He chuckles. "Nothing a Keeper can’t handle. I’ll be fine."
I can’t tell if he’s being honest, or just saying what I want to hear. Kal was one of my only friends when I arrived at Stonehill, one of the few who understood my struggle to help the Fae. I reach down and kiss his head. "May the Spirits bless you," I say, casting an incantation to heal. Then I stand and walk away. I have done all I can. No point in worrying now. I must focus. Levi awaits.
A few more steps, and we reach the entrance to the grand hall. A dozen elite guards protect the door, slaughtering all Fae who try to break in. Fen and Dean rush forward, engaging them in battle. But I have other plans. As the brothers fight, I dash through the opening they create and ram open the door. I seek the head. Cut it off and the body dies.
I jump into the throne room, and find myself away from the chaos, in a hall empty and quiet. Leaves cover the floor, fallen from the great tree that stands in the center of the room. Once, this was a place of happiness. A place of comfort and safety. Now, it is a barren field, rotten, corrupted. I move through the hall, sword raised. And then I see him. Sitting on the throne in gold and red robes. Running his pale fingers through his long white hair. He studies me, and then he laughs. "Oh, well played, Princess. Well played. You made it all the way here. But you have yet to win."
He stands, drawing his sword, a giant silver blade with a ruby in the pommel.
I glance back, searching to see if my allies have caught up with me. They haven’t. The elite soldiers are keeping them at bay. I start to turn back to Levi.
And see his sword lunging for my throat.
I spin out of the way, then strike back. Our blades clash, and the ring of steel echoes in the empty hall. Levi pivots, then strikes for my legs. I parry and strike for his hands. Yami screeches, and Levi flinches in surprise. I see an opening. I strike.
And stab Levi in the heart.
He collapses, blood pouring from his lips, his eyes fading.
I tremble, unable to accept that this is over. The war with Levi is over. Stonehill is reclaimed. Tears of happiness well in my eyes, mixing joy with shock. I had heard Levi was a master swordsman, but it must have been a jest. A lie to scare his enemies. He was weak all along. As weak in body as he was in mind.
I look at the Prince of Envy one last time. And I watch him fall.
And then…
Then I see the blood begin to disappear.
I see his clothing fade away.
I see his face change.
No. It can’t be.
The man at my feet isn’t Levi. He’s an imposter. A decoy. Masked by illusion. How could I have missed it?
I look around, shaking with dread. If this is a fake, then where’s the real Levi?
I flinch at every shadow. Shake at every sound. And then I glance at the windows.
And outside, at the top of a snow-covered cliff, I see Levi.
His red cloak sways in the wind. His white hair falls over his dark eyes. He lifts a hand.
And the throne room explodes in fire.
***
I feel the force of the explosion first, pushing me back, throwing me against a wall, crushing my bones. The hall before me rips open, stone and wood splintering into oblivion. Next, comes the fire. It shines like the blazing sun, setting flame to the great tree, burning stone itself, and it makes it way forward. Forward. To me.
There is no time. Nothing I can do.
I glance at Yami once last time, and then I smile, facing my end. I will not fear the flames as I did before. I will fall into their warm embrace. I will see Daison once again.
I sigh, letting go of all my fear and hate. Forgiving all those who I had yet to forgive. I do not know how I do this in a blink of an eye, but I do.
I surrender myself to what comes next. The fire falls upon me.
And then he is there.
Fen.
He jumps in front of me, his face twisted in pain and effort. He throws up his arms, and a wall of stone rushes up from the ground. It blocks the fire. It blocks the end.
And finally, time seems to move at a normal pace.
I grab Fen as he falls to the ground, panting heavily and shaking. He used too much power to control the earth and summon the wall. He needs to rest. Without proper training, the act could still cause his death.
Dean and Asher run in behind me, Baron at their heels. "Get him to a healer," I say. And then I run.
I run past the wall of stone.
I run over the burned and shattered floor.
I run through the torn away window.
And I jump.
I fly through the air, Spero raised high. I come for justice. I come for Levi.
He sees me, and his eyes go wide. He dashes forward, jumping off the cliff, down below to the frozen lake. I fall after him, pulling back my hands to speed my decent. And then I feel Yami against me. He is bigger than before. Not as giant as when consumed by the Darkness. He is more my size. And I grip the spikes on his back and let him take me down and forward. Together, we glide over the frozen lake. Over Levi.
I leap off Yami.