“I love you, Irina. Not because you wield magic. Not because you’re the queen. In fact, I love you despite those things.” He dropped to his knees and gathered her hands in his. “I love you, and I’m asking you to stop this. Please.”
She tore her gaze from his and stared at the box that held her hope. For a moment, she tried to imagine a life outside Ravenspire. Alone with Viktor on a ship, searching for an island to call their own. But if she did that, her father would win. Milek would win.
Tatiyana, with her treachery, would win.
They would have everything, and Irina would be condemned to wander with no title, no kingdom, and no power to call her own.
She pulled her hands from Viktor’s.
“Irina, please.”
“I’m not leaving.” She blinked tears from her eyes and pushed him away so she could stand. “I’m going to strengthen my heart, and then I’m going to finish what Lorelai started nine years ago. I’m going to keep what is rightfully mine.”
“How can you be sure the spell even works? Maybe the hearts haven’t been the problem. Maybe it’s—”
“It worked on my father.” She refused to look at him. “It works on a Morcantian heart. I just have to hope it also works on a heart from Eldr.”
He slowly rose to his feet. “Do you love me?”
She stopped, her hand hovering over the box, as the question burned within her.
Did she love him? What would it cost her if she did?
He moved to her side, and repeated, “Do you love me?”
Slowly, she looked at him. At his pretty face, his rumpled cravat, and his blue eyes pleading with her to simply tell him the truth.
“Yes,” she said softly before turning back to the box. “But I can’t be happy with you if I don’t defeat Lorelai and remain on Ravenspire’s throne, and the only way I can do that is by replenishing the strength in my heart.”
“And that will heal you? It will keep you alive so that you can defeat Lorelai, remain on the throne, and finally be happy?” The grief in Viktor’s voice pulled at Irina.
She met his gaze and something shuddered inside her at what she found there. He knew the solution she’d been too afraid to put into words. “Yes. This will fix everything, and I will finally be at peace. I’ll finally be happy.”
She reached for the box, but he took her hand and pulled her against himself instead. Before she could speak, he covered her mouth with his. His kiss was wild—his lips claiming her, his teeth grazing her skin with a tiny bite of pain.
When he raised his head, he took the hand that had hovered over the gold box and placed it on his chest instead. “I meant it when I said I would not allow you to ruin that innocent boy’s life. If you really need to take the remaining years from a heart, if that is what will truly bring you peace, then you can have mine. But you cannot have his.”
She trembled as she stared at him. As the heart inside the gold box beat strongly while Irina’s heart stuttered and ached.
She’d told him the truth. She wasn’t leaving Ravenspire. Not after all she’d sacrificed to make it hers.
One more sacrifice, and then she’d be ready. She’d be powerful. She’d be unstoppable.
“Ja`dat,” she whispered, and the power burned in her hands. “Take what is his and give it to me instead.”
“Irina, stop.” Viktor sounded desperate. “Please.”
Ignoring him, she raised her hand and let the magic coursing through her give strength to her voice. “Ja`dat! Take what is his and give it to me. Give it to me!”
Her hand, wreathed in brilliant light, slammed against his chest.
His head fell back, and he cried out in agony as her magic pierced his chest and surrounded his heart.
“No,” she cried, but the spell didn’t stop.
Her will was stronger than her foolish heart.
Her will desired Ravenspire.
Her will wanted Lorelai dead.
And so she watched with tears streaming down her face as Viktor’s face aged, his hair grayed, and then he collapsed on the floor, his beautiful blue eyes cloudy and staring at nothing.
Her heart beat strong and fierce inside her chest.
Her magic coursed through her body like an avalanche of power.
Let Lorelai come for her. Let the Eldrian king try to defy her. She would crush them both. It would be Viktor’s legacy.
She bent to straighten his rumpled cravat, allowing one sob to escape her lips as she clung to his chest, and then she dried her tears and walked away.
THIRTY-FIVE
I’ve got you. Kol wrapped an arm around Lorelai’s waist beneath the water and pulled her toward the side of the cliff as the waterfall crashed above them. She kicked hard, and he pushed her upward until her head broke the surface. A second later, his head was above water too.
The curtain of falling water was behind them. A hollowed-out space in the side of the cliff was ahead. Lorelai looked at Kol, her eyes lit with something that made heat unfurl in his stomach.
We can hide there until we’re sure Irina’s trees are done looking for us. He looked over his shoulder at the curtain of water. Of course, I suppose she could have monstrous fish coming after us.
The river’s heart is mine. Lorelai flexed her fingers. I called to it the moment we hit the water.
So we’re safe for the moment?
Yes.