Page 83 of Black Hearted
She was a force of destruction, relentless and merciless.
I pushed to my feet, creating a black shard the length and sharpness of a sword as adrenaline surged through me.
“Stryker, cover me,” I shouted.
Adrien continued his relentless attack, hammering at her shield, while Stryker conjured shadow fog to obscure my movements.
And then, just as I was approaching her and she had her eyes on me, Dawn screamed at me. I looked her way, and then shenodded. “It has to be done,” she cried, her face the picture of determination even as the tears spilled down her cheeks.
Adrien and Stryker had not let up their attack. Using the distraction Dawn had provided by her scream, I maneuvered behind the queen, my shard gripped tightly in both hands. My heart pounded as I watched the glow of her shield flicker. When it faltered for a split second, I lunged, plunging my blade through her back and straight into her heart.
A guttural scream ripped from her throat as the shield shattered. The faestone dagger clattered to the ground as she collapsed—my shard sword still lodged in her chest.
Her wide, shocked eyes locked on mine as she gasped for breath, her blood pooling around her. She raised a trembling hand—
“Look away, Dawn,” Stryker cried.
I turned away, too, unable to watch what came next.
A clean, decisive stroke from Stryker’s sword severed her head from her body.
“An enemy is never truly dead until they’re headless,” Stryker said grimly, his voice like steel.
I nodded, understanding his pragmatism, but her resemblance to Dawn made it impossible for me to strike the final blow myself. At least not head-on, like he’d done.
Adrien approached, his expression somber. “Stryker and I will handle the body. Go to Dawn and the babies.”
I glanced back to the window, but Dawn was no longer there.
My hands shook as I nodded. “Do you think Zane could just be injured? I’ve felt your energy dim before, only to find you gravely hurt.”
Stryker and Adrien exchanged a look, their silence heavy with unspoken truth.
“Maybe,” Stryker said, though his tone held little conviction. “Once we’ve stabilized things here, we’ll search for him. Maybe there’s someone who can help us reach him in Faerie like we did with Isolde. But first, tend to your ear and hand and see your wife.”
I glanced down at my blood-soaked shirt and mangled hand, grimacing at the mess.
As I turned to leave, I hesitated. “She said they ended the curse.”
“Don’t trust a word from that witch’s mouth,” Stryker growled.
He was right. I wouldn’t believe it until I saw the proof myself.
I staggered toward the castle, exhaustion and pain threatening to overwhelm me. Inside, I collided with a housemaid who screamed loud enough to wake the entire household. Guards rushed from every direction, their weapons drawn.
Isolde and Aribella appeared at the top of the staircase, their faces pale with alarm. They hurried down, their gazes filled with concern as they took in my battered state.
“Aribella and I were in the library, researching potential ways to locate Queen Liliana. What happened?” Isolde demanded, forming a sharp icicle in one hand. “Did she attack?”
“Oh, Zander, are you okay?” Aribella asked, pressing a cotton apron to the side of my head as blood trickled down.
I apologized to the maid for scaring her, and she hurried off to fetch the healer. Turning to the guards, I ordered them to assist my brothers outside. Then I met the gazes of both Isolde and Aribella.
“Queen Liliana is dead,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “And she claimed the curse has been destroyed.”
I wanted to add that Zane might be dead, too, but the words refused to form. Saying it aloud felt like accepting it, and I wasn’t ready for that.
Behind me, a sharp intake of breath sent a chill down my spine. Even without turning, I knew it was Dawn.
