Diamond swallowed her tears, wanting to believe the Red Wizard’s words.
Nearby, the baby screeched.
Diamond’s heart clenched with fear for the child. “Where did Erebos go?” she cried as a cloud of shadow descended.
Farther along the corridor, more bricks exploded. The baby’s distressed wails became louder.
“The throne room!” yelled Diamond.
Erzion cursed. “We need to get in there!” he hissed. “I don’t know who that child belongs to, but I will not leave an innocent babe to suffer his evil, not when I can stop it.” Musical words left his lips, his magic pulsing through the air until orbs of light guided them.
Diamond gathered her strength and held a shield above their heads. Together they ran down the shadow-swathed corridor. As they neared the remains of the throne room doors, spears of shadow and ice hurtled towards them, such a barrage that they had to work together to hold it a bay.
Diamond felt her magic stutter and a physical pain took her breath. Agony ripped across her throat. Just as quickly it was gone.
Eryanth!
“Ahh!” Erzion roared trying to keep the dark god at bay alone. But even the Red Wizard could not hope to best the power of Chaos. His shield faded. A second later, a vicious spear of ice impaled his thigh then his stomach.
“Erzion!” Diamond screamed.
He slumped to his knees and fell sideways.
Erebos cackled loudly. “You cannot win. My sister could not win and your mother was next to useless. I took her soul. Do you know that? She is mine. She suffers every day because your cowardly father could not save her!”
His words and expression of glee goaded her, setting alight such rage in her soul she had to release it. Power billow through her veins, burning her body and her blood from the inside until it exploded outwards. She could not contain the anger that simmered in her heart. It was as if his negative, evil energy was saturating her.
Diamond! Don’t! Pull you magic back now or you will kill everyone! Don’t let him control you like this!
Diamond panted and gritted her teeth. Relief weakened her limbs. “Eryanth!” she cried out.
That beautiful deep voice was the only thing that pulled her back from totally losing control and letting her wild magic control her as it had once before. She closed her eyes and focused on directing her power. Tears burned her eyes when she realised how many innocent people she had nearly killed.
Erebos laughed and laughed. “See? You cannot even control your own emotions. And you dare consider yourself strong enough to end me!”
Where are you? Eryanth demanded. Don’t fight him alone, my love, please!
I cannot wait. I have to fight!
No, he is draining your magic—compelling you to use it!
I know! But I have no choice now!
Erebos began to wave his arms, commanding his shadow to form snakes. They slithered towards her, attacking from all sides.
Diamond twirled the spear. Its barbs dug deep into her hand, taking more of her blood and magic to feed itself—and she let it. Its light shone brightly, burning through the serpents of shadow. It was then she heard a desperate roar.
Erebos had thrown up a wall of shadow, blocking Eryanth’s way into the throne room.
Erebos laughed wildly, drowning out the pounding of Diamond’s heart and the screeching of the tiny baby.
Frantically, Diamond fought Erebos’ magic, turning blades of ice into droplets of harmless water as she scanned the area, looking for the child.
“Ah, do not concern yourself with my heir. You will be dead soon, and it will be mine to shape as I will.”
Diamond saw a young girl cowering against the throne and holding a bundle of cloth.
Erebos followed her gaze. Continuing his attack, he ran towards the girl and the baby, determination suffused his face.
Diamond couldn’t let him reach them. She pulled on her Nexus and ran, determined to beat the dark god to the child.
Behind her, Eryanth bellowed, battering Erebos’ wall of shadow with his power, even as she pulled magic from him and attacked the dark god.
Erebos snarled. “It is mine!” he bellowed and threw a shard of ice at the young girl who held the baby.
Diamond leaped and she swore time slowed down for a moment. The ice shard hurtled across the room towards the girl’s heart. She saw the tiny baby open its sapphire eyes and look at her. She heard Eryanth’s roar and felt their magic fuse a second before the ice shard lodged in her stomach. She swallowed her scream and threw a barrage of bright, white magic at Erebos—along with her spear.
