Shadow Cursed by May Sage Page 0,72

the mortals, but Morgana won.

The queen’s snake unfurls from her throne, and slithers to her shoulder. Only when he touches her do I understand his purpose.

He’s feeding her his energy. He’s granting her power. Yet I don’t sense that he’s losing any of his own.

When she’s sufficiently restored, she turns to me, her cruel eyes filled with rage. She raises her hands, and I brace myself for the oncoming onslaught on my soul.

On shaking legs, Violet steps between her mother and I, my sword in her hand.

Morgana stills.

"You know what your problem is, Mother? You like wolves to kneel for you. You should have put us down when you had the chance."

Violet disappears, and reappears behind Morgana. The first flick of her wrist cuts the serpent’s head clean off. Morgana screeches in fury. Her daughter’s blade already found another target, slicing her back. Morgana moves to counter the blow, but already Violet's on the other side. Her swordsmanship is poor—worse than mine, and I am no expert—but I've never seen speed like that. Not even when I have my wings have I ever moved as fast as she.

I don't need to wonder why she never used her ability before. She didn't have the strength, depleted as she was, and there was no hope of taking on Morgana when she could just drain her life force. Now while I'm draining Morgana, she can't use Void, just like I couldn't when she was taking me in. And that leaves her prey to Violet's strikes.

I finally feel some part of myself awakening. Morgana's life force is feeding mine, giving me back some strength. I use it to drain her faster, harder. Soon, I see fear in those hateful eyes.

Keeping one arm outstretched, I reach for the key on the bed, and unlock my ankles, before standing up to join the fight.

I catch Violet's eye, and tilt my chin, gesturing for her to take Morgana's back.

Then I let go of the Void.

Morgana is quick to turn to me and bombard me with the full extent of her power. She's taking her daughter's advice: this time, there's no teasing. This time, she wants my death.

I fall to my knees, and she smirks, victorious.

Then blood spatters, showering my face. Violet plunged my sword right through Morgana's throat, screaming.

I gasp, falling back as Morgana's power suddenly flickers out.

Her body drops to the ground.

There's nothing but silence in the tent, save for our breathing.

Then Violet screams again, lifting the sword for the second time, and stabbing the cooling corpse, over and over.

I get to my feet, and join her.

Soon, we're laughing like children. I've never known a more entertaining game.

Then I swear. Drusk!

I rush out of the tent. I'd know if he was hurt. I'd feel it. But that doesn't mean he isn't in trouble.

I freeze as soon as I get out of Morgana's stuffy chamber, laughing out loud.

Flanked by Samel and his two knights, he's dragging Ceron uphill, bound like a hog.

I rush back to the tent, kneeling in front of the four brave, brave souls who took on Morgana for us. Without them, who's to know what would have become of us? I have little strength left to me, but what I have, I give. I give, and give, till all four are breathing.

Only then do I let myself collapse, knowing I'm safe with the girl who a day ago was supposed to be my worst enemy.

Songs of Tenebris

Vlari

I wake next to Drusk. He’s snoring so loud the entire hall must hear him.

I’m feeling a lot better than I would have thought possible. I’m not drained or weak despite the amount of power I’ve had sucked out of me. But I see bright eyes stare at me in the darkness, and then I understand.

“You’re here again, hm?” I whisper to my familiar, smiling at him.

The wyrfox only stares.

“You feed me energy,” I guess. “You heal my soul.”

He is quick to leave the room, happy to return to the wilderness now he doesn’t feel needed.

I’ll have to name him, one day.

I get up as quietly as I can. There’s much to do, but Drusk deserves all the sleep he can get.

I’ve only let myself slink into the warm bathing pool when he joins me.

We don’t talk. We could have lost each other a night ago. We could have lost everything.

But we’re here, we won.

We saved our kingdom.

Words are useless. I let myself drown in him, for a time.

Then I dress, brush my hair, and set my crown