“Don't do this!” Slade called out.
“This is the only way,” I told them, my voice booming around us. “She must be contained.”
They didn’t understand. They couldn’t feel her like I could. If she was allowed to remain free, she would destroy the world. The second she entered my body I’d known it. And if the Gods wouldn't help us divide her, imprisonment was the only way.
When the last drop of black blood entered me, power unlike anything I'd ever known spread through my consciousness. All I knew was darkness, death, and a hunger that could never be satisfied. But deep inside that thick shroud was a small light, a spark of life, a fluttering of hope. I tried to reach for it, but was quickly overwhelmed by death again.
I gazed across my ruined temple, seeing beyond it, feeling the dead soldiers outside, the ones that were injured, and the ones still fighting and full of life. They were all mine. I was more powerful than any other being in this world. Stronger than the Dragons or the other Gods. I was the beginning and the end, life and death, darkness and light. I controlled shades and elementals, plants and animals, the living and the dead, and soon they would all bow to me. I would use this power to reshape the world. A dark queen, ruling all five Realms with my mates at my side.
I heard people yelling my name over and over, their voices frantic. I focused on them again, the four handsome men I’d taken as my lovers, and recognition slowly dawned. Something of myself fought for control again.
“Kira, you have to let her go!” Jasin yelled.
I shook my head. “I can’t. She’ll destroy everyone if she’s free. She hungers for death and will never be sated until this world is in ruins.”
“Don’t make the same mistakes your mother made,” Auric said.
“I won't. I can contain the Spirit Goddess without becoming corrupted, and then we can use her power to change the world.”
“You might be able to fight her for a few years,” Slade said. “But she’ll corrupt all of us eventually.”
“No!” I roared, both at them and at the Spirit Goddess inside me who fought for control. I couldn’t let her win. I wouldn’t!
“Kira, you have to fight her!” Reven yelled.
I screamed and covered my head with my hands, the power threatening to tear me apart. Clarity dawned and for an instant I was Kira again. “I can’t—she’s too strong!”
“Yes, you can,” Reven said, staring into my eyes. “Otherwise you’ll have to live countless lives with the Spirit Goddess inside you. Killing your own children to keep her contained. Are you willing to do that?”
“No—never!”
“Then fight!”
I reached again for that tiny flicker of life inside me, and this time I found it. I grabbed hold and yanked, dragging it through the darkness, fighting with every ounce of my being against the black death trying to consume me.
Enva’s voice suddenly drifted to me, like a whisper on the wind. “Don’t give up, Kira.”
“Enva!” I cried, begging for her to help me, though I knew she couldn’t.
She appeared before me, her form translucent and glowing with a faint silver light. “I’m here.”
Other people began to appear alongside her, with the same silvery bodies and pale glowing eyes, like the opposite of the shades outside. Nysa appeared first, looking young, bright, and brave. Doran stood at her side, his eyes proud as he smiled at me. Sark, Heldor, and Isen stood behind them, their features lacking the cruelty I’d seen before. This must have been how they’d looked before they were corrupted.
But then more luminous figures appeared beside me, standing close, forming a tight circle around me. Young women I felt a strong connection to, though I’d never seen them before. Sisters, a voice deep in my soul whispered in recognition. Nysa’s other daughters, stretching back centuries, freed now that she was dead. They gave me their strength and their unconditional love, and their silent encouragement and support gave me hope.
In front of them stood a woman with long red hair, hazel eyes, and features identical to my own. I faced a mirror image of myself.
Sora, my twin sister.
“Kira,” she said. “We’re here to help you.”
“How?”
“Together we can divide the Spirit Goddess into her two halves. I am death, while you are life.” She smiled at me as she took my hands. “From the beginning, it was always meant to be this way.”
I swallowed, my fingers tightening around hers. “I’m not strong enough.”
“You are. Focus on the life inside you, and I’ll draw out the death. We can do this together.”
“You’re not alone,” Enva called out.
“We’ll give you our power,” Nysa said.
“You can do this, Kira,” my father added.
Their magic suddenly filled me, until I was overflowing with life and light and love. They sent me so much power it began to balance out the darkness inside me and let the buried life magic grow. I sensed the two halves of the Spirit Goddess within me and held tight to the side of life. My twin tightened her grip on my hands and opened her mouth, drawing out the darkness from within me. It flowed out of me and filled her up, but where it had corrupted me, she was able to stay in control of herself. She’d been born with the power of death from the beginning, and now she fed upon it,
The Spirit Goddess fought inside me, trying to stay whole, while her Gods yelled and fought my mates keeping them prisoner. Sora and I managed to hold on, backed by the magic of our sisters and our parents, and I felt lighter and lighter with each second. When the last bit of death’s essence had left me, my sister released my hands. The connection was broken. The Spirit Goddess was split in two, each part of her trapped within my sister and me.
“Now it’s time to open the gates to the Realm of the Dead and send everyone home,” my sister said, her voice thick with dark power. “Including the Death Goddess.”