Diamond yanked on her Nexus. Magic burned the air. Its acrid smell filled her mouth and nose. Agony ripped through her as the shard of ice sliced into her flesh. But her golden spear had found its mark. It thudded into Erebos’ shoulder.
Eryanth roared his fear and anger and burst through the dark god’s magic, ripping it down. Serpents of sapphire blue, jet black and silver snapped out, severing Erebos’ hold on the wall of shadow.
Red magic flashed and exploded as someone fought their way through the Dust Devils who swamped the hole in the throne room wall. More gathered in the corridor outside the ruined doors.
Erebos snarled, looked over at Eryanth and doubled his efforts, forcing a barrage of shadow against Diamond’s magic.
My love, please—use our Nexus! Eryanth begged her.
I. Cannot. It. Is. Too. Late, she panted, fighting the weakness of her magic and body. She would not give up! She would not let Erebos claim the two bright souls of the girl and the baby, for that is what she saw—two burning bright souls, pure and innocent and unsullied by darkness.
With a scream, she hardened her resolve. She pushed forward, at the same time calling the spear back to her hand.
Erebos roared as the spear pulled from his flesh and thudded back into Diamond’s hand.
With each step, agony tore through her flesh, the shard of ice ripping into her. She looked down, trying to fight her nausea at the sight. It was melting. Soon there would be nothing to slow the bleeding.
Erebos snarled and stabbed at her with shadow and ice, but none of his attacks found their mark.
Eryanth was working with her. He shielded her.
She glanced at his distraught face.
Fight, Diamond! Do you hear me? Fight!
Help me, she wheezed, then screamed and blasted Erebos backwards with all her might. She launched her spear and sent the last of her magic hurtling behind it.
Diamond did not see where her spear struck, or where the dark god landed. Her knees buckled, her magic spent as she watched her Nexus fly by her, his sapphire wings burning with silver markings, his dragon staring out through his chest plate.
Eryanth thundered a furious, grief-filled roar.
Agony and weakness coursed through her very being. Their Nexus could not help her now, she knew it and so did he. Her blood was spilling onto the floor, her magic with it. She had no strength to invoke their connection, and he could not help her at the same time as he fought the dark god.
Half-fae, half-dragon, Eryanth plucked the god from the floor and threw him across the room, but Erebos laughed and landed on his feet.
Erebos panted, the stench of his burning flesh stinging Diamond’s nose. The golden spear was eating through his body but her blood was drying upon it and it was losing its power.
Eryanth gave a grin full of malice as he smashed his fist into the dark god’s face. He did it over and over.
“I hope that thing eats you alive,” he snarled, shoving the spear farther into their enemy’s stomach.
Erebos yelled and spun with such speed Eryanth did not see him move. A solid boot heel hit Eryanth in the centre of his chest, sending him crashing into the far wall.
“Do you means this?” Erebos snarled. He wrapped a hand around the golden staff, pulled it from his dark flesh and thrust it aside. It rolled and clattered across the broken tiled floor, coming to rest near Erzion.
/> Erzion met Diamond’s eyes, his own dull and full of pain. But she did not miss the Red Wizard’s fingers reach slowly for the staff.
Eryanth flipped to his feet, keeping Erebos’ attention from the Red Wizard—and Diamond.
Diamond staggered upright.
For a second, Eryanth’s attention rested upon her.
“Lovesick fool!” Erebos hissed, delivering a solid blow to Eryanth’s chin.
It sent Eryanth flying.
Diamond tried not to panic. She managed one step towards the Red Wizard before Eryanth staggered back to his feet and attacked. Forming shadow weapons, he threw dagger after dagger at Erebos, who melted into a cloud of dark mist.
Eryanth mirrored him. Turning his own body into shadow. He twisted after the dark god, striking with his black blades. With each clash of their weapons, Eryanth’s magic weakened. Soon he was corporeal and fighting as a mortal fae, his dragon receding.
Erebos only got stronger, feeding on the souls of the dead his army reaped for him.
Diamond could feel desperation and fear in the air around her. Her heart clenched. She could not fail them.
Erebos narrowed his eyes and laughed gleefully when he saw her stagger. “You are next,” he hissed at her.
