Chapter 31

Avalon had us back to where we'd left Rhode and Varan in moments, but I was not prepared for what I saw. Bodies lay sprawled across the ground, knocked unconscious. Dust drifted over them as the wind whipped over the dark, jagged Slate Lands. Every single demon lay on the ground unmoving like they'd suddenly passed out. Their arms and legs fell at odd angles like one moment they'd been standing there and they were down in the next. No one moved, only the vampires. We landed between Varan and Rhode, who stood surrounded by knocked-out slate demons. They spun in slow circles with wide eyes. The other vampires were spread around the area all looking as shocked as I felt.

"What happened?"My heart raced in my chest as I took it all in. They were too still, it was too quiet like death had descended on them all. Panic overtook me. Did I kill them all?

"My God, Morgana. You're okay!" Rhode ran to me and pulled me in for a hard hug, nearly squeezing the air from my lungs.

My jaw dropped, bodies as far as I could see littered the ground. "What happened?"

"You happened. Or at least I think it was you."

Monty leapt and bound over the demons as he tilted his head from side to side, checking them all. I held my hand out to him. "Come on, buddy."

As he leapt up into the air, his body shrank down to smaller than my palm and I placed him right behind my ear where he liked to be. Rhode's eyes widened, but she said nothing about my little pet. Varan strolled over to us. "It was exactly as my father had done. A purple wave of magic flowed over the mountains and spread into the land on this side of the mountains. The moment it touched the demons they went down and haven't gotten back up."

My eyes widened and panic flooded my body. "Did I . . . are they breathing?"

"They are all breathing." Rhode nodded. "We checked them as soon as they went down."

The other vampires walked through the bodies bending down and checking for pulses. Was Abba wrong? Or did I misunderstand her directions? Had I hurt them when I intended only to help? I spun around looking for Linford. If anything happened to him, I would never forgive myself. My hands shook as I hurried over to where Linford lay with Carlotta.

The second I hunched over him, his eyes flew wide open and a hard cough puffed from his chest. He rolled to his side and sat up with his legs stretched out in front of him. He shook his head and his white puffy hair frizzed out from his head. He climbed to his feet and dusted his hands off. "Your power certainly packs a punch."

The other demons around me began to rise, all shaking their heads and staggering to their feet like they'd been knocked for a loop. They shook themselves and seemed to be coming around to the situation. I looked across the way toward the Tempest Clan. Malotte stuck her foot out closer to where she'd start to lose her powers. She held her hand up and white puffy clouds came from her hand, and she leapt off the ground and the wind whipped around her as she floated through the air and landed right between Carlotta and Linford.

Carlotta froze for a second with tears streaming down her face, then she threw her arms around Malotte. Linford stood to the side, giving them a moment, but then Malotte took a step toward him. "Oh, Dad."

She threw her arms around him and pulled him in close. Across the land, demons from every clan embraced and found each other. Lundra and Herlandis wrapped each other up so tight I didn't know where one started and the other began. Rhode patted me on the shoulder. "You did good, Mo."

I nodded. "Yeah, WE did good."

Dacio's slate army began to rouse just as the other demons had. When I looked out over his legion he too staggered to his feet. The moment we locked eyes he straightened his shoulders and faced our direction. "Well, isn't this all touching!"

Dacio lifted his hands and his army of stone soldiers began to reform. The demons on his side had already gotten to their feet and began to form ranks across from us.We weren't entirely organized, but we were a group of demons ready to fight to the death to take back our lives. We would have time for the reunions later. Later we would laugh. Later we would cry. And later we would figure out how to right this land once and for all. Linford threw his arms up and the ground rolled out like a blanket being shook in front of him. All at once we charged forward, moving as one.

Rhode and Varan guided their vampires to attack alongside the rest of us. Their purple nightmare magic exploded in different directions, taking down the soldiers left and right. Rhode waved for me to go on without her. "Go! You've got this!"

Avalon and I charged forward, ducking and leaping over anything in our way. If we were going to stop the poison, we had to cut off the head of the snake. But Dacio had moved himself to the back of the troops and farther away. Avalon ran beside me shooting balls of fire in all different directions. Gusts of wind shot from him, knocking down one soldier after another. Rocks flew like bullets all around us ad boulders hurled through the sky.

I blew petals across my hand, and they fanned out over the soldiers closest to me. One by one, they dropped to the ground convulsing at my feet. All around us chaos reigned. Tornados guided by demons dressed like it was winter ripped across the Slate Lands. At the same time, balls of water rose up off the ground like huge spheres. Soldiers got trapped within them, struggling to get out but ultimately drowning.

Avalon threw his arm out, stopping me from running just as a line of flames flew in front of us to take out at least ten more soldiers. Giant crevices forked across the ground, forcing the armies to scatter and break off before they fell in. Some of them fell in, their screams echoing as they plummeted.

Lundra leapt in front of us with Herlandis at her side. "You gave me my life back. Let me clear a path for you."

I sucked in a deep breath as my chest heaved from all the running and dodging. "That'd be helpful."

They faced each other and Herlandis wrapped her tightly in his arms and closed his eyes. A smile of bliss spread across his face as the wind kicked up so hard that a tornado formed at his feet. It crept up his body to his shoulders, and she opened her hand and fire mixed in with the wind. Heat licked at my skin, and I took a step back. Avalon wrapped his hand around mine and tugged me behind him. The fire tornado grew to a towering height and then began to shoot forward.

