Chapter 84 Eighty four
Chapter 84 Eighty four
NORA’S POV
The silver dagger burns in my hand, even through the leather wrap I’d sewn specially to deaden its magic.
I’d stolen it from the cavern when excaping from the Fairmoon pack, because I knew this moment would come. Because Draven and I had planned it all out years ago, when we first learned there was a Star Born reborn.
“We’ll use her power to make Ironclaw the strongest pack in history,” he’d said.
“And when we’re done with her, we’ll use what’s left to make ourselves immortal.”
I’d agreed then. I’d agreed to everything. Because power is all that matters when you’ve spent your life being overlooked and treated like you’re nothing more than a servant.
I watch Walter crawl toward the Moon Well, his bad leg dragging uselessly behind him, his face twisted with a pain that has nothing to do with his injury.
He thinks he’s protecting something pure. But he doesn’t understand that nothing is pure and everything has a price.
Draven stands beside me, his breathing ragged as the golden light from the broken mirror sears the black veins on his skin.
He looks nothing like the confident leader I know.
“Did you know?” he asks quietly, not looking at me. “About the vision? About what I becomes?”
I laugh. “Of course I knew, because I helped create it. The darkness shows you what you fear most, but it also shows you what you want most.
"He wants power just as much as we do. He just hides it better.”
I glance at the dagger in my hand and the dark runes that glow brighter as the sun climbs higher in the sky.
My blood runs hot with anticipation, soon, it will all be ours. We’ll have everything we’ve ever wanted.
“We need to move now,” I say, turning to face the well where Lila’s form hovers and is growing weaker by the second.
“The mirror’s magic won’t hold the shadow for long. We have to get her bound before she recovers”
Draven nods, drawing his sword. “The warriors are ready,” he says. “They’ll follow us anywhere.”
“Good,” I reply, my eyes fixed on Walter. “Because we’re going to need them, because he won’t give her up without a fight.”
We start forward, our warriors forming a tight wedge behind us. The stone wolves part to let us pass, they’re bound to the darkness, and the darkness is bound to us. Everything is falling into place exactly as we planned.
But then Walter pushes himself up, leaning against the edge of the well. His hand is pressed to his bleeding shoulder with his face pale as death.
“You’ve been lying to us all along,” he says. “Every word. Every gesture of help. It was all a trick to get close to her.”
I stop walking, tilting my head to the side. “That's old story and if it was?” I ask. “What would you do about it, cripple? You can barely stand on your own two feet. How do you plan to stop us?”
Walter doesn’t answer, he just looks past us, toward the treeline and I follow his gaze and feel my blood run cold.
The Ironclaw warriors we’d brought with us are standing still, their weapons lowered. And behind them, emerging from the trees, are dozens of Fairmoon wolves, all with weapons raised high.
At their head stands Caelum, he was here when did he leave. Beside him is Mirabel, the ancient scroll unrolled in her hands as she chants words.
“You really thought you could turn my warriors against me?” Draven snarls, taking a step forward. “They’re loyal to Ironclaw. To me.”
He roars in anger, lunging forward with his sword raised. But before he can strike, a wall of golden light springs up between us, Mirabel’s magic.
“Stand down, Draven,” Caelum calls out, his voice ringing with authority. “You’re outnumbered and outmatched. Give up now, and we’ll let you live.”
I laugh, pulling out a second dagger, this one black as night, it's carved from obsidian and inlaid with silver runes.
“You think you can stop us?” I shout, driving the dagger into the earth at my feet.
“You think your little light show is enough?”
The stone wolves turn on the Fairmoon warriors, their green eyes blazing with hunger.
From the depths of the Moon Well, the massive eyes open wider, and tentacles reach up to wrap around Lila’s form, pulling her closer to the water.
“Let her go!” Walter shouts He raises his hand, and for a moment, golden light glows from his palm, it's faint, but real.
“I won’t let you take her!”
But I’m already moving, darting past the fighting wolves toward the well. Lila’s light is fading fast and her form is becoming more translucent by the second.
I raise the silver dagger high, ready to drive it into her heart and bind her power to us forever.
But as I get within arm’s reach, she looks at me, and her eyes hold a sadness so deep it makes my hand falter for just a second.
“Nora,” she whispers, her voice barely more than a breath of wind.
“You don’t have to do this. I know why you’re angry.”
My grip tightens on the dagger hilt. “You know nothing about me,” I snarl, even as her words hit me.
“I know your mother was a healer,” Lila continues, her light flickering.
“I know she tried to help the Fairmoon pack and was left to die in the woods.”
Draven shouts from behind me. “Don’t listen to her, Nora! She’s using her magic to read your mind! Finish it!”
But I can’t move.
“How do you know that?” I whisper.
“Because she saved my mother,” Lila says, and her light brightens.
“Your mother found my mother when she was lost and alone, carrying me inside her. She helped her hide, helped her survive long enough to give birth to me. She made her promise to keep her wolf blood hidden and protect me from exactly this kind of greed.”
My hand shakes.
“Lies,” Draven roars, breaking free from the warriors and charging toward us.
“All lies! She’s just trying to save herself!”
He swings his sword at her, but Walter moves t throws himself between them, taking the blow across his back.
He cries out and falls to one knee, but he doesn’t let go of his own sword, driving it into the ground to hold himself up.
“Get away from her,” he gasps, blood seeping through his shirt. “I’ll kill anyone who touches her.”
Draven laughs, raising his sword for the killing blow. “Then die,” he snarls.