Eryanth gritted his teeth and swung his blades. His breath rasped loudly in his throat. With a yell, he parried Erebos’ attack. He thrust—and missed, falling to one knee.
Diamond’s heart stopped.
With a flick of his wrist, Erebos blocked Eryanth’s next attack and sent the fae’s dark blades skittering over the blood-soaked tiles.
Diamond sobbed as she heard Eryanth’s ribs shatter, Erebos’ vicious kick lifting him from the ground. Eryanth thumped down onto his back, breath and blood exploding from his mouth.
Diamond’s skin turned icy cold as the Lord of Chaos grinned down at him.
“Ha, mortal souls—you are always so predictable,” he spat. “You think love will conquer all—well, it won’t.” Smiling at Diamond, he formed a sharp blade of ice and drove it straight into Eryanth’s gut.
Pain shot through Diamond’s body, causing her to stumble.
Arrogance and satisfaction rolled off the Lord of Chaos as he strolled over to Diamond.
Glaring at him with defiance, she pulled the bejewelled dagger Rayan had gifted her from her belt and began to fight, but her arms and legs were heavy, her movements slow.
Erebos merely smiled and let her attack him, dancing around her—teasing her until she was coughing blood with every breath.
“Stop!” Eryanth called out, his voice breaking.
“Do I take her soul first? Or do I let her watch you die? You cannot survive me this time, so I think I will have a little fun with you. You get to watch your soulmate die first,” Erebos chuckled.
Red magic exploded and Elexon burst through the wall of Dust Devils, his armoured wings wide and spells at his fingertips. He turned all those rotting corpses to ash.
Attion and Tawne barrelled in behind him. Covered in blood that was not his own, Arades skidded to a halt in the rubble, his sword raised and gold magic sparking across his wings.
“No!” Eryanth cried, though his voice was hoarse. “Stop!” he ordered them.
They immediately obeyed, though Elexon and Attion did not lower their magic. Rayan ran in, his warrior’s eyes taking in the scene. He whispered some words and a haze of magic hovered in front of them all.
Diamond stared at her father, willing him to feel her love.
“You think any of you are a match for me?” Erebos yelled and blasted out a wall of shadow, disintegrating Rayan’s magic. Attion made a dive for Tawne, and the huge wolf leaped to safety. Elexon and Arades shielded, but they were no match for Erebos. His shadow lifted them and flung them around in the air, banging them against the walls.
“Stop!” Diamond screamed.
“You dare give me orders?” Erebos yelled in response.
In a flurry of shadow, he whirled behind Diamond. Grabbing her long silver braid, he yanked her hair back and twisting the dagger from her fingers, held it to her throat.
Helpless tears cut a path down through the dirt and blood on her face and she pushed as much love into her mate’s mind and soul as she could.
“See? If you had not challenged me, I would have given them a good death. Now I think I will play with their fear and pain,” he sneered and slammed Elexon and Arades into the ground.
Diamond kept struggling, but her face turned towards her father. “Dad!” she yelled but only Eryanth could see where her gaze had truly gone.
In the darkness, Erzion had risen to his feet. In his hand he held the golden staff. His dull, russet eyes met hers, full of sorrow.
She nodded. An order but also permission—and forgiveness. She knew this was her destiny, to sacrifice her life and the love it held. And she would do it gladly to save Eryanth and every other soul in her world.
With the aim and accuracy borne of thousands of years, Erzion pulled back his arm and launched the staff.
Diamond’s eyes flicked to her love, her soulmate—her Nexus. For a fraction of a second, she poured her love into him.
Her body jerked back from the force that slammed into her chest.
Eryanth’s sapphire and silver eyes widened in shock, his roar of grief rocking the very foundations of the palace.
Diamond held in her scream of agony and grabbed the staff. Its barbs pierced her skin, locking it into her flesh. She gasped as the crystal point pushed agonisingly through her spine and those barbs sucked the blood and magic from her.
Eryanth thrashed against the ice shard that impaled him to the floor. Screaming for her.
I love you. Always and forever, she willed him to hear through his grief. Please. Protect them all—be their king. Then she faced Erzion again. “Help me!” she choked out, begging him, knowing he would always hold true to his pledge to protect Avalonia.
