Chapter Thirty-seven

S tanding shoulder to shoulder with Owen and Master Kinley, Liana kept her back as straight as a board. Behind them stood an army of five hundred. On the other side of the meadow, past the destroyed barn stood Zatar with an army of about four hundred. They had him outnumbered but the demi-god didn't cower. Everyone knew he had power stronger than anyone on the field.

General Victor stood front and center with Councilman Brun in their decorative, lightweight armor.

Silence filled the meadow. The sun beating directly down on everyone, the morning chill long gone. This was it. The final battle. It had to be. Liana couldn't fathom waiting any longer to finish this.

Zatar made the first move. He took a few lazy strides forward, no one moving with him. Liana felt a collective tension rise behind her, mage flaring their magic in anticipation, the shifters already transformed while the vamps vibrated in place.

"Shall we talk like civilized people first, or shall we get right to the killing?" Zatar taunted.

The General remained where he stood. "If you would like to speak about conditions of surrender, I would gladly appease you."

Zatar let out a booming laugh, his steps carrying him closer until he stopped about halfway. "The only way I will call off my army is if you send me the usurper's head on a platter. Where is your king by the way? Too scared to come face me himself yet he sends his wife to fight in his stead."

Liana let him bait her. With her first step, Owen reached to pull her back, but she blocked him easily enough. "Your rebellion is at an end, Zatar. You will not terrorize Triaedian with your separatist ideals one more day."

Those dark eyes focused on her. A chill shivered down her spine despite the warmth of her body trapped beneath the chainmail. "You are adorable, little queen. Your bravado is quite endearing. I would have enjoyed you if you were willing to join me. Alas, my mother sent you to destroy me so there will be no peace between us."

Liana kept her hands loose at her sides despite wanting to ball them up and punch him in the face as many times as she could. "Yes, well, it seems we both have a slight distaste for your mother."

A grin split his lips before taking a step to the side and toward her. She recognized the move. He was trying to circle her. She stepped toward the direction he went to head him off. "Ah, the Savior has turned on her creator. Tell me, what is it that made you turn on the goddess? Is she not as perfect as you thought?"

Liana matched his steps, walking sideways. "I haven't turned. I'm still going to kill you."

He altered directions and started back in the other direction. Liana followed, keeping her magic open and probing for danger even if the most dangerous thing stood in front of her. "Do you even know what you're fighting for? Because I've lived in the world you are fighting for. I lived among them when they were interbreeding. The other kingdoms saw us as weak, just a kingdom of peacekeepers interbreeding with each other. We could have been the strongest nation. I would have made us so."

Liana stopped their pacing. "You fight with all breeds at your back. How could you think we are weaker when separated? We are stronger together."

"We can be allies. They can live in my kingdom, under my rule, but there will never be interbreeding. The mage are strongest when we cultivate power among ourselves."

"You mean breed women among your elite circle to suit your purpose," she spat.

He held his hands out with a shrug. "Powerful men know how to keep power and that's by raising powerful sons."

"You are hardly a mage. Why do you care so much about keeping us all separate?"

"My father was a mage, a weak king who thought to use my power for his own. I hated him but I understood why. It's what we all want; control."

Liana shook her head. "You want ultimate dominion over this kingdom. You want to rip people apart simply because you are too narrow minded to see the advantages of mixed-breed relationships. We are stronger together, as friends, as allies, and as lovers."

"You are not listening," he growled, his entire demeanor going taught compared to the lax facade he wore before. "I will use them in battle, but they will not be our equals. Vampires and shifters were meant to serve the mage. We are the ultimate power meant to guide the other breeds toward their purpose as servants, farmers and merchants. They were built for such work. Mage were built to create and innovate. We are the mighty."

Liana glared, her horror at his beliefs shaking her to her core. He didn't want them separated, he wanted to turn the others into slaves.

"We have the power to do everything they can. I can spell myself to run faster. I can turn myself into any creature I want. My strength and agility are limitless. There is nothing they can do that I cannot, and none of them can hold the power I do."

Liana wanted to explore the bit about turning into an animal but shoved that fleeting thought away. "You are half god. It is not your place to rule over people you don't understand." She knew this being had been corrupted by power long ago. Only a mad man would destroy their own kingdom with their last breath. Now she just needed time. Needed him to keep talking just a little bit longer.

