Land of Light and Shadows

Chapter 59

For Gideon and Thia, who were fighting back to back, keeping one another safe.

For her parents and Emmeric, who were doing the same.

For her sister Ada and her brothers-in-law, for Meron and Zavian who were somewhere on this battlefield.

For Camilla and Soren who weren't going to leave their guardsmen, no matter the cost.

For Allel, Mik, and Kalla who were fighting just as they had since they knew each other. They'd been there at the beginning of all this, no matter how little they would tell them of the past. Now. They were only focused on the now and the bright future ahead of them all.

And yet...they were still losing. The dark army still outnumbered them three to one, no matter how strong their forces were, or the enchantments placed on their weapons working flawlessly. Everywhere Lyv looked, Fae, human, sorcerer, and sorceress were being cut down by blade and venom. Dragons and riders were being shot out of the sky by spears thrown like lightning in their directions, cutting clearly through them both.

Lyv's mind went numb as she fought, every emotion a swell inside her, crashing over and over again against her. Her sweat was mixed with tears, both cutting through the blood and dirt and grim that covered her face. Everywhere she turned, she was surrounded.

One by one, the dark creatures formed a circle around her, spears crossing to create a barrier. For those few seconds, she caught her breath, whirling around and searching for any sign of weakness within their ranks. All she was met with were their blackened skeletal bodies, their venom coated weapons.

And Guinevere, who parted them with a wave of her hand, stepping into the circle with Lyv, still breathing heavy, tears still streaming.

"Hello again, my darling daughter," she smiled, onyx eyes twinkling with delight. "So sorry to hear of your mate's passing."

Lyv clenched her jaw, growling through her teeth.

All Guinevere did was laugh. "Oh, does this remind me of when I had that imposter beheaded in front of you. Except this time...this time, it's real. Jai is gone from you forever, but we will make sure you and the rest of your family are reunited with him and his brother in no time. How does that sound?"

The only sounds Lyv could hear over the pounding of her own heart within her chest was the screeches from the dark creatures, then the screams and cries of the fallen before they were silenced, and the roaring of the dragons up above them.

Lyv's hands tightened around her sword, light and dark magic humming inside her.

Guinevere's grin was pure evil. "Oh, this is going to be fun, especially after how long I've been wanting to see you dead, my dear. I just hope that bitch of a mother is around to see this. Because I would much rather see her suffering from your loss than to kill her myself."

Lyv wasn't going to be talking her way through this as it seemed Guinevere was.

Having more control over her shadows, she wrapped them around herself, stepping back into them before appearing right behind Guinevere.

And slammed every bit of them she could into her.

It was a battle of magic and steel and pure rage. Lyv put everything she could into it, only catching a few hits herself. Blood trickled from the wounds but healed quickly with her magic thrumming through her.

Then Lyv had a clear shot at her adoptive mother, throwing a spear of magic toward her.

Guinevere whirled, but the magic caught her in the shoulder when she did. She stumbled forward, tripping over the tattered bottom of her dress. Lyv used the distraction to raise her sword over her head, sweeping it down in a wide arc across her back.

It passed right through her as if she were smoke.

Her adoptive mother's laugh echoed around them as the oskurreia pounded their spears on the ground once, twice.

"Too many tricks I've learned with this dark magic. You should have stayed, my love. You would know them, too." She held up her arm, pointing to the still glowing obsidian stone within her forearm. "Too bad you don't have yours still."

"I don't have mine because I didn't need it. You still do because should it be ripped from you, you'll die. There's nothing that will save you."

"I doubt that. Mik survived."

Lyv let out a humorless laugh. "Mik is one of the strongest males I've ever met. And he survived because he had all of us who loved him and wanted to save him. You, though...you have nothing, no one. My sisters despise you after what you did to Escarral, after what you did to Bence. No one will come to save you. No one cares. Not even your mistress."

Guinevere scoffed but looked as if Lyv had struck something deep within her. Not against the conduit, but the human Guinevere herself.

Lyv narrowed her eyes as they circled each other. "I don't need magic to kill you. Steel will do just fine. Oh, and fire. Not just my own either."

Guinevere's brows pulled together. "What...?"

The thundering roar above them made her look up, seeing Bridget and Chesnan circling overhead. The dragon immediately rained fire down on the surrounding dark creatures, including the ones who had rushed forward to try and take them down with spears. None of them got the chance to even throw them before they were turned to ash.

Guinevere raged, spinning around, and screaming in absolute fury as she watched Bridget throw her head back and laugh.

It was distraction enough for Lyv to lunge for her, dropping her sword in the scuffle, and unsheathing her dagger in the same instant.

Grabbed Guinevere's hand.

And jammed the blade down into the crease of her elbow right above where the obsidian stone glowed darkly beneath her skin.

One moment later, she was slicing along her forearm.

Then plucking the stone right from the blood and muscle that tried to pull it back inside her.

Hands bloodied, Lyv held the obsidian stone between her and Guinevere, both of them watching as Lyv's light and dark magic surged inside it, creating fissures along the smooth surface, grabbing hold of the magic within it and pulling it back into her. Her own tore into it, twisting every bit into submission.

She waited for the darkness to reign over her just as it had before and yet nothing happened as it settle into place with hers.

Before the stone in her hand crumbled into dust.

Lyv's chest heaved with every breath as her eyes met Guinevere's. "Like I said, for this," Lyv began, hand tightening around hers, nails digging into withering flesh. "For this, I don't need magic."

She yanked Guinevere forward, shoving her dagger straight into her chest, wedging it between her ribs, and directly into her heart.

Bloodshot hazel eyes met Lyv's, wide with terror.

Lyv leaned her face forward. "I hope there's a special place for you in the shadowlands."

Lines of embers appeared on her pallid skin, searing and burning...and then Guinevere disappeared in a flurry of ash.