✓ | The Borrowed Identity (Fate's Transgression Series, #4)

TBI 41: Adelaide

Wounds marred my once pristine scales, pain coursing through my body. Each strike he delivered was fueled by his bitter hatred for my father, Saylon, who had once been his rival for the affections of the same woman. Baltras despised my father for winning her heart, and that animosity had extended to me, the living embodiment of their love.

Through gritted teeth, Baltras sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "Do you remember them, Selvyna? Your precious parents? How it felt to watch them die? It was I who struck them down, taking pleasure in their pain as they begged for mercy."

His words pierced through my defenses, the raw anguish of losing my parents resurfacing. A surge of anger erupted within me, causing my power to expand and spiral out of control. My emotions were a tempest, fueling my determination to defeat him.

"You're a monster!" I shouted, my voice quivering with rage. "You will pay for their deaths, for all the suffering you have caused!"

But Baltras merely laughed, reveling in my anguish. "It was necessary, my dear niece. They stood in the way of my rightful claim to power. And now, you will meet the same fate as your pitiful parents."

With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a devastating spell, aiming to end my life. I mustered all my strength, desperately trying to counter his attack. But as I raised my arms to deflect the dark magic, a powerful deity, drawn by my unwavering courage and righteous cause, intervened.

A burst of divine light emanated from the depths of the room, engulfing me in its protective embrace. The deity's presence filled the space, a beacon of hope and power that Baltras had not anticipated.

"You underestimate me, Baltras," I declared, my voice now infused with the deity's strength. "Your reign of darkness ends here and now."

As the divine energy coursed through my veins, I unleashed a torrent of magic, overwhelming Baltras with its sheer force. His defenses crumbled before my onslaught, his dark powers unable to withstand divine intervention.

With each strike, I pushed him further back, the weight of his crimes finally catching up to him. His eyes widened in disbelief and fear, realizing that his reign was coming to an abrupt end.

"I loved them too, Baltras," I seethed, my voice laced with fury. "But you let your hatred consume you. You betrayed everything that family should stand for."

As my power intensified, the room shook, the very foundations of the palace trembling under the weight of the battle. Baltras, battered and weakened, stumbled backward, his strength waning.

In that moment, I knew that victory was within my grasp. The deity's presence filled me with an unwavering resolve, guiding my every move. I pressed forward, driving Baltras to the brink of defeat.

"You will pay for your sins," I vowed, my voice resolute. "The Adelaide Kingdom will be free from your tyranny. And I, Selvyna, will ensure justice is served."

With a final surge of power, I unleashed a devastating blow that sent Baltras crashing to the ground. The room fell silent, save for the sound of our heavy breaths and the crackling remnants of magic dissipating in the air.

As I stood above my defeated uncle, a mixture of exhaustion and triumph washed over me. The wounds I had suffered paled in comparison to the victory I had achieved. The weight of the kingdom's future now rested on my shoulders.

As Baltras lay defeated on the ground, gasping for breath, I approached him cautiously, my eyes filled with both curiosity and disdain. I needed answers, an understanding of the motives that drove him to commit such heinous acts.

"Why, Uncle? Why did you kill my parents?" I demanded, my voice laced with a mixture of anger and sorrow.

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he struggled to rise, his once formidable presence now diminished. "Your father, Saylon, was always the favored one," he spat, his voice tinged with resentment. "The merKingdom saw him as their golden prince, showering him with adoration and granting him privileges I could never attain."