29. Chapter 28

Everything happens all at once.

Stone cracks and crumbles, a thin hairline fracture marring the ground, extending from beneath our feet and snaking its way outward. It"s as if the very ground recognizes her as the key. All while I am still trying to get those damned words out of my head.

Katsia stands and runs her eyes over me as I remain on my knees before her. A look of satisfaction on her face. One that makes me believe it is not just the human girl that occupies the space behind those black eyes.

She leaves me, floating over to Cora, ignoring Kirian"s dead body at her feet. "Heal me." Her voice is too soft to be anything but maniacal. Cora shakes her head. Katsia holds out her twisted, broken hand. "Heal. Me." She demands of the girl.

Cora does no such thing. And what happens next has even me sucking in a breath, and I have tortured souls. She grabs Cora by her braid pulling her inches from her own face. Then, places a gentle hand around her wrist and moves Cora's hand to her own mangled, broken one.

When nothing happens, Katsia smiles. Beautiful. Then, Cora"s body hits the ground in a lifeless splatter.

Katsia looks down at her arm watching as her fingers snap back into place. Not flinching an inch as she steps over what are now two bodies beneath her.

She is about to put on a show, and who am I to stop her. After all, it is a sight to behold.

Stone gives way entirely, a large gaping chasm from beneath her. I have front row seats as I watch beasts with flaming hair and hoofed feet crawl out. Passed only by men with wings as black as night and women with bloodied white feathers and a nasty look of revenge on their faces.

Katsia looks to the distance, where they seem to be accumulating. I couldn"t think of why until I see the speckles on the hillside. Beyond the crumbling city. The army. King Aron, presumably at the front.

It will be quick work, my undead army has never been beaten. It has been over a century since they last got to satiate their blood lust. Bodies fly in all directions when they make their way to the men on horses with their measly swords and wooden bows.

Katsia heads straight for the battle, presumably to join in on their destruction. The shades circle around her with excited energy, a reflection of her own emotions.

Ava, who I had not even realized was still near, takes a step in her direction as well. Her blond hair stuck to the sides of her face from sweat, her arms trembling. Stone"s magic is so weak, so insignificant, I can"t wait to see how the human girl with immortal powers is to deal with this… pest.

When Ava reaches out towards Katsia, the ground obeys. Twisted tree roots that were once hidden in the dirt make their way to her ankles. Stopping Katsia in her tracks. Katsia lets out a laugh, low and terrifying, even to me. I can"t stop a smile from sneaking onto my face at the sound. Katsia cocks her head at the girl, her black hair cascading down half her face like a waterfall. The shades do their job of disintegrating the splintering roots at her feet before she takes her time closing the distance between the two.

If I"d blinked, I would have missed it. There was already a half-decaying crumpled girl on the ground before Katsia. Her magic is now in her veins. The ground shifts and sways and I know it is her connection to Stone with Avas" gift.

It looks much more handsome on Katsia than it ever had been on anyone with the gift. And I had seen many in my miserable human lifetime. The trees want to be near her, the grass tries to crawl up her legs. She could literally move mountains if she so chose.

All of it is so… splendidly entertaining. Until a tear falls down her cheek, and my stomach lurches. Katsia is not in control. I know that much. But she is there. She has nothing but mortality, and a mere human death to me is heartbreak to her.

I had been so caught up in the show that I had not realized how much damage it was doing to the girl. I take a step forward, and for a second, I think I see her eyes shift to mine. Fire, but sadness, and guilt.

I"m not sure what I intend to do, and it does not matter, because before I can reach her, black engulfs her body, a cloud of dark sand. Then she is gone. Appearing again before the mortals fighting a losing battle.

I follow her, conjuring the same Shadow and using it to gain distance on her. Light Taker, they called me on Stone. Now I knew why as I saw all the light from around the girl disappear.

She moves methodically, like a dance. When an arrow hits her shoulder, she pulls it from the flesh and heals the wound in seconds. Nothing can stop her, and I can"t stop myself from observing her from the Shadows, well out of her sight. Well out of her way.

She lets out a cry of fury and pain but presses on, the darkness around her growing when needed and dissipating when she wants to be seen again. I watch as she drains the life from body after body.

That same cloud of black hangs low above our heads. The one she used to move in without being seen, is now used to suffocate men. Another cry erupts from Katsia"s body. Another. And another. As weapons clatter to the ground, creating a symphony of metal on metal, only the remnants of beasts fighting far off remain, their screeches loud and triumphant as they end the lives of the remaining soldiers. Some fly further down the mountain, sure to have orders from her to destroy as much of the mortal realm as possible.

More and more death. I could feel it, more souls snaking their way into the chasm that she had created only moments ago.

Her cries turn into sobs. The black disappears as quickly as it had appeared. The ground is nearly stained red beneath us. Katsia falls to her knees, continuing her crying until she has no more left to give. She looks up at the sky with what looks like one final howl, but nothing comes out. White flakes fall from the sky. At first a flurry and then a downpour. Covering the destruction that she has created.

Only she and I remain alive.

I get closer and closer, watching her as she closes her eyes and takes in a breath, the shades wiping her tears as they surround her in a cocoon of black. I am merely feet away from her as she hangs her head, staring straight but not latching onto anything. Her hand shoots out abruptly, I nearly jump at the movement.

Then she bends over and picks up a flower that had somehow not gotten destroyed in the battle. It is yellow and curved. She holds it up to inspect it. Then, crushes it in her fist.

When her tear-filled eyes meet mine, something unnatural but magnetic has me scooping her up into my arms. She does not deny me. In fact, she lies her head against my chest. We walk away from the carnage and towards the city once more.

The gates to Understone are now open, and we are free to go home.