When Carmin and Kek arrived with Tara in tow, Leo knew some serious shit had gone down. And that wasn’t just because of the haunted look in the Terpolite woman’s eyes as she surveyed the fallen warriors on the field.
It hardly took a genius to tell Carmin had worked her magic, in a manner of speaking. She always had a way with words, a way to make people see the error of their ways. It was one of her many impressive skills.
“I didn’t think so many would be affected,” she breathed.
Kek laughed. “What, you thought Enliatu would be freed from prison and he would spare everyone but those you hate?”
Before she could answer, Leo held one of his swords at her throat. Tara held her hands up, the sign of surrender. He didn’t move. “Call them off,” he ordered.
“I can’t,” Tara said, eyes on the blade.
“Why not?” Carmin asked.
“They don’t listen to me!” Tara insisted. “They follow him! They would do anything to make sure he succeeds!”
“Fear can be a strong motivation,” Kek said.
Leo kept his focus on Tara. “Try.”
The blade still pressed against her skin, Tara closed her eyes. A small ripple of power came from her power. Few soldiers glanced in her direction, gave a nod of acknowledgement, and vanished. Leo assumed they were returning home.
Most ignored the order. The fight continued. Barely a quarter of the Terpolite soldiers had vanished!
Carmin sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let her go. She can’t help us now.”
Leo did as he was told. He stood down.
Tara fell to her knees. A man appeared beside her. Liam. He wrapped his arms around her as they knelt in the mud. Where the hell had he come from?
A flash of light from above made Leo look up. Amneris and Enliatu were sending waves of power toward each other. On any other occasion, the blend of cyan and crimson would have been beautiful to watch. This time, there was too much at stake for him to focus on that.
Leo watched as his Queen twirled, sending a wave of white light toward her opponent. Enliatu shot into the sky, the attack barely scorching him, as Amneris dropped to the ground. Colt was at her side in an instant. They spoke quicky before turning toward Leo.
The two ran toward them. Colt stopped a few paces away, hands on his knees as he gasped for breath. Amneris, however, did not stop until she was standing in front of Leo. She looked around at the others, taking in the scene, before turning to him and holding out a hand.
“Give me the items.”
Aten galloped toward Amneris, Colt grasping him tight. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was surprised the wai’u hadn’t taken flight. The rest of his mind was focused on one thing. That one thing was coming closer with each breath.
His eyes focused on Amneris—on his Tali—as they approached. Even from this distance he could see golden blood trickling down one of her arms from a large gash. Not a good sign.
Enliatu grabbed Amneris and tossed her head-first into a nearby stone with a laugh, she groaned, raising a hand to her head, but making no move the get up.
Colt jumped from Aten’s back, the golden wai’u surging forward. Releasing a cry, Aten struck. His claws dug into Enliatu’s stomach. The man growled as he stumbled back—
Right into Colt’s sword.
Aten struck again with his claws, Colt making his next strike as fast as possible. Enliatu was caught between them with no escape!
Amneris stumbled to her feet. When she looked up at them, her eyes were blazing. A large patch of golden blood was on the side of her head, sticking her hair to her face. She was injured, weakened, but she was pissed!
Colt and Aten retreated as Amneris surged forward, fist raised. She struck, her hand going straight through Enliatu’s chest!
Colt gaped as she pulled it out, red and gold mixing. She took no notice or didn’t care about the two different bloods covering her arm. Annoyingly, Enliatu’s wound closed almost immediately.
He looked between Amneris and Colt, a smile spreading across his features.
“Once again, it comes down to the three of us. Myself: The Supreme Ruler of Darkness.” A glance toward Amneris. “You: The young Ruler of Light. And you.” He met Colt’s gaze. “The Forgotten King. Oh, yes. The girl told me all about you.”
Colt allowed his power to surround his form. “We defeated you once. We will defeat you again.”
“You did not defeat me.”