"You think I don't understand these mortal creatures? I grew up in this world. I know exactly what drives them. Greed. Even when they are rich, powerful and in control of their lives, they still want more. And still, they only think of themselves and how to increase their wealth and standing in society. Their goals and ambitions are short-sighted. They have no vision except one of selfish desires." He threw his arms out, a burst of raw power spearing out across the meadow. "It is my right as a god to rule over you. I understand what this world needs and how to achieve it."

"You are not a god. If you were, you wouldn't be stuck on this earth," she countered.

Sneering, he replied, "I'm more of a god to these people than those intangible beings you all worship uselessly. I am the only one that answers their prayers. I am the only one that provides for them."

Liana knew there was no point in talking to him any further. She wouldn't be changing his mind. Not that she wanted to. He had to die so Triaedian could be safe. "There will be no surrender on your end then," she stated.

He laughed. "Never. I will make your death quick if you wish to surrender here and now."

Liana blinked slowly and took a deep breath. "I will not surrender. I will save my home from you and your separatists. I will protect my friends and family so that they will never know what it is like to have their freedom ripped away from them."

Zatar chuckled at her right before half of his army burst into ash. Gasps and murmurs erupted behind her while the other side screamed and scattered like rats. Zatar whirled around.

"What have you done!" he screamed.

Liana let go of the power held within the dagger and drew her own up, mixing it with the power from the cuff hard and fast to protect herself from whatever retaliation Zatar threw her way. He hadn't detected Jupiter's magic as she hid it from him and launched it over his head in a wave of destruction no one saw coming. She hadn't wanted to kill so many, but the idea of anyone living to reincite the rebellion made her want to go on a rampage.

She summoned the dagger into her hands and readied herself just as Owen and the General appeared beside her. Zatar launched his hands forward, a wall of burnished bronze magic bearing down on them. Liana gritted her teeth and shoved all her might toward it. Her magic responded easily and quickly, bolstering her defenses against the onslaught. The impact of their magic upon each other caused an explosion of sound to ricochet through the forest. Liana widened her stance and leaned into it, holding steady. Her body began to glow golden which she had no control over while Zatar's eye beamed the same gold. It was Juno's powers manifesting in each of them.

They were nearly evenly matched, although she couldn't deny that Zatar had a slight advantage on her. If it weren't for Jupiter's power, she would have fallen quickly under Zatar's might.

Her army roared behind them, charging forward to battle whoever remained. Many others circled the god, attacking him from all directions. He protected himself easily though and launched back with efficiency. Her soldiers were flung away or dropped on the spot without visible injuries. She expanded her shield to encircle Zatar and hopefully dispel the deadliest of magic away from her people. It helped, but the drain on her power was significant. She wouldn't be able to hold it for long.

Inching forward, Liana led with the dagger while Zatar was distracted. His eyes were constantly coming back to her though, marking her progress. When the dagger touched his shield, it slipped right through. Zatar felt it and constricted his shield. She instantly followed, forcing her magic to encroach on the void he left behind. Maybe this would work. Maybe she could inch closer and closer until plunging the dagger into his wretched heart.

Zatar spun around and around, defending himself as quickly as possible. Liana thought they'd make quick work of this, her time left on this earth rapidly closing in. A surge of power registered against her magic before the world went white. Liana's magic snapped back into her with a painful bang while she flew back and landed on top of someone. They both groaned in pain.

Liana's entire body screamed in agony from the blast of her own magic and Zatar's. All around her, people moaned and groaned.

She must have passed out because her eyes popped open when she felt someone prying her fingers off the dagger. Gasping, she struggled against Zatar. His fingers were hot like coals against her skin, his power burning her instantly and he easily took the dagger from her weakened grasp.

"Your king's death will be swift," he promised before morphing into a hawk, the handle clutched in its claws and flew away. Liana rolled over, a pained groan escaping through gritted teeth.

"Owen!" she screamed. "Owen!" She had to get to Damien. She had to protect him. But she could hardly move.

The vampire appeared beside her. "We have to go to the castle. He took the dagger."

Always a man of few words, Owen didn't question her. He scooped her off the ground and ran as fast as a vampire could.

Useless in his arms, Liana couldn't help but think how baldly she was messing things up. Luciano had already died. Her second attempt ended with the dagger in Zatar's hands. She could only hope that her next attempt to kill the bastard would be successful and that no one else would die.

No one except her.