Whatever was left of my heart exploded, the pain so great I could barely stay upright.
Conemar scanned the Mystik army. “While I have a captive audience, and because I’ve dreamt of this revenge ever since you sent me into the Somnium, let’s play a game. Shall we?”
Sure, Conemar. I’ll play your game. Because while he was being a typical evil dumbass seeking revenge, Lei and Jaran were getting Royston to the Tetrad.
He stopped pacing and turned his menacing glare on me. “Bastien will do what I want because eight innocent victims, one his own mother, will die if he doesn’t do as I command. What will you do for the lives of those you love, Gianna?”
My gaze found Pop. Worry weighed on his face. Tears streamed from Afton’s eyes. Nana was gagged, probably so she couldn’t use her spells. Sabine stood regal, as if she was ready to die if need be. Briony looked the same way. It must be something they learned when becoming rulers or something. Galach’s head hung, blood dripping from his mouth. With worry on her face, Kayla kept glancing at Pop. Father Peter’s gaze met mine. He had no fear in his eyes or on his face. His lips moved as if he were saying a silent prayer.
I returned my focus to Conemar. “What do you want from me?”
He went over and placed his hand on Nick’s back. “A fight to the death.”
My stomach lurched.
“All you have to do is kill Nick,” he continued. “That is, before Bastien’s life runs out. If Bastien goes easy on you, I’ll kill one of the prisoners. If he doesn’t compel Nick, I’ll kill them all. Bastien is young. His life span is long. But the sooner you kill Nick, the better for Bastien.”
There was no way I could kill Nick.
I could just kill myself. End his game. But did I have the courage to do it? I wondered what was happening behind me. Were Lei and Jaran moving with Royston? Was Arik trying to reach me or come up with a plan to save us? I had to put my faith in them. That they were doing what they could to stop this madness. And I did have faith. I trusted my life to my brother and sister Sentinels. We were born to fight as a team. To have each other’s back. They would die for me, as I would for them. And there was comfort in that thought.
“If you kill yourself,” Conemar said, as if he’d read my mind, “they all will die. Are we clear on the rules of the game?”
Tears blurred my vision as I stared into Bastien’s eyes. “Go at me hard,” I told him. “Don’t stop. You can’t. Promise me you will choose them over me.”
“Gia, I—”
“No!” I stopped him before he could finish. “You have to promise me. I can take care of myself. Trust me.”
He nodded, tears pooling in eyes. “I promise.”
“I couldn’t have written a better script,” Conemar said, amusement in his voice. “Bastien, take control of Nick and kill her.”
I just have to make it look good before I give in. I removed the shield from my back.
Bastien’s head lowered, and Nick charged for me.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nick stopped halfway between Conemar and me. He formed a fireball in his hand and threw it at me.
I shot an ice one at it. The flames froze and dropped to the ground, shattering into a hundred pieces.
He sent an electric bolt at me that I stopped with a stun globe.
The rage in his eyes stunned me to my spot. He threw a series of electric charges, and I blocked them with my shield.
The crowd behind me shifted and called out my name. A horn sounded somewhere to my right. I didn’t dare look, but the cheers coming from the Mystiks and the look on Conemar’s face told me it had to be something in our favor.
Nick took several heavy steps forward. His jaw tensed. He closed his eyes tight and dropped his head.
I held my fighting stance, readying for his next move.
His head flew up before he sprinted the rest of the way to me, pushing his body against mine. “Gia.” He struggled to say my name, his voice deep and shaky. “I can’t fight it. Kill me.”
“No.” I shook my head hard. “I can’t. Fight, Nick, or they’ll all die. Afton will die.”
The muscles in his face tensed. “I love you, Gia. You’re my family.” He flinched and groaned. “Whatever happens, know that.”
“I feel the same way,” I said. “I love you. My death won’t be your fault. It’s on Conemar.”
A cracking sound came from his body as Bastien regained control of him. I took the opportunity to quickly back away from Nick.
Conemar’s stare on the hill caused me to take a quick look. The rebels from Veilig had arrived for the fight. Above their heads, flocks of Greyhillians circled the sky. The shock on Conemar’s face turned to anger. To their right, I could make out Pia with the Santara rebels. Doylis and others like him pounded down the hill.
“Tetrad, earthquake!” Conemar pointed at the hill.
The Tetrad straightened, and the Boar Man roared and shot his hand in the direction of the hill, and it split in half. Many Veiligicans and Santarans tumbled into the fissure. Greyhillians dove and rescued several of them. It didn’t stop Doylis and his team. They continued.
Conemar’s army passed Nick and me, charging at the Mystiks behind me.
The noises of a battle exploded on the field.
“Hurricane,” Conemar commanded the Tetrad again.
An electric charge hit my shoulder, and I flew back to the ground. I quickly rolled over and jumped to my feet just as another hit the ground to my right. The distraction cost me. I ignited a fire globe and threw it at Nick, hitting his leg.
The rain and wind rushed across the field in a violent fury, punching Mystiks and Conemar’s fighters to the ground. It knocked me flat and pushed me across the mud. I’d lost my shield, and I could barely lift my head to view the destruction. Greyhillians dropped from the sky. Bastien was on his back. Pop and the others huddled together, hopeless with their hands bound.
I spotted Arik and Demos pushing through the rain and wind, trying to get to me.
It was over in minutes, but the damage was immense. Mystiks, wizards, and guards had been beaten down and struggled to their feet, while those not hurt aided the fallen.
Conemar pulled Bastien to his feet and turned him to view his mother. A guard held her, his dagger at her side. “Continue or she dies.”
I met Bastien’s gaze and nodded. “Do it.”
Those tortured eyes of his, once bright blue, were almost a stormy gray. He closed them and Nick stood.
I thought of my stun globe, and without my saying the charm, it sprouted on my palm, and I lobbed it. The purple sphere soared through the air and smacked into Nick. He dropped to the ground, unmoving and gasping for air.
It was over. Nick was down. Unless I removed the stun, he would run out of air and die. The thought soured my stomach, and I stumbled forward, my knees slamming against the ground.
In my peripheral vision, I spotted Lei and Jaran flanking Royston.
They made it. I have to keep up the distraction. I staggered to my feet and tossed another stun globe on Nick, countering the one before.
He gasped for air.