89. Oz

89

Oz

O f course I have to face the one person I dread facing.

Daleyne the Destroyer. The Betrayer.

My advantage is strength and size. Hers is that I don't really want to kill her, as much as I do.

It's confusing, and I know she deserves death for all she's done. I have killed so easily so many times. Why I can't kill her is a mystery.

"My little boy. My, how big you've grown." She grins, still beautiful and wild as she fights with the passion of an orc warrior. "And how hard you'll fall when I slice off your head."

"Fuck you, bitch," Crash blazes fire at her, and only her speed and dexterity allow her to avoid the blast. "Not so tough without your ax, are you?"

A glance shows Ries has the ax and is fighting against the demon with it. Impressive, because not everyone can handle the weapon. Ries must be more than a merman and mage. He's got some orc or high fae along his bloodline, I'll bet .

I pretend I don't see her fist aimed for my face and catch it in one hand.

She blinks, surprised, and tries to pull it back.

Crash is there, aiming fire at her face.

Her hair burns, and she screeches with rage. But her skin toughens up, and she punches him so hard he's dazed and down several feet away.

I continue to hold her hand, squeezing until I break bones.

But Daleyne has no give.

No quit.

"I loved you so much, son. Why are you doing this to me?"

I swear she's got some beguiling magic, because I want to hug and kiss her, taken back to the days when she'd come for me, and our time would be so filled with fun and love.

But as I stare at her and crush her fist even more, I refuse to hear her lies.

"You hate me. Be honest for once in your life."

Her innocent expression turns to revulsion. "You've never been anything but a burden. On me, on your father. We never wanted you. Ever."

Yet I recall my father's smiling face, his pride in his child.

"I hated your father. Every second with him was torture. He was nothing but a monster."

"Then why did you marry him?" I ask with a calm I'm surprised to feel.

"My father made me. We cemented an alliance our clan needed, and through it, I got my hands on God-Slayer."

I don't even feel the glide of her knife as it slices two of my fingers off.

"Fuck." But the hurt that follows stings.

She uses my loosened grip to jerk free.

Before she can run away, I grab her by the throat and squeeze. And this time I feel nothing. Not love, not loathing, just emptiness for a creature who knows nothing but hate.

"I'm sorry, Oz. But she's mine." Malkar, in his dragon form, moves between us and snaps his jaws around her middle. He easily yanks her from my grip.

Go help Ries. Your brother needs you. There is nothing left for you here.

I should argue. She's my mess to clean up.

My duty.

My duty, Malkar says. Let it go. You have a future now, if you're strong enough to hold onto it.

I turn to see Ries fighting with Algraas, using water magic and the ax, but not with any real success.

A future. My brother.

I have people now. True kin.

And love.

I march toward Algraas, and on my way I pluck the ax out of Ries's hands.

In my grip, it becomes something more. Something with ungodly force. And I feel powerful in a way I haven't since escaping Yssa.

Ries punches Algraas and has a hold of his wing.

But the demon has his claws into Ries's thigh, the same one that has been repeatedly injured.

I can see bone where the flesh has been pierced.

Ries has to be in pain, but he doesn't show it. Instead, he focuses on smothering the demon in water, using the liquid to slow Algraas and drown him.

Then the archdemon manages to shift position to catch a breath of air.

"Duck," I bark as I swing the ax.

Ries doesn't question it and ducks down as the ax swings over him and beheads Algraas in one swipe .

A discord of shrieks and laughter fills the field as my ax drinks down whatever power Algraas had.

But as it starts to move through my hand up my arm, I drop it.

I don't want that demon in me in any form.

"You're wasting it," Ries says, panting.

"So what? He's filth I don't need."

I don't want to but turn around to see Malkar stepping on something.

On someone.

I see green blood everywhere. Clumps of hair Crash didn't burn off Daleyne's head are scattered with the mess that used to be her body.

And again, I feel nothing.

"You okay?" Ries puts a hand on my arm.

"Not yet. But I will be." I manage a grin, pleased to see the portal she created is closing slowly, but still more enemy soldiers and mages come through. "After I kill some fae."

"Bet I kill more than you do," Ries says with a half-smile.

"Whatever. Fire crushes water, every time," Crash says as he staggers past us and gives us a few rude hand gestures.

"You both suck compared to orc and ogre might." I rush to catch up, swinging the ax.

The three of us work on annihilating the rest.

All while Caethybdue fights her brother in the most important battle of our lives.

So close, yet all we can do is protect her back.

And wait.