Page 99 of Cursed By the Dawn

The crowd mirrored him, holding their vials high.

“This will be the last elixir we shall ever imbibe. The Dream Realm has been restored at last.” He made a quick gesture to his nearby guards. At once, they forced the six Weavers forward. Theia joined them, standing by Mithras’s side. “I have rescued the Weavers from the chains the wicked Shadow Bringer thrust upon them. But I was not alone in the good work.”

Rough hands grabbed me by the shoulders, shoving me forward. I squirmed under their grasp as they brought me to the raised platform, but I didn’t dare do anything else—there were simply too many eyes onme. Too many hopeful, curious eyes. Mithras’s assassination wouldn’t be fulfilled with a dagger to the heart in a dark corner. Our only chance would be averypublic demonstration. But could I really kill him in front of the eyes of so many? Theia had betrayed us; she was following Mithras, not paving the way for his execution.

Erebus and I wouldn’t stand a chance.

The citizens would riot, and the entire might of the Light Legion would strike us down.

But wouldn’t I do anything to save Noctis? Even if it means my own demise?

“Esmer Havenfall, hailing from Norhavellis, has valiantly fought to seek out the Shadow Bringer and bring him to me. He tried to bend her to his foul will, but she did not falter in the abyss.” With a quick swipe of his blade, my dress’s neckline was cut. I cried out, trying to cover myself, but my arms were wrenched back. Raelion’s cursed mark, two black claws shaped in the mockery of a necklace, was now on display for everyone to see. “Look at how he marked her!” Mithras shouted. “But Esmer is a model for howallcitizens of Noctis should be. She bravely faced his evil, seized it, tamed it, and stood triumphant. Let none deny her glory, for she has earned reverence beyond measure.” Mithras turned to look at me then, smiling warmly as he placed an adoring hand underneath my chin. His eyes were no longer a rich, golden honey; instead, they were bloody rubies. “Isn’t that right?”

Erebus shoved himself to the front of the gathered Revelers, fighting to take his place by my side, but he was immediately overcome by a swarm of legionnaires. They wrenched his hands behind his back as he struggled, and a sharp kick to his stomach forced him to his knees. He snarled, but Silas’s—or Estaroth’s, rather—armored elbow quickly slammed into his face. Blood gushed from his nose, splattering his lips and soaking his chin, a crimson trail pouring unchecked down his neck. I surged forward, desperate to help, but he caught my eye and mouthedno. The other Weavers’ eyes widened in distress. There were more legionnaires surging forward now, hands on their weapons.

The message was clear: If we resisted, we’d receive the same treatment as Erebus.

“What you see here is the monster who ravaged our kingdom for five hundred years,” Mithras declared, leveling a look so full of hatred—so full of disgust—at Erebus that it made me physically ill. Then he ripped off Erebus’s mask.How dare he?I was shaking now; my hands were cold, and my head felt close to bursting. “The devil who sought to devour your mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers. Your neighbors. Your children. Yourfriends. And now, even your holy Light Bringer.”

The crowd gasped. Some even took a few steps back or averted their gazes altogether.

“So let us drink. Let us toast to the monster whose death will finally end Noctis’s Corruption. Let us drink to the first shared dream in over five hundred years.”

All the citizens drank from their vials, cheering when the liquid was completely gone. There was a small fight as the Weavers raged against the Light Legion—but they were quickly overcome, the contents of the vials shoved down their throats so forcefully that some gagged. It took four men alone to pry open Erebus’s jaws. The drink tasted different from the elixir I was used to; this substance was bitter and sickly. A thick, possessive syrup that clung to my throat as it slid into my stomach.

The legionnaires themselves followed suit, drinking from their cups.

Citizens immediately began to collapse, falling to the ground in heaps.

“What is this?” I cried. “What did you do to them?”

“I am merely continuing our Revel the proper way,” Mithras drawled, ruby eyes gleaming in the rising dawn. “Soon you will see. Soon you willknow. And I think you will enjoy what I have planned.” I shuddered as I felt Raelion’s voice lurking within Mithras’s. It slowly crawled up my spine and settled in my head, hissing in my ears. “I know how much you lust for power, Esmer. It is in your blood. You’ve felt sohelpless for so long.” He twisted my face to meet his. “Wouldn’t you like to become a god? Elliot is already waiting for you.”

Erebus wrenched himself free from his nearly unconscious guards, staggered to the pedestal, and shoved a dagger into Mithras’s chest. I expected Mithras to scream in agony or snarl with revulsion. Instead he simply laughed—a brutal, violent sound echoed by Estaroth—and quickly drew his own blade. I saw it a moment before Erebus did. I tried to push away his arm, tried to angle myself in front of Erebus—

But Mithras still managed to strike true.

The world spun.

A sword was in Erebus’s stomach.

Aswordwas in hisstomach.

“No!” I screamed, dropping to my knees and cradling Erebus to my chest. He groaned, shuddering in agony. Blood soaked through his clothes, dripping from his face and blooming across his stomach.

“You were right, Theia,” Mithras chuckled, gripping the dagger that was still in his chest. With a sickeningcrunch, he drove it deeper. “This was entirely worth the delicious wait.”

The rest of the Weavers were unconscious, but Theia still managed to stand. She gave me and Erebus a brief remorseful glance before averting her eyes. “They will be the perfect hosts, my lord. With their shadow magic and your demonic might, you will be unstoppable. No one will be able to harm you now.”

“Good,” Mithras murmured.“Good.”

Theia whispered the next part: “The Maker will surely be watching your triumph.”

And then she fell, jewelry rattling across the ground as pieces of it shattered.

Erebus slumped in my arms, unconscious.

Sleep tugged at me, too—it pulled at me from within, tearing me down with sharp claws, even as red-hot rage seared through every vein in my body. It wasn’t fair—none of this was fair. Everything had been taken from me. My sister, my parents, my brother, my lover, mylife. I triedto reach for Mithras and strike the hideous, triumphant grin from his mouth, but my hand wouldn’t listen.