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And not just any blast. I’m not only throwing the power of the weapon at him but loading it with all my godly fury.
No, not just my godly fury. Every bit of the humanity left within me—all my feelings for Maddox—and the strength of courage I had when I sacrificed my life for the world. I hurl my sheer will, demanding that the universe back me in my quest to destroy this monster, because I’m the only one who can do it.
My aim is true as the full force of my rage hits Rune so hard the connection between him and Maddox is shredded. The god goes flying, corkscrew twisting in the air until he slams against a stone wall so hard rocks crumble and fall.
Maddox slumps to the ground, unmoving.
There’s no part of me that believes it will ever be that easy and I bend distance to Rune, pulling his position to me so violently, the crevice that expelled the demons slams shut with a low rumble.
Rune pushes up, rising to face me as I step from my previous point to come toe to toe with him.
“You’ve got some teeth, little god,” he growls. “I’m going to enjoy knocking them out.”
The gemstone in his chest glows, and tiny invisible fingers probe at me.
But my powers are fully in control, not dampened by some hell snake and he’s unable to latch on to them.
Rune draws his arm across his chest and launches a backhand at me. I’ve never felt stronger as I brace for the impact, and when it comes, my teeth stay in place and my head barely rocks.
And it’s a beauty to behold the confusion on Rune’s face.
“Impossible,” he hisses. “I took your powers.”
I have no clue why he thinks that. I felt them snap back into me when Finley severed the connection, but perhaps he didn’t. Or maybe he’s so pumped on the power of the Blood Stone he’s mistaking its strength. The year he spent as a mortal may have caused him to forget what it felt like to be a god.
“You took nothing from me,” I say, slapping my palm on the jewel. I dig my fingers into the flesh knitted around the edges. Rune screams as I yank the Blood Stone from his chest, leaving a gaping wound over his exposed sternum. He drops to his knees, moaning in pain with his hand pressed to stop the blood flowing from his chest. I squeeze the stone, the pulsing crimson glow showing between my fingers. It’s an immensely powerful object, and yet I easily crush it as if it’s finely spun glass. My hand compresses so tightly, I grind the gem to dust and toss it away unceremoniously.
Carrick is beside me, and I don’t think twice. I shove Cato’s lightning bolt at him. “Finish the bastard.”
I’m vaguely aware of Amell and Finley appearing. Carrick strides with purpose toward Rune, now screaming profanities. More than anyone, Carrick has the right to strike Rune dead for all the ways he tortured him for hundreds upon hundreds of years. The gods who imprisoned Rune before I was created wanted him to suffer the length of a mortal life behind bars, and they might disapprove of me condoning his death.
But none of that matters now.
I rush to Maddox, lying on his side next to the stone altar where I was supposed to die. My heart stutters when I get a good look at him, dropping to my knees at his side. I pull the ax from his back and toss it far from us, gently moving him.
If a hard death had a picture, it would look like this. Maddox’s skin is dry, leathered, and gray. His hair is almost pure white and so brittle that when I rest my hand along the side of his head, it breaks off. His eyes are closed, sunken into his skull, and his body looks to be but a skeleton—skin stretched taut over bone.
What did Rune do to him?
I encircle his wrist with my shaking hand, but it’s so thin and bony, I’m afraid it might break. I search for a pulse… that beat of a heart even immortals have to indicate the truth of their existence.
Nothing… I feel absolutely nothing.
Tears wet my cheeks, the first time I’ve ever cried. Not even when my twin had to plunge a knife into my heart to save the world did I shed a tear. And yet the prospect of a world with no Maddox is too painful to consider. I had thought I’d expelled the last of my humanity when I called upon its strength to pull the Blood Stone free of Rune’s chest.
If that’s the case, how come my heart feels like it’s breaking?
I slide my palm against Maddox’s, gently lace my fingers with his skeletal ones, and dare not squeeze. I glance over to Rune, lifeless on the cavern floor with the lightning bolt lodged deep in his chest. Carrick stares down at him grimly before turning his head slowly my way.
For the first time, he takes in his brother lying on the ground, and his expression morphs from the satisfaction of putting Rune down to shock.
He bends distance to me, appearing in a flash. Amell and Finley walk slowly, perhaps to give us privacy—the two people who cared for Maddox the most.
“What happened to him?” Carrick asks softly.
“Rune.” That’s what happened to him. “He was protecting me. Told me to go help you and Finley. I shouldn’t have listened to him.”
“He loved you. Of course he was going to protect you.”
