Chapter 38 BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH II
Woke to shouting. Battle sounds. Close. Too close.
Kael was gone. Nyx was in a cradle beside the bed. Eyes open. Watching.
"Father is fighting," she said calmly. "The rebels broke through. They are coming here."
"How long was I asleep?"
"Six hours. The battle continued without you. We are losing."
I tried to stand. Legs shaking. Body weak. "I need to help him."
"You are in no condition to fight."
"Then I die trying." I grabbed weapons. "Stay here. Stay safe."
"I am coming with you."
"You are a newborn."
"I am eight weeks old with centuries of knowledge in my blood. I am coming with you." Nyx stood. Actually stood. Walked. Like she had been doing it for years. "We protect father together."
This was insane. My daughter was six hours old and walking. Talking. Planning battle strategy.
But we had no time to process. Only time to move.
We ran through corridors. Found guards fighting rebels. Found blood. Bodies. Chaos.
Found Kael surrounded. Wounded. Exhausted. Still fighting.
"Get away from him!" I threw shadows. Weak but enough. Distracted them.
Nyx moved. Faster than possible for a newborn. Her small hands touched a rebel soldier. He screamed. Aged. Turned to dust.
"What—" I started.
"Time magic. From the Shadowborn line. I can age or de-age living things." Nyx touched another soldier. Same result. "It is very effective."
She was terrifying. Magnificent. Impossible.
My daughter.
We fought our way to Kael. Back to back. The three of us. Family.
"You should be resting," Kael gasped.
"So should you."
"I am not six hours postpartum."
"Good thing I heal fast."
Nyx laughed. Actual childish laughter. "I like you two. You are funny."
We fought. Pushed the rebels back. Inch by inch. Body by body.
Then Lyra appeared. Looking panicked. "Your Majesties! The traitor! I know who it is!"
"Who?" Kael demanded.
"Commander Darius. He has been feeding information to the Purists since the beginning. Since before Voss." She pointed. "He is opening the gates. Letting Aldric's forces in."
Horror washed through me. Darius. Theron's replacement. The man we trusted with our defense.
"Stop him!" I shouted.
Too late. The gates crashed open. Aldric's five thousand soldiers poured in.
We were finished. Outnumbered. Exhausted. Broken.
Aldric walked through the gates. Smiling. Victorious. "It is over, Sera. Surrender now and I will let Kael live. Refuse and watch everyone you love die."
"I have a better idea," Nyx said.
She walked forward. Tiny. Newborn. Impossible. Stood between us and an army.
"I am Nyx Draeven. Daughter of Shadowborn and Draeven. Born of the fated bond. Heir to both bloodlines." Her voice carried. Amplified. "And I am done with this war."
She raised her hands. Magic exploded. Not shadows. Not light. Something else. Reality itself bent.
Time stopped. For everyone except us. The armies frozen. Mid-step. Mid-swing. Caught.
"This is my gift," Nyx said. "I can stop time. Rewind it. Fast forward it. Within limits." She looked at Aldric. Frozen. Helpless. "I could age him to dust. End this now."
"Do not," I said. "That makes you a killer. A child who murders."
"He tried to kill you. Kill father. Destroy our family."
"I know. But we are better than that. Better than him." I knelt beside her. "Let time resume. Let him see what he is facing. Let him choose to surrender."
"And if he does not?"
"Then we fight. Together. But we give him the choice."
Nyx considered. Then nodded. Released her hold on time.
The world resumed. Everyone stumbling. Confused. Terrified.
Aldric stared at Nyx. At the child who had just stopped time itself. "What are you?"
"I am the future," Nyx said simply. "And I am giving you one chance. Surrender. Leave. Never return. Or I will age you to dust. Your choice."
Aldric looked at his army. At us. At Nyx. Calculated.
Then he knelt. "I surrender."
His army followed. Thousands of soldiers. Kneeling. Yielding.
The war was over. Just like that. Because a six-hour-old child had power that made kings kneel.
Serina appeared at the gates. Half her face burned. Eyes wild. "No! This is not over! I will not—"
Nyx looked at her. Just looked. Serina aged. Rapidly. In seconds she went from vampire in her prime to ancient. To dust. To nothing.
"It is over," Nyx said. Her voice cold. Final. "Anyone else want to argue?"
No one did. No one dared.
The rebels surrendered. Aldric was taken into custody. Darius was executed on the spot by Kael himself.
The seven provinces sent envoys begging for mercy. For peace. For anything.
We granted it. Because we had won. Because we could afford mercy now.
That night we stood on the balcony. The three of us. Family. Watching the blood moon set.
"What happens now?" I asked.
"We rebuild," Kael said. "We change the realm. We become what we promised."
"And her?" I looked at Nyx. "What do we do with a daughter who can stop time and age people to dust?"
"We teach her," Nyx answered. "You teach me to be better than the power I carry. To choose mercy over cruelty. To be human even though I am vampire." She smiled. "That is what parents do, right?"
"Right," I said. Voice breaking.
"Then teach me," Nyx said. "Teach me to be worthy of you."
I held her. This impossible child. This miracle. This future.
We had survived. Against everything. Against impossible odds.
And now we had forever to figure out what came next.
Together.
Always together.
Either way, we would not break.