With tears streaming down his face, the Red Wizard pulled up the last of his magic and whispered a spell that sent power charging across the room. It hit the spear, impaling Diamond against Erebos and driving her blood into his flesh.
Diamond smiled, her eyes fluttering closed as Erebos screamed and the Red Wizard fell to the floor.
Chapter 33
Eryanth roared his anger and grief. Without thought, he drew heat from his guardian, melting the ice that impaled him. Heedless of his own bleeding, he struggled to his feet, fighting the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him.
Erebos was screaming in pain, a high-pitched sound that caused agony to rip through Eryanth’s ears.
Elexon ran towards his queen, casting spells, heat emanating from his hands. He tried to push Erebos from the spear, but it would not release its hold on the Lord of Chaos. Together, Erebos and Diamond fell to their knees. The dark god’s screams became weaker, his body withering behind Diamond’s. His physical form shrivelled as the poison of her blood and magic ate away at his flesh and soul. Within seconds, he was gone—wiped from existence. Only a vile tar-like substance remained, staining the tiles under her knees.
As the dark god’s body became no more, Diamond toppled backwards, her eyes closed, a serene look upon her bloodied and bruised face.
Elexon caught her falling body before the tip of the spear could hit the tiles.
Eryanth skidded across the floor on his knees, desperate to touch her. He pulled her to him, cradling her precious body to his chest. The staff suddenly shrank, the barbs leaving her flesh and releasing her hands. They fell limply to her sides, brushing the cold tiles, her head lolling forward on her chest.
Above them the tower cracked, sending chunks of marble crashing down through the ceiling of the throne room.
“Eryanth! We need to get out of here!” Rayan roared.
Nausea rippled up Eryanth’s throat at the sight of the staff embedded in Diamond’s body. His hands shook, his muscles bunching as he yanked it out. Sweat ran into his eyes, his own blood loss causing him to sw
ay unsteadily.
Blood ran from her wounds. “Oh gods, Diamond! Please, don’t leave me. I can’t lead—I can’t even live without you,” he cried, not caring that he was sobbing or rocking her within his own embrace.
The ceiling near the doors caved in with a mighty crash.
“Everyone out! Now!” Elexon yelled as there was a thunderous boom from above.
Rayan cast, supporting the collapsing ceiling with all his might.
Eryanth gathered his strength. “Go!” he ordered.
Elexon sprinted back to Erzion and, with Arades’ help, they hoisted him up and began running for the gaping wall of the throne room.
Eryanth hoisted Diamond’s lax body into his arms and staggered out.
Aided by his magic, Attion sprinted towards the crouching form of the young girl. The baby squalled loudly, almost as if sensing the danger around it. Attion did not hesitate, he grabbed the baby, holding it in the crook of one arm before he wrapped his other around the girl’s waist and vaulted up onto Tawne’s back. Green magic lashed around them, holding all three on the huge wolf’s back. Tawne bounded towards the safety of the outside world.
Rayan charged out behind them, yelling with effort, his spell collapsing under the sheer weight of the ancient tower. An avalanche of marble and wood sent a huge cloud of dust billowing around the courtyard. The force of the pressure knocked them all from their feet, sending them flying forward.
The world tilted. Despite his wounds, Eryanth tightened his hold, grasping Diamond to his chest. He tried to prepare for the agony of landing. Instead, his breath left his lungs from the icy cold water he splashed into. The water flowed away leaving him on the ground clutching Diamond.
Firan ran to him.
“Son? Praise the goddess, you are alive,” he uttered. His blue eyes fell upon Diamond, on her wounds and her deathly pale face. “Gods, I am so sorry,” he croaked.
Eryanth laid Diamond down on the sodden ground, unaware the guardians circled above. One by one they landed to form a circle around the fallen queen and the warriors who had fought so hard for the lives of their people.
Krato and Alethia roared, their eyes fixed upon Diamond. Vaalor screeched his distress and billowed fire into the air.
The Goddess and The Guardians Boxset: The Complete Romantic Fantasy Quartet Page 132
