Page 58 of Shadows of Light
Now, he had his proof, and she would die.
“Do you really think these bars can keep me caged?” the shadows snarled.
Becca gulped as she glanced behind him. The shuffling of feet alerted him the others were approaching the bars there.
Rocking onto his back, Cole threw his legs up and jumped into the air. He stood in the middle of the bars as his attention shifted to the other group.
“We ensorcelled the bars,” a warlock said. “You can’t break them.”
Cole reached out to the shadows beyond the bars so they could tear these assholes to pieces, but his connection to them was gone. Frustration mounted as he realized their spell kept him from speaking with the shadows out there.
“Listen to me, Cole,” Becca said. “You’re the most powerful being in all the realms—”
“He’s not so powerful now,” one of the others muttered.
Cole’s eyes narrowed on the vampire, who smirked at him. “You’ll be the first one I kill,” Cole vowed.
The vamp’s smile grew.
“With your help, we can take Dragonia,” Becca continued as if no one had spoken, “and eradicate the only enemy you have.”
“Lexi is not my enemy,” Cole growled.
“She’ll destroy you, and we both know it. She’ll take you out before you can destroy the realms or her. You have to strike first; if you do, she won’t expect it.”
“He’s not going to turn on her,” one of the warlocks said. “This was a mistake.”
“Give him time to realize the only way to save himself… is to destroyher,” Becca said.
Now that he knew what to expect from them, Cole crept closer to the bars nearest Becca and gripped them. Magic thrummed against his palms, bolts of electricity hammered his flesh, and pain radiated into his bones as the magic battered him.
He didn’t release the bars while he smiled at her. Around him, the shadows screamed for blood as they danced through the air while seeking to break free of the bars, but they couldn’t get past the spell either.
“He shouldn’t be able to touch the bars,” one of his enemies murmured.
“Don’t worry, he still can’t break them,” another assured him.
Cole smiled at Becca as she warily eyed him. “You’re wrong, Becca. I’d destroy myself before I ever hurt her.”
She gulped before shaking her head. “Your survival instincts will kick in, and you’ll see what has to be done.”
“My survival instinct is perfectly fine. I became the Reaver to protect her and to see her on that throne—”
“Theshadowsdon’t want to die,” Becca said.
“How do you know that?”
“I saw you in the bar. I saw your reaction to my words; maybe the lycan part of you seeks to protect its mate, but the rest wants tolive.”
Cole tilted his head to the side as he studied her. “The dark fae part of me loves her, as does the lycan. The shadows seek to protect her; that’s why we’re here.”
“We can make you king!” Becca shouted.
“So can Lexi. All I have to do is marry her. Besides, I already have a kingdom in the Gloaming; a kingdom is not what I seek.”
“What do you seek?” one of the others asked.
Cole didn’t take his eyes off Becca as he replied, “Death.”
