She snarled at me, so I cupped her cheek and tilted her head
toward Zephyrus. The flames had engulfed him completely, and I didn’t have the energy to dismantle that spell and keep up our barrier—which Constantine had almost gotten through with his growing magic.
A gasp caught in Aflora’s throat, the energy dying in an instant as she tried to squirm toward him. I moved, allowing her to reach his now still form.
Constantine threw another deadly spell our way, one I caught this time and volleyed back at him while Aflora’s dangerous energy morphed into one of life and vitality.
She pressed her palms to Zephyrus’s chest, her new spell warm and comforting as she pulled her negative enchantment from his spirit.
He inhaled sharply in response, then muttered a curse and clutched his chest. Tears poured down Aflora’s cheeks, apologies flying from her lips. But we didn’t have time for that. We had an irate Elite Blood hammering on my shell with far too much power.
Ascensions took time for a reason. They were about balance and control, neither of which he seemed to possess at the moment.
And he was surrounded by Warrior Bloods and Malefic Bloods, their combined energies forming a lethal weapon that would destroy us all if we didn’t find a way out.
“Aflora,” I whispered. “I need you to shadow us.”
We weren’t ready for this battle.
And there were still too many innocents, Aflora’s flames having blocked their exits.
“Aflora, I need you to shadow us,” I repeated, grimacing as the final layer of my shield began to crumble. “Right fucking now!”
She grabbed my wrist, her other palm still touching Zephyrus, and engaged her connection to Shade. It was visceral and real, my mind so connected to hers that I felt her growing energy.
She found what she needed from him without much thought, her powers working on instinct alone. Then she whirled the three of us into a cloud of dark magic and took us to a bedroom I didn’t recognize.
I collapsed on the floor, my energy reserves depleted and in dire need of restoration.
Aflora fell to the ground beside me, her shoulders shaking as she deteriorated into sobs. Zephyrus pulled her to him, holding her with a ferocity that made me envious. I wanted to do that. I wanted to comfort her. But I couldn’t fucking move.
And I knew she didn’t want me right now.
You wanted him dead, she’d said, the accusation thick in my thoughts.
Had I known what it would do to her… I… I wasn’t sure I would have been able to go through with it. It’d been my goal all along. But seeing her now, hearing her cries, watching her fall apart… I never wanted to be responsible for such agony.
She was my mate.
My other half.
My Flora.
I would never put her through something like this. Fuck, she’d been through so much already. She didn’t deserve any of this.
It left me wondering what would have happened had I refused my father’s command. No bond. No yanking her into this world of war and destruction. Would she be in a flower bed now? Playing with her earth magic? Smiling at some boy, a good mate, who made her trees and other forms of blooming life?
My heart thudded wildly against my ribs, my mind forming the picture perfectly.
Sweet Aflora, growing into her Earth Fae Queen status.
Happy.
Twirling in a circle.
Flowers in her hair.
So fucking beautiful.