“Me,” Lara affirmed. She brought her weapon up in silent challenge. Yet, she was no match even for the injured king.

Chion’s low growl filled the room with menace, turning the king’s gaze away from Lara. Even with his wounds on blatant display, the large paka was not a creature to be taken lightly.

Lukar backed away from them, each step taking him closer to the middle of the chamber.

Spread out, Skye instructed after summoning energy by sheer willpower. As the pakas broke away and circled wide, sticking to the walls, they both bared their teeth in a show of barely leashed aggression. Chion’s constant growl unsettled their enemy, and Lukar slid a few steps forward before jerking to a stop.

Skye’s lips twitched despite his exhaustion and injuries. Lara, he is too strong and fast to be taken down by even the four of us. One of us would possibly lose our life. I—we—need a distraction. Can you emanate an emotion?

Lara glanced at him, her brows pulling down. After a brief hesitation, she asked, Any emotion?

Chion answered, Send him the emotions you feel that encompasses the evil here.

Her voice full of grim determination, she said, Tell me when.

With the two pakas now behind Lukar, Skye had an odd sense of déjà vu. It dawned on him that this situation had happened before. He had once stood where Lukar now stood between four enemy combatants. The skirmish against Cai and Neal felt like it had happened years ago, but now he wondered whether it was in preparation for this exact moment. Maybe if he used the basics of how he was defeated in the past, they would have a chance.

Drawing a breath, Skye held it before releasing the air from his lungs. Chion, Eiren, hamstring him as soon as Lara distracts him. Lara, stay back and focus on pushing your Lan’Ai magic toward him.

Without a word, they all moved into position.

Lukar raised his sword and balanced on the balls of his feet, obviously shrugging aside his injuries in the presence of fresh danger. Caution screamed from the Malirran’s every limb. His eyes glanced toward Lara before returning back to Skye. His words, though, were meant for Lara. “You are sane, now.”

Lara stretched out the silence before responding to the unasked question. “Yes, it was not an act. I was feral. Rather insane, actually.” She tilted her head toward Skye. “He brought me back from the abyss.” She jerked her head in Chion’s general direction. “Chion brought me all the way back. You know, I was lucky. Unlike you.”

“Lucky,” he snarled, brandishing his teeth like a paka. “You should have never come. When I am done with you, you will beg for death long before I am done with you. Semnac anticipates the power within your blood, your very marrow.”

Sadness slithered through the bond, making Skye flick his eyes to her though his magic remained locked onto the king.

“Yes, Lukar. I was lucky. I knew exactly when I fell into the abyss of evil. I knew it was the only possible way I could survive against you and your henchmen. Unlike you. You are evil. Truly, utterly evil. I don’t think you are even aware of the taint that surrounds you. You can’t see it. It follows you wherever you go. You are insane and don’t even know it.”

“My Goddess protects me and my people,” Lukar scoffs, shrugging off her accusation.

Lara’s despondent laugh fell flat in the walled space. A tremor of apprehension threaded her next words. “Fine. I will show you everything you have denied yourself.”

Through their bond, Skye yelled, Now.

For the first time, Skye actually saw what Lara had described shortly after her rescue. He thought he was prepared for what came next.

Lukar’s chest stuttered on a silent scream. The shock written across the Malirran’s face would haunt Skye for years to come. The man’s eyes went blank, staring unseeingly across the room as if he saw something that rendered him mute and rooted to that spot. Dawning recognition came next. The gaunt body froze, and all of Lukar’s muscles bulged. For a brief moment, panic and regret crossed his enemy’s face. Sorrow came next. Then, full-fledged terror transformed the powerful man into yet another victim. He shook his head viciously, as if that would stop the evil. At last, a tortured scream escaped before it gradually changed into a deep cackle.

