Page 120 of A Bond So Deadly

Soon, we have her completely surrounded. The shadow knife gets tossed from hand to hand, as everyone works to get closer, dodging and weaving the queen’s shadows, barely able to keep ahead of them. Thane gets close to plunging the blade into Queen Krosia’s back, but he has to pull away at the last second, dodging a shadow as he tosses the blade to Nate, who’s the closest on his right.

Nate ducks as shadows slice the air above his head, and he pivots away, but then he does the unthinkable…

He tosses the dagger to me.

I fumble the blade and it falls a short distance away. Crap! I was supposed to just help be another distraction.

“Shade!” Knox calls out to me as Queen Krosia spots the shadow dagger. I rush for it, but the shadow queen’s expression becomes feral. Her shadows spear out, and I freeze.

“No!” Raith yells, and I scream as the shadows hit.

But it’s not me they were aimed at. Queen Krosia’s shadows curl around the demon queen as Queen Krosia cackles, lifting Blake into the air. My friend struggles against the shadow queen’s hold, snarling but unable to break free.

“Mate!” Alaric bellows as Blake’s mates charge forward, but Queen Krosia’s power explodes, spreading in all directions. It washes over the land like a flood of darkness, and there’s nowhere to run.

My mates rush for me, but before they can reach me, Queen Krosia’s darkness spreads, holding everyone hostage as they freeze in place, no longer able to move.

The darkness covers the armies, the shadow warriors, demons, archangels, and water warriors. It coats the animali and zenali, paralyzing the creatures.

In no time at all, everyone is being restrained by the queen. Everyone, that is, except for me. A small patch of color surrounds me as I stand there, trembling.

“Thane!” I send out mentally to my mate, but there’s no answer. “Raith? Emorie?” No one replies, and it’s like there’s a barrier around me, stopping me from speaking to them.

“Now, that’s better,” Queen Krosia croons. Her gaze lands on me. “Oh, don’t look so surprised, you of all people should have seen this coming. You’ve tasted the power of the oracle. You didn’t really think upgraded shadow tentacles was all I had, did you?” She sneers as she mocks me.

“Let them go,” I say, trying to sound brave, but failing miserably. Calm down, Shade. Maybe if you can get to the shadow dagger, there’s still hope. I stare at where the blade sits in darkness a few paces away.

Like she can read my thoughts, Queen Krosia rolls her eyes and points at the blade. “Oh, you aren’t still hoping that’s going to help you, are you?” She opens her arms wide. “Look around. If I wanted, everyone you love could be dead in an instant. The powers of immortality don’t mean much when faced with my wrath. Though I must say, letting the demon queen keep the blade has been as entertaining as I thought it would be. There’s nothing more thrilling than watching the hope drain from someone’s eyes.” Her shadows slide across Blake’s skin, and Blake glares at her, still unable to move. “But now that I’ve had my fun…” She lifts her hand.

“You don’t want to do that!” I blurt, stepping to the edge of my colored patch of ground.

Queen Krosia narrows her eyes at me. “And why’s that?”

“Well, you want people to still be around to witness your greatness, don’t you?” I force a smile. “What’s the point of all that power if you don’t have people kneeling before you? Especially some of the strongest beings in this realm.”

My heart thunders as she considers my words, and she strides closer, circling me.

“You know, I still don’t see what’s so special about you,” she mutters. She walks by my mates, revelling in their tortured expressions as they remain fixed in place. “Though, I will admit, that little stunt you pulled by giving the students their immortality was…surprising.”

Blake manages to move her fingers as she struggles against Queen Krosia’s hold, and the forests continue to burn around us. The fire spreads, igniting the forest within the academy walls before racing toward the academy building, and the ash grows thicker as it rains from above.

Queen Krosia moans as she sucks in more power, using it to bolster her energy to keep everyone contained.

“Don’t do this,” I rasp as her power burns my eyes. “You’re right, I’m not special. You have the power of the oracle. You got what you wanted. The war is over.”

“Not special?” She laughs. “You still don’t get it, do you? Even now, even while I have the oracle trapped inside me, I can feel the oracle’s lingering hope that you’ll still win out against me.”

What?

“But you’re so fucking naïve,” she goes on. “The fact I ever thought you were a threat is laughable.”

I blink dumbly at her.

“When the time comes to close the fold, four must stand against the bitter cold. Only one can make you break, beware the bond of your beloved mate.” She mocks me with the words. “I bet you thought once your mates closed the fold, you would all be safe and live happily ever after, didn’t you?”

I shift uncomfortably. “Well, the Xalgrith are gone, and the fold⁠—”

“The fold was never really an issue,” she interrupts. “Oh, of course I didn’t want King Malgur finding the power that was rightfully mine, but now that I have it, the fold can remain. The Xalgrith will bend to my will just as the rest of the realms will.”