Page 127 of The Crown of the Dark Prince
She spun, pointing the blade toward Iris. the tip of it pressing into her belly.
“Thea, don’t,” Iris growled, struggling against the guard who held her in place.
"Thea, dont,"Pasnia mocked in a high-pitched voice. "Lower it!"
I swallowed hard, my mind spiraling, and salty tears flowing easily now.
It was an impossible choice, one I'd never wanted to make. I’d already watched one friend die because of me. I couldn’t bear to watch them all die before me.
But it wasn’t just my heart at stake.
“No,” I said again, louder this time.
Pasnia tilted her head, her crimson waves catching the dim light. She sighed as if bored. “Stubborn little thing, aren’t you? I suppose you get that from your father.”
I braced myself for the bloodshed, for the loss, for the screams. For the briefest moment, I closed my eyes.
But there was no scream.
There were footsteps.
Pasnia's steps were slow, deliberate, as she moved toward Clay.
Panic surged through me as she gripped his hair, pulling his head back to expose his throat. The blade pressed tight against his skin. I moved torush forward but my feet were rooted to the ground, held there by a magic like my own, but so much stronger.
Unbreakable.
“I did all this for Hyrax,” Pasnia said with a wistful smile. “What would you do for the man you love?”
Ice fell over me in steady waves. Clay met my gaze, his expression filled with love, respect, and... resignation.
No.
“Don’t watch,” he commanded.
No.
I couldn't do this.
I wasn't strong enough to watch this.
Pasnia laughed. “You’re taking too long to decide.”
She pushed the blade into his throat and as Clay hissed in pain, as a bead of scarlet blood began trailing down his chest, as I threw everything I had against the magic holding me to no avail…something in meshattered.
“Stop it!” I screamed, my voice cracking as my hands lit up in golden light. The ground began to tremble under my feet. Iris’ eyes widened.
Pasnia narrowed her eyes, lips quirking slightly. She knew she'd won.
“No, I don’t think I will,” she said, moving behind Clay to better position the blade.
To move it into the killing position.
And when all my thoughts centered aroundhim,she finally broke through my defenses and her power poured into me.
Her magic slithered into my thoughts, rapid and invasive until the world around me vanished.
I spun, searching in the dark.
