Page 317 of The Edge of Darkness

The talisman . . . how was I supposed to use it to wield Niall’s power alongside mine? I didn’t know nearly as much as I probably should about the god’s talismans or how they worked. I was going into this completely blind.

“Delyth came to me. I have to use the talisman to cast Lyceius out, but I don’t know how.”

“Will it into being,” he said, holding my gaze with all the confidence in the world. “It’s just like controlling your power. You are in command. You tell it what to do.”

Behind us, Lyceius was stirring from where he also lay on the ground. Whatever had happened when I put on the talisman must have affected him as well.

Niall helped me to my feet and cupped my face in his strong hands. His calluses had been torn wide open from gripping the hilt of his sword, and I savored every scrape as they pressed against my skin. “I’m with you, my love, until the end. My power is yours to command.”

His words were meant to steady me, but instead, they left me fighting back tears, because at the end of this, I would ascend, and he would remain as he was, living a fae lifetime, a limited lifetime.

But there was no time for reconsidering.

I pushed those feelings down, and summoned my light.

The air crackled with a new energy.

My energy.

I was glowing from within. Light pulsed in my veins, and sparks danced along the fine hairs on my arms, arcing off into sharp strands around me. Niall’s eyes ignited into a golden flame as he channeled all his fury toward our joint purpose, and together, we turned toward our enemy.

We were a thing of lore in the making.

Would others tell our story? Of how we stood, hand in hand, to face a god in the flesh? Was anyone even watching, or was the war still raging below?

Lyceius regained his composure and wiped his hair from his brow. The moment he caught sight of his golden band sitting on my forehead, he snarled. “How dare you steal from a god?”

“I didn’t,” I said. “My Dionach did. And now, you are going to pay for every life you’ve ever taken.”

He roared as he launched at us.

The talisman hummed against my skin like a string drawn on a bow, ready to release my power wherever I wished. So I did just as Niall said. I aimed it right for my enemy, and commanded it.

A beam of blinding, white light shot forth from my hand—pure, raw power. It struck Lyceius in his chest and slammed him to the ground, the impact leaving a mark several inches deep in the dirt. Before he could move to stand, I hit him again with another burst.

Beside me, Niall channeled shadowfire at his fingertips. He sent a rush of it parallel to my beam of light, striking the god twofold.

Both of us stalked forward. Our streams of shadow and light drove Lyceius into the ground, gouging out a path as we pushed him further and deeper into the earth. When we finally ceased, a near fifty-foot gash marred the hillside.

Niall was breathing hard next to me, waiting for any sign of movement from the pit.

We took a step closer, when out of the dust, Lyceius leapt. A wall of his corrupt power slammed into us, and Niall roared, sending his shadowfire out in defense. A beam of light followed on its heel, twining with the shadows, barreling with such force, that Lyceius couldn’t avoid the hit. Our powers struck the silver pauldron on his right shoulder, disintegrating it to white ash and blistering the skin beneath it.

Lyceius stumbled sideways, baring his teeth in both pain and anger as he shook out his arm. Then, between his hands, he summoned a black mass and hurled it in our direction. I stepped in front of Niall, my light shooting out in a white-hot beam, splitting the mass down the center. But the darkness regrouped and enveloped us in a swarm. It swallowed up the sunlight, and the world went black.

My power fizzled as I became overwhelmed by the madness. Hundreds of obscure figures sprung from the depths around me, pulling, scratching, doing everything in their power to keep me subdued. Inky, clawed hands reached for the talisman, but I lashed out, one hand holding the relic to my head, the other pushing light out in every direction. Lyceius wanted to overwhelm me, to get me distracted and unable to focus on my power. I cried out in frustration, trying to gain control of the situation.

I felt Niall’s presence beside me amidst the fray. Between the flashes of light, I could see his shadowfire striking back against the swarm, but Lyceius’s power pushed harder, overcoming the shadows and shredding them into thin ribbons.

Niall grabbed my waist and pulled me to him, but his arm trembled as he did so. He had used too much of his power. He was tiring.

His voice rose to overcome the chaotic hiss of the swarming mass. “Dig deep, Auren. Deeper than you ever have before.” To the bottom of my well, and hope that, when I came up, I was still conscious. “I’ll be right here with you,” he said, rallying his power once more.

I closed my eyes, letting his presence ground me.

Just as I began the descent, I heard a pained grunt.

Niall’s arms loosened.