Relinquish(107)

The sound of the gale drowns out the screams below, though the flash of laser fire can be seen against the walls. I ignore it all. Aloysius is all that matters—my anger… my revenge.

His eyes are wide and glazed as he looks back at me. His face ashen and drawn with fear. I can feel my powers rippling across my skin. Aloysius backs away. I follow, stalking after him as he stumbles on the edge of the rug and knocks over the bedside table. He skirts the wall, nearing his weapons cache.

His fingers fumble over the keypad and the door hisses open. He grabs the first thing he can find and turns to face me with the laser pistol pointed at my chest. I roll my eyes. “Why did I ever fear you?”

With the flick of my wrist, I bat aside the first shot. It ricochets off the wall, searing a hole through the white gossamer curtains draping from the ceiling. The second and third leave scorch marks across the bedding and walls. The blanket catches fire. I can see the flames flickering in Aloysius’s eyes.

I step toward him and he cowers back. His needling jabs at my mind are laughable now. “What are you?” He gasps as my hair begins to rise from my shoulders.

“You know…” I tilt my head. “I don’t really know.”

I clap my hands together in front of me and the windows shatter in a rain of glistening glass. My husband is thrown back off his feet. He slams into the wall and slumps to the floor. Small cuts line his forehead, making his eyes look as if they are weeping blood as I leap forward and snatch a jagged shard of glass and press it to his throat.

His eyes widen as his hands claw at my arms. I press my weight against him, watching as a seam of blood appears along his neck. His mewling sounds turn moist as I dig in deeper, feeling the layers of his skin peel away. Warm blood flows over my hands, but still I press, ignoring the splatters against my cheeks and neck.

His throat gurgles as his grip on my arm slackens. His eyes glaze over, unseeing. With a cry, I slice the glass straight across his neck and toss the shard away. A sheet of blood pours from his neck as his head collapses against his shoulder.

I rise to my feet and back away, my hands quaking. I can feel his blood on my face, clinging to my hands, and frantically wipe it away. I’ve never killed a man in cold blood like that before.

“Illyria!”

Slowly I turn, blinking to clear my vision as two men burst through the door. One has crimson staining his tousled blond curls. The other stands tall and strong, like a beacon of hope. I sink to my knees, tears streaking from my eyes as Eamon and Kyan rush forward.

Eamon takes me into his arms, cradling me as I cry. I can hear him calling my name, but it sounds distant. Kyan kneels beside me, but his gaze is focused on Aloysius.

“It’s okay.” Eamon soothes, brushing his hand down over my hair. “Everything is going to be okay.”

I shake my head, pushing away from him. The sight of my bloody handprints on his chest makes my lips begin to tremble. I failed.

“Bastien,” I whisper and point toward the bed.

Kyan rises fluidly and rushes around us. He goes absolutely still, his expression filled with remorse as he turns back to look at me. “I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry?” Eamon says, looking between us. “Sorry for what?”

Kyan closes his eyes. “He’s gone.”

My shriek is long and mournful as I collapse into Eamon’s arms, knowing I’ll never see Bastien’s smile again, never hear him call my name or hold me in his arms. He is gone… and it’s all my fault.

I feel as if my heart is on the brink of imploding within my chest, but it doesn’t. It refuses to die, leeching poison into my body, chilling but nonlethal. As my body begins to quake, I pray I could join Bastien in death.

“I can’t believe he’s really gone,” Eamon says, stunned. I can see him staring at Bastien’s feet and feel rage swell in my chest. Rage at Aloysius and at the fates.

“No.” I grunt as I push out of Eamon’s arms. I swipe my arm across my cheeks. “I won’t let him die.”

Kyan grabs my arm as I go to past him. “He has already passed over. It’s impossible to bring him back.”

“Not for me.” I shove him away, sending him toppling over Eamon.

I stand before Bastien, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. I can feel my power crashing around me like waves in a torrent. The wind whistles through the shattered windows, whipping my hair into my face, lashing against my eyes. The lights begin to flicker overhead, the pillars in the four corners of the room cracking.

“Kyan, her eyes!” Eamon calls out.

“I know!”

I’m barely aware of Kyan as he circles around to stand in front of me. I don’t look at him. I stare at Bastien’s lifeless body, at the pool of blood he lies in. So much blood.