Soldiers bellowed and dove out of the way. It ripped the stone warriors to dust with ease as they made a direct path for Dacio. Avalon wrapped his arm around my waist and dragged me close to his body. My feet lifted off the ground as he flew behind the fire tornado. Dacio took one look at the two of us and opened a hole in the ground.

"You'll never find me."

Before he could step into it, it slammed back shut. Malotte and Linford landed a moment later and Linford chuckled. "The underground is mine oh great Duke King!"

Dacio turned and ran for the castle. The doors flew open, and the second he ran through them, they slammed shut behind him. Avalon smirked, "Run, run, as fast as you can."

He reached into his pocket and handed me the petals we'd gotten from the fae court. "It's time."

"I couldn't agree more." I reached behind my ear and handed the leaves toward Monty and whispered, "For safekeeping."

Monty grew and circled around the back of my neck. He scooped the leaves up, tucked them close to his body, and pressed his tail over them like a little pocket. I patted his head. That'll do boy.

Linford gave Avalon a pat on the back. "I'll see to it that he doesn't go into my underground."

Malotte gave us a nod. "Give him my regards."

Avalon swooped his hands under my legs and scooped me up in his arms. Flames burst all around us and he leapt up into the air. We were over the wall in seconds and standing in the middle of the courtyard.

Dacio sat at the center of it all in his throne of slate. Tendreece stood to his one side and Lizvita stood on her other. Avalon let my feet touch the ground and we stood ready to do battle. Tendreece sauntered toward me with a sword in hand. She lifted her chin and tossed her blue hair over her shoulder. "Finally."

Avalon drew a dagger from behind his back and tossed it my way. I easily caught it and held it by my side. I was so sick of her shit, and there was only so much a person could take. She lifted her sword and started to swing. I dodged it easily and held my hand up, blowing my petals in her face. The moment they touched her skin, those dark lines that looked like roots spread over her cheeks. Her lips turned black, and blood trickled from her nose, eyes, and ears.

I paused, looking down at her. "Finally."

I didn't wait for the convulsions to stop. I simply stepped over her and faced Lizvita. "You next?"

She glanced toward Dacio, then back toward me. She turned on her heels and ran back into the castle to hide from us. I couldn't wait until Padonya got her hands on that one.

Dacio rose to his feet and sighed. "You think to unseat me?"

"No," Avalon growled as his glowing eyes tracked Dacio's every move. "I think to kill you."

"I will tear you down to nothing." He pulled a sword from his hip and held it at his side. His body was covered from head to toe in that armor, but all I needed was the perfect moment. A single petal and a single piece of skin would be his end. . . I would be his end.

"You can try." Avalon drew his sword.

"You will learn, and I will be your teacher." He took a step to the side, and we started to circle each other.

All at once we leapt into action. Avalon and Dacio's swords clanged together. I took a step to get closer, but he swung around, and I held my sword up blocking the blow before he hit my stomach. Sparks flew from our clanging swords as we swung at each other. Avalon moved so quickly he was almost a blur, but Dacio moved just as fast, like he was built for fighting. He moved from one side of the courtyard to the other with ease. I needed just one second one moment to make my powers work.

I reached behind my neck and Monty shoved the leaves into my hand. He ran down my arm and leapt from my fingers. "No!"

He landed on Dacio's face and scratched at his skin. Dacio staggered back and raised his sword to swing at Monty. My heart stopped and my powers surged. I took the leaves and let them mix with my own petals as I blew them at Dacio. Monty leapt off Dacio just as my power ran over his armor. He spread his arms and soared back toward me and landing perfectly on my shoulder.

Dacio threw his head back and cackled to the air. "Your pretty flowers have no effect on me."

Red sparks flared from his armor and smoke drifted toward the sky. The braids of his armor began to unwind and snap off into pieces. As they dropped to the ground, they turned to ash at his feet. He held his hands up, examining his armor as it disintegrated off his body.

"No! Nooooo!" His face fell into shocked anger. "It can't be."

"Death comes to us all, Dacio." I blew my petals toward him, and they touched his face and bare skin. He dropped to his knees before me and those black lines forked out over his face.

"Not . . . happening." He choked out the words as he coughed and blood sprayed from his lips.

Avalon strolled to my side and bent down low, catching Dacio's eye. "She is death."

Dacio collapsed to the ground and convulsed violently. His crown fell off his head and I grabbed it off the ground and held it at my side. I stood there watching as the life drained from his eyes and the last of his blood trickled from the corners of his mouth. Avalon reached for my hand. Without a word, he guided me toward the doors. I walked right past Tendreece, not bothering to look. "They deserved each other."

"And now they can rest together."

Outside, shouts came from the other side of the wall and the huge slate doors flew open. I marched out with Avalon at my side. I raised Dacio's crown high over my head and cheers broke out across the land. One by one his army dropped to their knees surrendering to us. His stone soldiers would've disappeared to dust the moment he drew his last breath. I smiled and felt victory course through my veins.

Linford marched up to me with the other clan leaders by his side. "Is it done then?"

I nodded. "It is done."

More cheers erupted all around us. Rhode stood off to the side with Varan, watching the two of us. Linford pulled Malotte and Carlotta under each of his arms and beamed at us. "Thank you, thank you for giving me back my family."

Lundra was tucked tight under Herlandis' arm. "What do we do now?"

Avalon cleared his throat. "Now, we pick a new king and queen to rule us and hopefully make Isramorta a better place."

"But you already have." Lundra beamed at the two of us.

"Then you've got your answer, haven't you? Took him long enough to come around." He winked at Avalon.

Avalon cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "Let's just give it some time."

"Aye then, we'll give the demon folk some time . . ."