Chapter 41

W e come to a screeching halt – Bas, the invisibles, and Amin in front, and then Moose, Gemma, Viola, and Guylita behind me. Less than fifty yards stand between us and the boat. If we just keep on going and ignore that asshole, then we can make it…

Moose joins me at my side and growls. He always knew that Olly was scum. Since the first time they met, Moose couldn't stand him. I should have known. Always trust the dog.

"The last time I tried to say goodbye, you stabbed me." I nearly yell the words at him, hoping that he feels every last drop of my anger. Both of them, Olly and Landers, and even the red-eyed invisibles flanking them in full form, deserve to feel the venom of my wrath.

Viola gasps.

Bas steps forward with a halo of fury as he unsheathes his still-bloody sword. A deadly gleam simmers in his eyes as he growls, "You did what ?"

"You're still alive, aren't you?" Olly taunts without a hint of remorse.

"Mind your tongue, asshole." Amin spits at Olly, but it doesn't reach him.

"Oh, come on now. Don't you think it's a little exhilarating? Immortality is one hell of life," says Landers with a smug stare. "You never have to worry about accidentally slipping off the edge of the cliff or drowning in the sea… unlike you." His threatening stare falls on Amin.

"Back off," Bas barks, and it's as if I can feel the rage seething beneath his skin. It's as warm as the blazing sun on our backs.

"If you so much as take a step forward, I will make sure that you spend the rest of your pathetic life begging for death."

"It's not too late to come back, Radya." Olly's face hardens.

"Why would I come back? You and Landers seem perfectly happy together. I would hate to intrude." I wince at the pain caused by my fingernails clenching inside my fists.

"It's okay. We can share him." Landers winks at me.

"You're delusional! Both of you! Your family tried to kill me in my past life and then banished me to a prison in this one! Why would I stick around to find out what new ways you'll find to kill me next?" I can't believe that he's asking me to stay! Who in their right mind would agree?

"I'm going to kill you," Bas says through gritted teeth.

"Even you wouldn't be dumb enough to attempt that, Sebastian," Olly says with an ear-to-ear smile. "You remember what happened last time, right?"

"You have no right to speak of it. You were still sucking on your wet nurse's tit last time." The murderous tension between them grows even more taut, as even Olly rattles.

Landers steps between the two, holding his arms out in a subtle show of protection. "Five hundred years wasted, only to spend the rest of your life licking the bottom of my boots. Tell me, will your immortal tongue still work once I saw off your arms and legs? I'll test it one limb at a time to be sure."

"You'll both bleed." Bas lunges forward with a howling battle cry that thunders all around us. His sword is poised for the kill, but neither of them flinch.

"Fine, have it your way." Olly snaps his fingers and turns to the red-eyed invisibles behind him. "Make them bow to me."

A rush of power rages over me, scorching through my body like it's melting my bones and forcing me into compliance. My knees are bending against my will, plunging into the sand. I try my hardest to fight it, but it's useless. The red-eyed invisibles' power is too strong.

I manage to look to my side, and even Bas and Amin are struggling against it. Only one of us remains standing. Pain wrenches in her eyes as she looks at Gemma on her knees.

"I'm sorry, G." Tears slice down Viola's cheek as she shudders through heaving breaths.

"You told them we were coming here. Didn't you?" Gemma chokes out with a voice racked with betrayal.

"I'm sorry, G" is all she says.

"How could you?"

"I'm sorry, G."

"I trusted you! We all trusted you!"

"I'm sorry, G. I had to."

Viola betrayed us. All of us. How could she do that to us? To her own twin?

Her words burn like embers in my chest, but I know that it pales in comparison to what Gemma must be feeling. My worst fear came true. After all that they have been through, it was me who cleaved the hole between them.

"I'm sorry, G," Viola continues to repeat as she, too, falls to her knees. Not by force, but by the overwhelming guilt. She begins to sob the name attached to her heart since birth, "Gemma."

Radya, can you use your power against the invisibles? Bas asks. But when I turn to him, his lips aren't moving. He's staring at me with his jaw clenched tight. Try to use your power. Just like you did in the dungeon.

It doesn't make sense. I can hear his voice as plain as day. And yet, he's not speaking. He hardly even appears to be breathing. How can I hear him if he's not speaking?

