Page 126 of A Bond So Deadly

She shrugs. “That’s life for you. There are countless people dying everyday who don’t deserve their fate. All I’m saying is that I appreciate that you tried.” Her smile is bittersweet. “You’re my kind of person, you know. I bet we would have been besties in another life.” She peers at Blake, Kenzie, and Satine. “Though, you’re a bit of a bestie whore, did you know that?”

A weak smile finally comes to my face, and those damn tears start flowing again.

“You need to stop holding back,” she tells me. “Stop holding onto the past. Like I said, you weren’t the one who failed me and mistakes happen. It’s a part of life.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “You’re really here, aren’t you? But how? Are you a lost soul?”

“I’m here for you.” Her brow creases. “I’m not lost. I knew I could transcend to a higher existence or whatever, but I wasn’t ready. Not yet. No, I had to wait for this moment.”

“So you’ve been waiting here for me all this time?”

She lifts her hands in the air. “Hey, I didn’t mind. It gets real freaky around here, and I mean that in a good way. And I’m happy to be here for you. Because you needed this reminder to let go. To forgive yourself.”

I sniffle. “I’m not a goddess, Alina. I tried⁠—”

“Did you?” She questions. “Because Queen Krosia is right. You’ve been letting the past drain you, and you haven’t even noticed.”

I’m silent for a moment as I think on that, and I realize she’s right. I haven’t wanted to use my full power. Not since my first day at Shadowbone. Because if I did and something went wrong, it would be all my fault. And this time it wasn’t only one life at stake. Somehow, I helped the students get their immortality, but I was desperate, and the shadow queen wasn’t there. “Queen Krosia has the oracle’s power,” I point out. “How can I compete with that?”

“Queen Krosia survives on hate,” Alina replies. “But she was never meant to have the oracle’s power. All that power does is amplify the magic of the holder. It’s why she keeps burning the forests to get more. Deep down she knows she wasn’t the one chosen to hold that power, and that fuels her anger.”

“But why me when there are so many more deserving of it? I’ll just mess everything up.”

Alina regards me. “You weren’t selected because you were powerful, Shay,” she tells me. “You were chosen because Lady Fate knew the shadow realm needed someone who would keep fighting, no matter how hard it seemed. You were chosen because you’re the kind of person who runs toward danger to help people, even when you should probably be running away.” She holds out her hand. “I think it’s time you used the magic the shadow realm is gifting you properly, don’t you? Long ago you held my hand when I needed you. Now it’s my turn.”

As I stare at her hand, a song starts whispering through the air as ash rains from above. It’s the second verse of the prophecy, and it brings more tears to my eyes.

Where the land bleeds, and the skies fall

Forests of ash, before the final call

Stand as one, our forgotten, lost warriors

For without you…

There will be no times at all.

“Stand with me, Shay. We’ll fight together,” Alina tells me. “One last time.”

More tears stream down my cheeks. I want to tell her it’s impossible, because the shadow queen’s holding me captive, but when I reach for Alina’s outstretched hand, Queen Krosia’s power doesn’t stop me.

Alina’s hand is ice cold, and the moment we touch, I mentally let go of the past. Because Alina’s right. No matter what happened in that alleyway, it doesn’t change the fact that I tried. For her.

Not far away, Blake watches me, still struggling against Queen Krosia’s hold. Her fingers twitch, and she manages to move one of her legs.

Something shifts inside me, a darkness leaving my soul, and for the first time I truly feel my power. Not just the magic that I’d allowed into my system. I feel…everything. Shadow magic explodes inside me, and it’s like I feel connected to the beating heart of the shadow realm itself.

A blinding light shines behind my eyes as power races along my veins, and when I can see again, I’m lifted into the air, shadows swirling around me.

Queen Krosia rages as my power tries to envelope her.

No, not just my power. Our power. The power of the shadow realm and all those within it. At my side, Alina smiles at me broadly, salutes, and then disappears.

My heart pangs, but I keep focused on the shadow queen.

Queen Krosia’s magic pushes back, and she laughs hysterically. “Oh, you think you can stop m⁠—”

She doesn’t finish. Blood leaks from Queen Krosia’s mouth, and she stares down in surprise at where Blake has driven the shadow blade into her chest.