With a snap, Lukar’s eyes focused on the greatest threat in the room, a fierce, hungry expression spread the man’s lips into a wicked snarl. Lara was his prey. Skye realized Lukar’s transformation was complete. The man was gone, his personality and the core of him stripped beneath the throes of darkness that Lara pushed toward the Malirran.

Not waiting for Lukar to attack, Skye yelled, “Chion. Eiren!” Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lara. Except for the rigidity of her body and the white-knuckled fists her hands made, she stood as if in a meditative state. Her entire focus was on their enemy, and Skye knew she still sent the darker emotions toward Lukar.

Hoping the two pakas heard him, Skye launched himself forward with a war cry. He brought the pummel of his sword back against his shoulder. As if choreographed, the two pakas’ wicked claws tore chunks of meat from the Malirran’s calves. Chion’s weight pushed their enemy in Skye’s direction. The man fell to his knees with an agonized cry. Although Lukar’s eyes were unfocused, his hands still instinctively clutched his sword.

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Using both his forward momentum and Lukar’s fall, Skye rammed his sword through the man’s heart with a loud crunch of broken rib bones. The blade punched out of his back with a sickening amount of blood. Once the Malirran king’s chest hit the cross-guard, both Skye and his sword jerked to a halt.

With eyes already going vacant and mouth filling with blood, Lukar gasped, “My Goddess… has deserted… me.”

It was done.

Skye released his grip, and the Malirran king fell to the floor. A huff of air escaped Skye as he dropped to his knees, suddenly weak from blood loss and relief. He released his Lan’Ai magic, uncaring whether any enemies still walked the castle halls. For once, someone else could protect him. He had nothing left to offer. Eiren came up beside him, giving him her silent support. They leaned against each other for what felt like hours but was probably mere moments.

His eyes shut against the sight of the dead king, Skye whispered with a wince, “It was almost too close, Eiren.”

He snapped his head up and stared at Chion in surprise when Chion let loose a loud, triumphant roar, heralding the end of the Malirran king. His roar was picked up by the other pakas and the Tal’Ais.

Aleena marched into the room with two of her guards. She came to a stop and gazed down at the body with an inscrutable expression. When she looked up, she said, “We have only won half the war. My people still fight in the streets.” Waving to the Pyranni guards, she ordered, “Bring him.”

Before they could carry the dead king away, Skye grasped his sword and jerked it out of the body. With a nod to both Pyrannis, he collapsed back against Eiren, giving them room to maneuver.

“Do we follow?” Lara asked.

Skye shot her a look, then stopped and studied her closer. She was pale and shaky, her eyes wide and wild. Chion was curled around her, cocooning her in white fur. “Lara, are you okay?”

Lara’s grip on Chion’s neck tightened. It took her a little too long to answer. When she did, she didn’t meet Skye’s eyes. “Yeah, I’m okay.” She shuddered once, then shook her head. “No. Yes. Maybe?”

With growing concern, he crawled to his feet, swayed for a bit before finding his balance, and limped over to them.

Chion’s low growl made him shuffle a little faster. My Lady was required to immerse herself into the evil before she could send it outward. He licked her cheek and entreated, Solara, come back to me.

Skye grabbed onto her, hugging her upper body to him as Chion and Eiren encircled her, giving Lara their body heat. Using both hands, he jerked her head up until they were eye to eye. With a calm he did not feel, he entreated, “Lara, you are stronger than this. You must fight.”

“Yes,” she said with a dazed smile, “he is dead. I know.” Her eyes suddenly snapped into focus. “It isn’t what you think, guys. I swear. I just need a little time.”

Tell us what is wrong, and we will help, Eiren coaxed in a gentle murmur.

Lara’s right hand ran up Skye’s back and curled in his long hair. She didn’t seem to care that he was covered in blood and sweat, which Skye felt strangely proud of.