Amneris rolled er eyes. “Let me guess, this is the part where you give some dramatic villain monologue about how it doesn’t matter how many times I—we—stop you. You always come back because you are the darkness and the darkness chose you and blah blah blah. Am I close?”
The look in Enliatu’s eyes was feral.
Amneris shot into the sky. She sent a beam of cyan energy toward him, the sky lighting up with her power. Enliatu countered with a beam of crimson. The two blended where they met.
But the Dark King’s strength was greater. The crimson light begun overtaking the cyan.
Amneris released her power, flying to the side. From where Colt stood, he saw it barely miss her form. Amneris twisted around, swinging out her hand. A wave of light shot toward Enliatu. He shot into the sky, the wave scorching his side.
Amneris landed beside Colt.
He didn’t realise he was gaping until she closed his mouth with a finger. Gods, he wanted to kiss her.
“I have an idea.”
The thought left his mind. “Should I be afraid?”
“Very funny.” She stretched her newly healed arm. “I know how to get rid of him for good.”
“Then why are we still standing here!”
Amneris took off at a sprint, Colt barely able to keep up. Leo, Carmin and Kek were up ahead. Tara was on the ground nearby with Liam.
A few metres from them, stars begun dancing in Colt’s vision. He forced himself to stop, hands braced on his knees as he choked down air. His new body still wasn’t strong enough for his usual stamina.
Amneris had no such problem.
She stopped before Leo and held out her hand. “Give me the items.”
He blinked. “What?”
“Give me the items.”
“Why?”
“I know how to stop this,” she said. “I can use the power of the items to destroy Enliatu completely. It’s an old spell, but I know it.”
Leo blinked again. His face twisted into anger. “You’re insane!”
“Of course I am!”
“It will destroy you, Amneris!”
“Don’t you think I know that?”
Her voice was on the verge of breaking, but her face held firm. No one could change her mind.
Leo reluctantly reached into his pocket. “No.”
“What?”
“No.” Leo took a deep breath. “I know what you’re really planning. I won’t let you do it.”
Amneris shook her head. “There isn’t another way and you know it.” Her hand swept across the battlefield. “I’m the only one who can stop this, Leo. You have to let me.” The hand was held out to him again. “Give me the items.”
Colt watched as they stared at each other. Whatever she was planning, he had no idea. If it would destroy her, there was no way it was a good idea. He had to stop her, had to do something, but couldn’t.
Leo gave in. He placed the ten items into Amneris’ hand. “You had better come back, baby sis. We still need you.”
She gave him a small smile, saying something Colt couldn’t hear over the rain and raging battle. Whatever it was, it made the General’s face crumple.
Amneris came toward Colt. She took his face in her hands and kissed him. “I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything,” he said.
She closed her eyes, pressing their brows together. “Look after Hathy, okay?” This time, her voice broke. “Look after our baby for me.”
Colt shook his head. “No. No, you’re saying goodbye.” He pulled back. “Don’t you dare say goodbye.”
She didn’t listen. “And you have to look after my Court, too. Especially Leo.” A laugh escaped her. “He’s gonna be so fucking pissed.”
“You can look after them all yourself,” he said, grasping her hands.
Amneris managed to pry them free. “I’m sorry, Assar.”
At the sound of his name, Colt fell to his knees.
“I’m sorry for everything I put you through. Just . . .” She took a shaking breath. “Just let me do this. I have to.”
When he looked up again, she was walking again.
For a moment, she stopped. Colt watched as Amneris gave a knowing smile to Carmin. The Dragonoid’s hands went over her mouth as she stepped away in shock.
Amneris shed her mortal form as she flew into the sky. Enliatu was waiting for her. A light brighter than anything he’d ever seen wrapped around them. A star, he realised. As the others looked away from the blinding light, he found himself staring.
Even as it exploded, he could not look away,
Even when nothing was left in the spot where the light had been, he could not look away.
His Tali was gone.
