Fine.
He could stay.
“Help me,” I demanded, catching his gaze. “We need to ground her.”
I flinched as Constantine hit my shield with a spell meant to eat through the fabric of my outer layer. The source energy gave me momentary pause, my gaze sliding to his through the invisible barrier.
Then I caught the inky lines writhing across his skin, the dark source growing in him by the second, confirming his re-ascension. Only, it wasn’t the traditional form. No trials. No rituals. Just a call to the dark source to grant him access, to name him the rightful king.
And another piece of the puzzle snapped into place.
He was using this incident as a reason to retake the throne. He would claim Malik wasn’t powerful enough to stop Aflora, so he took over the mantle to protect his people.
A fantastic platform for a dictator.
All with Aflora at the heart of it. Then he’d use his newfound rise to power to call for mass extermination again, and this time, he would have the full backing of the people.
Fear was a motivator.
And Constantine was an expert manipulator.
I saw it all play out in my mind, his strategy masterful.
“Zakkai!” Zephyrus shouted as more WarFire poured out of Aflora, heading straight for my shield. I yanked it back with my mind, squandering it and shoving her to the ground.
“Stop!” I commanded, my hands on her shoulders, my legs straddling hers. “It’s what he wants!”
“We need to bite her,” Zephyrus said. “It’s helped before.”
“Her other implosions were unintentional,” I gritted out through my teeth as she started creating a wall of her own in her mind to block us all out. If she succeeded, my barrier would dissolve beneath her power, and she’d destroy the fucking room.
I leaned down to kiss her, putting the full force of my power on display while I took control of her as the Source Architect. I weaved my energy through hers, dismantling her wall block by block. She growled, creating more, faster and faster, but I countered each one and kissed her harder.
Come on, Aflora. Hear me.
No! she shouted, her agony a blade against my soul. They killed him! They killed Kolstov!
I know, I whispered.
You wanted him dead, she accused. You. This is all because of you!
I sighed, hearing the pain in those words and realizing how much she would have hated me had I fulfilled my plan to end the entire Nacht line. It was too late now, the deed already done, and no apology would right this wrong for her.
So I tried another avenue. There’s too much innocent life in this room, Aflora. The ones who deserve retribution aren’t here. Look at their souls, sweet star. See who they are.
He’s here, she growled. He’s right there!
And he’s surrounded himself by innocents, I tried again. This isn’t the way.
It’s what you wanted.
I know, I agreed. But not like this.
Another scream split her lips, more power rushing out of her in tormented fury, her emotions piercing my heart and temporarily muting my senses.
“Aflora,” Zephyrus breathed as he collapsed beside us, clutching his chest, his eyes wide as fiery energy swathed him like a lethal blanket. His defenses came alive as he tried to fight it, but her power destroyed it in a flash, touching his skin and eliciting a tortured bellow from his mouth.
“You’re going to kill him!” I shouted, my hands moving to her throat and giving her a squeeze. “Focus, Aflora. See what you’re doing!”