A blast of dark magic erupted from her, and one by one our sisters took on a look of relief before vanishing. Sora had opened the gates to the Realm of the Dead, allowing all the departed souls to finally pass through and find peace.
“I don’t want you to go,” I said. “I only just found you.”
“I am with you always, Kira. Life and death will eternally be joined together. But now I must take the Death Goddess back to where she belongs.”
I nodded, a tear slipping down my cheek. Sora gave me a warm smile, and then she disappeared.
Enva wrapped her arms around me next. “I knew you could save us all. Goodbye, granddaughter.”
Before I could reply she faded away, her face looking truly peaceful for the first time. Tears streamed down my face, my heart torn between happiness and sadness. I’d never see them again, but their suffering was finally at an end.
Sark, Isen, and Heldor bowed their heads low to me in a sign of respect, before they disappeared, leaving Doran behind.
My father placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’m proud of you, Kira.”
I turned to hug him, choking back a sob. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
He patted my back once before drifting away. There was only one ghost left.
“You’re going to make a fine Dragon,” Nysa said, her translucent hand reaching toward me to curl around my cheek. I placed my hand over hers for just an instant, before she left me with the words, “Thank you for freeing me. I love you, Kira.”
After she vanished, the temple was empty except for my mates and the Gods they held prisoner. Inside me, all I felt was the Life Goddess, who was relieved to finally be herself again, untainted by corruption. I searched deep inside and found nothing left of the darkness.
I took a deep breath…and I released her.
38
Kira
Light flowed out of me and formed a beautiful, shining dragon, so bright it nearly hurt to look at her. Flowers bloomed at her feet, and she gazed down at me with a motherly smile.
“Is it over?” I asked.
“Thank Gods,” I said, with a sigh of relief.
She let out a laugh that wrapped around me like a warm hug. “No, thank you for freeing me. And now I shall purge my mates of their corruption.”
She turned to look at the imprisoned gods and then sent a burst of light out from her. It flowed into them, filling them up, and when it was over they each glowed a little brighter.
“What do we do now?” I asked her. The Gods had said before they wanted to rule without us. Did they still want that?
“You shall continue your duty of bringing balance to the world, while we watch over you from afar. There is much to be done, but we have faith that you are up to the task.” She lowered her head and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead that filled me with love and hope. “I give you my blessing.”
As she pulled away, my body began to change. I grew larger and stronger, while my hands became claws, my skin became scales, and my teeth became fangs. Glowing silver wings sprouted from my back, and a long tail whipped behind me.
The Life Goddess gave me a nod, her eyes kind, before she disappeared in a flash so bright I had to look away. When the light dimmed, the other Gods were gone too.
“Kira…” Slade placed a large, dark hand on my silver scales. “You did it.”
Reven smirked. “I knew you could defeat her.”
“I couldn’t have done it without all of you.” My voice sounded deeper and stronger as a dragon.
Auric stroked my snout. “You’re magnificent.”
“Let’s go end this battle,” Jasin said.
The others turned into dragons and we flew out of the ruins of the Spirit Temple, over the battlefield. The shades were gone, taken back to the Realm of the Dead with the Death Goddess, and the Black Dragon’s soldiers had already surrendered. I stretched out my senses with my enhanced life magic, which I could access now that the Goddess was freed. There were so many dead, far too many, and many more injured. Zara and Garet had both fallen, much to my dismay. I ached at the thought of telling Auric that his brother was gone, and Zara’s death meant the Assassin’s Guild was leaderless. Leni was badly wounded, one of her arms severed from her shoulder, and I wasn’t sure if she would survive. Slade would be devastated if his little sister passed, and I prayed that she would make it.
There were more casualties that tugged on my heart. Enva was gone, along with the sisters I’d barely gotten to glimpse, including Sora. And of course, the Dragons. Doran had sacrificed himself to give us a chance, proving he was truly a father to me. And Nysa… Well, I understood Nysa a lot better now after encountering the Spirit Goddess. The things she had done could never be truly forgiven, but she was my mother, and she’d tried to protect the world as best she could.
Even with all these losses, there was still so much life—and hope. Elementals and humans had fought side by side, fighting back the darkness that had overtaken our land, and I felt confident this was the beginning of a fresh start for our two races. Other friends were still alive—Brin, who had fought valiantly to protect Faya and her unborn child; Calla and her priests, who had kept the shades at bay for so long; and Cadock, who had led the bandits in a noble fight despite his earlier misgivings. Not to mention hundreds of lives I didn’t know but could feel before me, their souls bright lights on the bloody fields.
As the sun sank to the horizon, my Dragons and I flew high and drew the attention of everyone still standing. Faces turned up at us, filled with awe and relief.
“The era of the Black Dragon is over,” Jasin called out. “All hail the Silver Dragon!”
The soldiers and elementals below us let out a loud cheer that seemed to echo throughout the entire world. This battle was truly over, but now the work of rebuilding the four Realms would begin.