“Before…” Lara stopped to swallow hard. “When I blasted—I don’t really know what to call it other than that—him with the evil surrounding the city, I was scalded by something that I can’t explain.” A sheepish blush crawled across her otherwise pale face. “I meant to hit only him, but I think a few others nearby got caught in the blast. I’m not sure, though. It just, well, took a little while for me to figure out how to narrow the beam, so to speak. I’m just glad you guys aren’t influenced by my magic.” Her fingers petted the back of his head while she gathered her thoughts. She cleared her throat. “Anyway, about the time Lukar screamed, the evil vanished like it never existed.”

Skye knew he wasn’t the only one confused when he glanced at the two pakas.

Eiren caught on to what Lara was saying first. You mean the sudden shift from feeling only the darkness everywhere to nothing has left you dazed.

“Yes,” Lara nodded, “that is exactly right. I’m not drowning in evil. In fact, it is the exact opposite.” She rubbed her chest with the hand that had gripped Chion. “I actually feel like I’m high as a kite.”

When Skye quirked an eyebrow at her, she snorted. “I feel like I’m drugged. I feel great, like a weight has been lifted. I can still feel others’ emotions if I focus, but the evil and darkness is gone.”

He tightened his arms around her, bringing her closer, trapping her hand between the two of them. “We survived. I could not kill him on my own. I tried, but he was too strong.”

Chion hummed in thought for a moment. His purr could be heard by all of them. My Lady, I think what Lukar claimed is exactly what happened. His Goddess deserted him at the exact moment she realized he would die.

Eiren’s agreed, If the evil has disappeared as Lara says, then it does make sense. Her voice turned practical. However, enough about theories we may never learn the truth about. We are leaving this room. I cannot abide the smell or sight of this wretched chamber a moment longer. Skye and Chion also need to see a healer.

Skye herded them out into the hallway where the others waited. Another cheer greeted them when they appeared. He couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face, despite the pain it caused. They had done what they had set out to accomplish. The king was dead. The queen was now in power—or would be shortly. Without their leaders and king, the Malirrans would soon relinquish their weapons in a bid to save their lives.

After propping his arm over her shoulders, Lara tucked herself against him and took on some of his weight. “So,” Lara asked with a grunt, “what did Aleena do with the body?”

He answered as the Kurites and his bondmates traversed the hallway, careful to step over the dead. “I believe she will showcase Lukar’s body to crush the spirit of the Malirran soldiers. We cannot help the Pyrannis, even if we so desire. She cannot begin her rule perceived as a weak queen.” He turned to one of the Tal’Ai pakas. “Did anyone send word to Cai and Neal?”

The female paka nodded, Yes, Lan’Ai Skye. They both await our arrival by the dungeon gate. Along with the healer, they have already started patching up our wounded.

Both Eiren and Lara groaned, wrinkling their noses at the thought of traveling into the dungeon again, even if it were to leave the city behind.

He chuckled, and everyone soon joined him. “It is disgusting. We will survive.”

Lara grumbled good-naturedly, “Yes, but now we are all tired and injured. I’d recommend hunting for another hidden door to the tunnels, but I don’t want to have to fight my way through to safety. I’ll try holding my breath.” She looked around at the Kurites walking around them. “What do you think? Will holding my breath work?”

Laughter rebounded off the hall. Relief was a wonderful feeling. Since he’d first been captured, Skye had fought for survival, constantly on the move. Not wanting to interrupt the banter between the Kurite warriors, he admitted through their bond, I’m ready to go home.

Chion spoke up, his curiosity tinting the bond, Where is home?

I think home should be the Tal’Ai school, Lara said as they limped down the stairs in the servant corridor. We survived, barely. I know you and Eiren will probably be bored to tears, but I think Skye and I could both use some help training our Lan’Ai powers.

After that? Eiren asked.

Does it matter? Skye replied. We will be together.

With a giddiness that belied how exhausted they all were, Lara said with a wide grin, No, it doesn’t. Not one bit. Can you imagine what we will be able to do with full control of our magic? It’ll be an adventure. I can’t wait.