Fires of War (War and Deceit #4) - Erin O'Kane Page 0,152

My chest warms, and someone calls my name. The sounds of battle fill the air, but I can’t look away. I want to, but I can’t, my whole body locked in position.

Dark power floods through me, and although I’ve never felt the goddess stronger than this, death is winning. The Mother is powerful, but she already warned me that while she would handle her siblings, I would have to deal with the queen. She’s still got centuries of experience and power over me. The scar on my back throbs, the pain seeming to spread through my body with each heartbeat. The agony makes me cry out, and I hear someone call my name again, but I can’t move, still frozen in place.

“You will never beat me.” She leans over me and bares her teeth, feeling my energy falter. “There is nothing more powerful than death.”

I think about everything the goddess has told me and everything I’ve learned since becoming free. I may only have had a short time as a liberated woman, but I’ve discovered such happiness with my mates and found family I didn’t know existed. Overall, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Smiling gently up at the queen, I grip her arms tighter. “You’re right, I can’t beat death.”

She frowns, not understanding my soft voice and smile, but her expression soon turns to horror as she realises what I’m doing. Closing my eyes, I stop fighting the darkness, and instead, I welcome it. Drawing it in, I pull it from her and into me, except I don’t stop despite her screams of pain. With the help of the Mother, I draw it all.

Everything fades to black as agony consumes me.

Hold on, beloved, a warm, familiar voice whispers in my mind, pulling me from the pain as my eyes flutter open. The queen is kneeling in front of me now, looking just as weak as I feel, her head thrown back in misery.

It shouldn’t be possible for me to hold so much power, it should have consumed my soul, I expected it to. Except I feel a connection to this world keeping me here. No, not just one, but four, my chest throbbing as they weave a golden cage of love around my heart, protecting it from the darkness threatening to consume me.

The queen lets out a shriek of frustration. “Give it back!” With an almighty metaphysical yank, she starts to pull on the darkness. Even with the goddess on my side, I’m exhausted, and the evil begins to flow back to the queen, knowing she’s a far better host.

No, we’re going to lose—

The queen jerks in my arms, her expression morphing into one of shock as we both look down at the growing patch of blood spreading across her abdomen. Suddenly, the spell is broken, and I can move. I release her wrists, and she falls onto the ground, a puddle of blood rapidly forming around her. Her mouth opens and closes as she tries to say something, but her eyes dim and I know she’s dead. Looking up, I see one of her ladies-in-waiting looking stunned, holding a bloodied dagger in both hands. It’s obvious she didn’t think it would work from the look on her face. She steps away, appearing terrified as I fall backwards, my strength failing.

You did well, beloved, the Mother coos, her voice warm, and I can almost imagine her stroking my hair. Now release the darkness and rest, I shall protect you.

Somehow, I’ve ended up lying on the ground, and there are people moving around me, calling my name, but I’m focused on the goddess. “I have a question before you go,” I speak out loud, my voice weak, but the Mother hears me anyway.

Yes, beloved?

“You once said that you knew my true name, but I wasn’t ready to hear it. I’m ready now.”

She whispers it to me in my mind, and I laugh weakly. “Tor was right. Liv…” I murmur the name, trying to get a feel for it, but I find it strange, like trying on someone else’s clothes. I’m glad I asked, but that’s who I was. Clarissa is who I am now, and who I choose to be going forward.

I release the darkness, and my body shudders painfully several times before I fall into blissful unconsciousness.

“How did you do it?” Tor passes me a steaming mug of soup, glaring at me when I try to wave it away. I’m really not hungry, and this is the third cup