I turned to my mates, my forever family, who had stood by my side through it all. This wouldn’t have been possible without them. The love we had for each other was what brought us our victory today. And whatever happened next? We would be together for it, preparing for the day when our own daughter would take my place.
39
Jasin
ONE YEAR LATER
The sounds of combat rang out all around me. Swords clashing together. Fists hitting flesh. Shouts and muttered curses. I couldn’t help but smile as I gazed across the courtyard. Dozens of men and women fought in pairs, practicing and sparring while sweating under the hot sun. Once they had been bandits, Resistance fighters, assassins, or Onyx Army soldiers. Now they were mine.
The Silver Guard, I’d called them. The most loyal and dedicated soldiers, sworn to serve the Silver Dragon as her soldiers now that the Onyx Army had disbanded. Each Realm was transitioning to governing itself with its own military, since Kira had no interest in ruling. Our plan was to work as mediators and guardians of the world, and as part of that I would lead this elite fighting force, which suited me well. As for Kira’s other mates, Auric was handling diplomacy with the leaders of the four Realms, Reven was working with the elementals while also managing a team of spies and scouts, while Slade was acting as Kira’s right hand man and personal guard. In the end, they weren’t that different from the roles Nysa’s men held, except our goals were a lot different. We didn’t want power or domination, we wanted harmony and peace. Gods knew the world needed it right now.
Other sounds caught my attention, drawing my gaze up toward the hammering, pounding, and yelling. Renovations on Soulspire palace had recently begun to transform it from the run-down, dark, imposing fortress it had been under the Black Dragon’s rule to the new home of the Silver Dragon. We’d all been surprised when Kira said she wanted to live here after being imprisoned inside it, but she’d argued that the central location between the four Realms and the long history of housing the Dragons made it the perfect place for us to reside. It just needed some work to make it home.
Cadock walked past the sparring soldiers and made his way toward me. His knee had been injured during the battle at the Spirit Temple and he’d walked with a slight limp ever since, although it hadn’t slowed him down much. He wore the bright armor of the Silver Guard and acted as my second in command.
“Training is coming along nicely,” I said to him.
“Yes, I think the new recruits will be ready soon.”
“How are things with Faya?” I asked. Cadock had become smitten with the former Resistance leader, but after she’d lost her husband to the Dragons she’d been hesitant to start a relationship again, especially while taking care of a baby boy.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “One step forward, two steps back. I love her, and little Parin too. I asked her to marry me and she said maybe someday.”
I clasped his shoulder. “You’re a good man. She sees that. She just needs time.”
“I know. I told her I’d wait as long as it takes. I’m not going anywhere.” He drew in a breath. “That’s not why I’m here though. There are some people asking to see you.”
“Who?”
“They say they’re your parents.”
My spine stiffened. I hadn’t seen or heard from my parents since my father had betrayed me by turning us in to the Onyx Army for helping the Resistance. I’d tried to block them from my memory ever since, too hurt by the knowledge that he was more loyal to the Black Dragon than his own son. What were they doing here now?
I considered sending them away, but I did miss my mother, and I had nothing to fear from my father anymore. The least I could do was see why they had traveled all the way from their home in the Fire Realm to visit me.
“Send them to my office,” I said.
Cadock nodded and walked away, while I watched my recruits a little longer, letting their rhythmic fighting movements calm me. I’d never wanted to be a sol
dier in the Onyx Army, but my parents had made it clear that was my one path, and I’d been damn good at it even though I’d hated it. When I’d met Kira, I’d been ashamed of my past and the things I’d been forced to do, but at her side I was finally able to accept my destiny. I was a protector, and when I fought for something I believed in, I was proud of this work.
I reluctantly turned away from my soldiers and headed for the nearby barracks, where I’d claimed a large room for my office. I’d chosen it because it had windows that looked out at the training grounds and the palace, allowing me to keep an eye on everything. I also liked the lighting in the room—it was good for painting.
My parents were already waiting inside when I arrived. They sat in the two chairs across from my desk but jumped to their feet when I shut the door behind me.
“Mom, Dad,” I said. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, Jasin,” my mother said, clasping her hands to her chest. “It’s so good to see you.”
“Your mother has been worried about you,” my father said.
I took her hands in mine and gave them a squeeze. My mother was the only reason I’d escaped when my father had betrayed me, and I’d missed her also. “Please sit down.”
I walked around the table as they sat down again. I noticed their eyes drifting to the painting behind me, which depicted the Silver Dragon flying in front of the ruined Spirit Temple, with her other Dragons flanking her. A memory of the day we’d won.
“That’s beautiful,” Mom said, as I sat across from her. “Did you paint it?”
“I did.” Although we’d had a lot to do after the battle at the Spirit Temple, Kira had insisted we take some time for ourselves too. Once the world had settled down a bit, we’d spent two weeks in the middle of nowhere, relaxing and recovering from our ordeals. I’d done that painting then, along with many others, including some I definitely wouldn’t want my parents to see.
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