"Make them grovel with their faces in the sand," Olly commands.

Our heads slam into the sand at once like a powerful force came behind us and pushed our heads down. Even Moose's head falls into the sand as he yelps a cry of pain.

I can't. I can't do it. I try to communicate with Bas, but it's probably a fool's wish to think that he could hear me. With my cheek against the sand, I stare back at him, silently begging the words to reach him.

You can. You've done it once. You can do it again. He assures me. His voice is deep and soothing. Just try it. I don't think things can get much worse right now, right?

Oh, gods.

Then I see him – Sir Magis – standing on the top of the cliff. I have to squint to confirm it, as he's standing high above us, but it must be him. He looms over us, haunting, just like the bargain we made. I can't do anything about that deal, the blank check that he can call in if I ever become a queen, but I can do something about this.

I cannot let them win. I cannot give in.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to drown out all of the thoughts and emotions flooding my system – the fear quaking in my bones, Olly and Landers' derisive laughter, the sting of betrayal stabbed into my heart – and I focus only on crawling into the mind space.

I will do this for Bas.

I will do this for Gemma.

I will do this for Amin.

I will do this for Guylita.

I will do this for Moose.

I will do this for… me.

The familiar glowing orb burns in my mind space, begging me to take it. To harness its power and unleash vengeance upon this palace.

When I move to grab the power glowing in my mind, I see Bas standing beside me on the inside of my mind space. He looks intently at me, waiting for my cue to continue. I won't waste time questioning how it's possible. Instead, I join my hand to his, fusing our power as we raise our hands to the orb.

If they want a fight, let's give them one, he says to me.

We reach for the orb together, summoning the power from the deepest part of our souls. The power quakes at our touch like it's absorbing all of our strength. It pulses around us, growing brighter and brighter. The power intertwines our hands, merging them into one endless well of strength for us to draw upon.

Let's take these assholes down, I command. We fight against the force pressing our heads into the sand and crawl our fingers forward until power releases from them in unison. It pushes out until heat bursts ahead of us. Though my eyes are shut, I can feel the warmth radiating from me as it threatens to destroy everything in its way. As I threaten to destroy everything in my way.

I faintly hear Olly yelling, "What the hell is this?"

Flames roll across the sand toward them and the Palace of Light, forming a wall between us - a wall that rises both in size and ferocity by the second.

The combination of my powers with Bas' weaves together into a supernatural force, so strong that it becomes a beast of its own. He is like the spark to my flame, and I am the kindling to his.

"Landers, get back!" I can hear Olly yell, but the sound of his voice is fainter still - muffled by the crackling embers roaring to life. Their presence becomes lost as the conflagration spreads up the cliff, threatening to devour the place that I could have called home.

But the spot where we stand, on that tiny sliver between cliff and sea, it's like a living, breathing barrier manifested before us. But unlike the barrier that confined and suffocated me for most of my life, this magic originates from me. It bends to my will and serves me, protecting the people I love. This barrier is my weapon, my avenue to escape.

For the first time in my life, I am in control.

I decide what happens next.

The force pressing us to the sand releases, freeing us to escape.

As if coming to the same conclusion, Bas yells to me through the mental link, How do we get to the boat without breaking the connection?

I can hold it. Can you carry me to the boat?

For my friends, I can do this.

For my friends, I will hold on.

Yes. Within our mind space, a visible red aura envelops him. His lip quivers like he can't fathom the thought of separating, and I can see the memory of Perdita's loss burning through him like he's actively reliving it now. Every second drags on as he confronts the memory, knowing that he has to leave to save us. Then, with pained resolve, he says, Stay focused. I've got you.

I nod back to him, training my mind on the power flowing from me. He vanishes from my side, taking a considerable amount of force with him.

Hold the connection.

Feel the rage of Olly's betrayal heating up inside.

Punish those who manipulated and lied to you.

Save the ones who give you strength.

My heart begins to pound. Much too fast.

The space in my mind is fading quickly, and the darkness threatens to swallow me whole. I can no longer hear the voices of my friends around me. Only a deafening buzz swells in my ears. I feel like I'm shrinking, losing my grip on the world.

I can do this.

I can do this.

I can…

The blackness overcomes me as I collapse into the sand.

Who won?