The Dark Between Dreams | ✔️

Chapter 45 🔻 Grave Mistakes

An abrupt chorus of hissing made him halt in his tracks. I whipped my head around. The line of shadows that had cornered us remained—their ranks just barely holding—like a dam about to burst. Vale and I stood trapped in between two warring sides.

I glared at the king. "Step aside, your majesty. I destroyed the Darkness that you cursed us all with! I'm going to fix your mistake!"

The long-dead knight charged at me.

I raised my spear just in time to keep my head on my shoulders. Red sparks flew from the curved edge of my foe's weapon as it bit into the length of my spear. Luxlight flared from within the scarred hollow's pupils as he cast his fiery glare on me, his face a breath away from my own.

My back bent backward against him as we struggled together. My arms shook, weakening beneath him. "Stop this, Blackburne!" I begged. "What would Albrecht think of what you've done?"

His fiery black orbs flared even more.

Those loyal to the king surged, but Vale let the wall of shadows she guarded slip—warning them all to stay back.

I let out a scream of my own and forced myself against the king, swiping his weapon away with my own. A rain of red embers fell upon us both. Blackburne's hair clung to his face as he hissed at me in surprise. I jabbed my spear forward, aiming for his gut. The bastard ducked out of range and swept at my legs with his halberd. I, too, had to leap away and retreat a few paces.

"Skye! Behind you!"

I broke away from Blackburne and spun, catching the charging mace-wielding ghost in the face with my spear and knocking him into the slumbering crystal. Unlike Blackburne and me, the crystal instantly devoured the man's soul, reducing him to embers in a heartbeat.

His red mace crashed into the ground. All other ghosts gave the crystal a wide berth.

I raised my spear just in time to block another blow from the king. Hatred I had never, ever felt before consumed me as I stared dead ahead at the hollow ghost of a man. The crowd yelled when I rushed forward, twirling my spear. Blackburne met my challenge.

Crash. Sparks flew from where our blades clashed. My white arm never once stopped screaming at me. The white scars deforming Blackburne's face surely stung just as much. The sun above the two of us spat a bolt of lightning as our blades kissed again.

Crash. Bolts of lightning scorched the ground our feet danced upon. The shouts of the crowd—hollows and shadows alike—sang in my ears. I swung my blade again, catching him across the middle. He yelled and slashed with his halberd, cutting open my bicep.  

I felt no pain—only unbridled, seething anger. Our dance quickened.

Crash.

Because of him, the people of Aḫ-ḫur perished, and Crow lost his mind.

Crash. More sparks flew.

Because of him, Webb died.

Blackburne swung for me. I dodged, and his ax caught in the black stone of a wall. He yanked on his weapon, but the stone wouldn't release it. I caught his eyes one last time. I rushed forward, the point of my spear sparkling as it reached for where his heart lay.

There came a screech of metal and a clatter of stone. Then ice filled my body when Blackburne freed his blade. I tried to protect myself with the pole of my spear.

But Blackburne cleaved my weapon in two.

His blade buried itself in my chest.

"No!" I heard Vale scream. "Skye!"