happened—
Wasn’t even the worst part.
As she reeled, White’s entire body changed. Her skin darkened, blackened...cracked, leaving thousands of tiny round pieces. Those pieces sprouted legs and broke away from each other. Bugs, she thought with a wave of revulsion. The creepy crawlers sped into action, sweeping through the room, covering the floor, the walls, chasing the Fae and trying to burrow under their skin.
Shrieks and panicked footfalls erupted. Fists banged at the closed doors. People were stampeded as others struggled to push their way out of the only opening. Someone must have found a key to another realm, because a new doorway was created at the back of the room. A few of the Fae managed to race through it—but so did some of the bugs.
The bugs. Oh, sweet mercy.
Where were they headed?
Amid the chaos, the Phoenix circled Josephina. “You have only yourself to blame for this. Well, yourself and your man. He crossed the Moirai. They said he changed their fate, and so, they changed his. They were only too happy to use me to punish him—and what better way to punish him than to destroy his darling wife?”
“Leave Kane out of this. It’s between you and me.”
“The Moirai dropped me in your life at the perfect time. You’re finally without your protector—and I’m without patience. This battle has been too long coming.”
The Phoenix launched at her.
Josephina spun out of the way, and the girl soared past her, dang it. Instincts, she thought—she needed to override them. She neededcontact, even if it hurt.
The Phoenix quickly gained her footing and turned, swiping out a hand covered with metal claws. Josephina twisted to the side, taking the nails in her forearm, even while sucking a little of the girl’s strength. The Phoenix didn’t seem to notice—yet. As warm blood trickled down Josephina’s arm, the girl came at her again, and this time, her thigh took the brunt of the abuse. This injury proved worse, but she was able to suck in even more strength.
A fist into her heart.Hissing, Josephina
Strengthening.
The Phoenix weakening.
Realizing what she was doing, the girl jerked away, out of reach. “You dare try to thieve from me again!”
“Try?” She forced a laugh.
Growling, the Phoenix dove at her. Her arms crisscrossed as she attempted to slice Josephina into pieces, without allowing any prolonged contact. Josephina dodged, moving faster than she had a few minutes ago.
“Someone’s been practicing. So, how about we take this up a notch?” Grinning now, the Phoenix walked a wide circle around her, flames shooting from her fingertips and onto the ground. Those flames grew, reaching toward the ceiling. Smoke billowed, making Josephina cough.
Beyond the circle, she could hear Red cursing. What William and Green were doing, she wasn’t sure. The panicked murmurs and frantic footfalls of the Opulens had faded, but anyone remaining was still in danger. They were her people now, she thought. She’d left them without a leader, and they needed her. They were hers to protect.
“Very well, then,” she said with a nod. “Let’s finish this.”
Ding, ding.
Josephina threw herself into round two, managing to land just as many blows as she took. When the Phoenix tripped over one of the cracks Kane had left behind, Josephina raced forward, dropped to her knees and skidded across the floor, stopping at the girl’s feet. She grabbed her ankle and jerked her legs out from under her. As soon as the girl hit, she reached out to squeeze her arm, absorbing several more streams of energy.
The Phoenix pushed her away, and jumped to her feet—only to stumble with weakness.
“Kill you,” she gasped.
Knowing she had to act now, even at the expense of her own life, Josephina barreled into her. They fell and smacked into the floor, the Phoenix taking the brunt of the impact—but not all of it. Though dizziness swamped her, she crawled up the girl’s body, straddled her waist and gripped her by the neck. Another stream of energy entered Josephina. Another and another. The Phoenix tried to bat her away, failed.
“Tink!” she heard Kane shout, just before he ran through the flames.
As he crouched beside her, blisters popped up on his face, arms and hands. The ends of his hair smoked. He didn’t waste time asking questions, but slammed his fist into the girl’s temple, knocking her out.
Buzzing with energy and heat, so much heat, Josephina scooted away.
He picked the girl up and tossed her out of the fiery circle, calling, “She’s all yours, William.”
Even though she was overcome by a deluge of emotions—grief, relief, sadness, joy, fear, heartache—Josephina pushed to her feet. “I’ve got to put out the fire.”
“Let me. I—”
“No. It’s calling to me,” she interjected, and it was. She felt...connected to it, its warmth her warmth. “It wants to be with me.” She reached out and the flames instantly leaned in her direction. The moment the tips brushed against her skin, her pores opened up, as if she was drawing power from another person, and the flames were sucked into her body.
“Tell me you’re okay,” Kane said, gathering her in his arms. He hissed, as if she was burning him, but didn’t release her.
“I’m...uninjured. You?”
“Same.”
She scanned the throne room. Bodies littered the floor. Most were dead, some were writhing in pain. William, Red, Green and Black were gone—and so was the Phoenix.
“What happened?” Kane croaked. “I came in, and William and Red were nutcases, muttering about defeat and death and destruction. As I jumped through the flames, William demanded I give him the Phoenix.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and she explained as best she could about White. Kane paled, released her and fell back on his haunches.
“I did it. My actions, my decisions, killed her. Unleashed her destruction. In this realm. In another realm. An apocalypse has come. And it’s my fault,” he said.
“No, the Moirai are at fault. They sent the Phoenix.”
“Because of me. Because I failed to heed their prediction. Because I attacked them in their home.”
“Kane, no. The only reason the Phoenix came here in the first place was to get back at me. If you want to blame someone besides the Moirai, blame me.”
“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “Never you. Petra’s hatred first brought her here. Her stubbornness.”