Page 150 of Treasured

I threw back my head and roared. My wings flapped, and I rose in the sky to meet the queen in battle. This was one fight where I did not mind being the Prince of Darkness. For this, I would embrace my destiny.

I was the Wielder of Shadows, and together with my wife, we would destroy the queen.

Or we would die trying.

The Weak Link

LUNA

Sebastian was a vision of death.

I’d witnessed him in battle with Bertrand, but this was different. Every movement, every emotion, every shadow spoke to his determination and commitment to his craft.

This was his element, in the same way libraries and laboratories were mine. He thrived off the strategy, the offensive and defensive, the moves and countermoves. He was a warrior through and through.

Perhaps most telling was the flicker of enjoyment that came through the bond as he erected a massive shield of shadows. He wasn’t having fun, but perhaps he wasn’t as scared as he should have been.

Though I was frightened enough for us both.

I had thought myself prepared for this battle, but that belief dissipated when we landed in the queen’s banquet hall. My blood ran cold. My stomach was in a knot, and my hands were clammy.

Power flowed through me to Sebastian, I kept that connection between us open, letting him take as much as he needed.

Queen Marguerite was a formidable opponent. She threw shadow daggers at us, having a seemingly endless supply of dark magic. Her centuries of experience were evident as she darted like a bat in the sky.

How were we going to defeat her?

It was too late to back down, though. Far too late. I flew behind Sebastian, staying at the very end of the Tether. My wings flapped, using those new muscles on my back, and my entire body was tense as the challenge continued.

The queen didn’t seem worried, though. On the contrary, it seemed like she was toying with us.

Queen Marguerite threw shadows at Sebastian. He batted them away. He lobbed darkness at her, and she easily evaded it. On and on and on, they fought. Neither seemed to tire or feel any burn in their muscles from flying for so long.

I felt it, though. The twinge in my back was a warning that this couldn’t go on forever.

Sebastian lobbed a series of spiked shadow-spheres at the queen, but she moved seamlessly out of their path.

“Is that all you have, young ones?” A laugh that was like the coldest night escaped her. “It’s going to take much more than that to bring me down.”

Her eyes locked into mine, and a malicious grin crawled over her too-beautiful face.

“L-u-n-a,” she sang, stretching out the syllables. “I think it’s time we play, don’t you? After all, it would only be fair.”

I didn’t answer, but it didn’t matter. She was already coming for me. My stomach plummeted, and I desperately gathered darkness around me. Shadows streamed after the queen like deadly serpents, writhing in the air. She screeched at the top of her lungs, the sound bone-chilling in its intensity.

Time seemed to slow.

The racing of my heart was as loud as the roaring wind. Sebastian called my name. I moved out of the way like he’d taught me, throwing my hands up in front of me and summoning a wall of shadows.

The queen’s magic struck my barrier. I stumbled back, my body shaking. My wings faltered under the impact. My arms ached. My back burned. But I was still alive.

For now.

The queen laughed. “See? Isn’t this fun?”

No. This was the opposite of fun.

We have to keep moving. Sebastian’s worried voice filled my mind. He flew to me, erecting another shield between us and the queen.