Azriel | Lux Ex Tenebris ✓

Chapter 76: Face Death

✧Misma POV✧

"Ah. There you are again. My equal. My true counterpart. You have finally come to me to join me?" the Death Lord greeted me, raising is brow and spreading his arms.

I placed one foot in front of the other, taking steady steps over the branches and rocks on the ground. What lay behind me was destruction, small tendrils of smoke ascending from the ground. Harsh wind slapped my face and it tasted salty. I curled my fingers towards my palms, swallowing the rising panic. Rolling my shoulders back, bones cracking with the movement, I locked my gaze with his, a small, feline smile appearing on my face.

One thing I knew for sure: my smile carried the sinister promise of death—of his true end.

"Or why did you come this time? Trying to kill me again? No one can kill me! I am Death himself!" He grinned brightly. The grin did not meet his eyes. I could feel his fear — I could taste it in the back of my mouth. He had lost. Rask, Vallahan and Montesere were destroyed. He was alone. He had no armies, no allies, left. It was just him. Just him and I — him and us.

Yes, I was alone here. But I was never truly alone. They were all here—in my mind and in my heart. Azriel. Emerie. Gwyn. Balthazar. Nesta. Cassian. Amren. Elain. Lucien. Feyre, Rhys. The other High Lords. And Jurian and Vassa. Drakon and Myriam. Even Jeen, Rani and Salim. We were more and we were stronger.

"And what should the stupid masquerade be?"

The wind and the cold air of the sea hit my skin, strands of hair clutched to my face and I took one deep breath. The rings on my fingers glowed. The crown sat atop my head. The mask perfectly fitting my face. The bones safe in my pocket. I was his equal—right now I through and through was his equal. Lady of Life and Lord of Death.

I gripped Fidem tightly in my hands, my Illyrian leathers shifting and the rings pounding and glowing on my fingers when a grin spread also over my face, vicious and feral, and I took more steps towards him. It was the only answer he got.

"I thought of you to be smarter. Smarter than last time. Or do you finally want to be mine?" he questioned, moving his hand to his chin and examining me. "I must admit again, you are a stunningly beautiful female. We would make such a wonderful couple, wouldn't we?"

I snorted, a cold laugh escaping my lips when I shook my head at him.

"We would. I already said it last time the two most powerful creatures at the current time. You and I could change the world, make the whole world bow to us. We would rule together, you and I. Did you not like the small vision of the future I planted into your brain last time?"

"Not a bit and too bad that I have a mate!"

"We could get rid of him. Within the blink of an eye if you wish," he breathed, so calmly that it made my blood freeze. I knew he could do it. I knew he could wipe them out just like that. My stomach churned with nausea, a kernel of panic taking root in my heart. I knew what depended on me. And I also knew that I could do it. That I could be strong. That I was powerful. I knew I could end him, I just needed to remind myself of that again. I was strong.

Cold wind fanned my skin, branches and pebbles crunching under my feet when I took a few more steps forward.

"Why did you come here? What was the real reason for it? Tell me. Enlighten me, Light Bringer," he asked, taking graceful and terribly slow steps towards me. Like a predator approaching its prey. Only that I wasn't the prey—I was his end.

"I came here to end you. To put an end to all of this. To make the world a better place," I stated, stern and calm. I felt a stroke against my mental shields. My High Lord was there. He was there for me. All of them were. A warm rumbled washed through my body, Azriel's shadow curling tightly around my upper arm.