He drops his head in his hand and drives his fingers through his hair. Then he meets my eyes again, determination intensifying his glare.
The ground thunders. My cuff illumes brighter, the stones searing into my skin. I scream and wrap my hand around the cursed stones. “Go!” I fall back, my body craving the cold mercury covering the ground. I allow it to soothe my burning skin.
My vision swims, and the eclipsed moon wavers against the rock sky. I close my eyes as Bale speaks to me.
Thank you, my servant.
Something tugs on my arm, but I’m too drained to care. Let the ground have me.
Bale is taking over, and I have to reserve my energy to battle her. Once she fills me, I’ll use the mercury that Alyah touched to help me wage this war. Alyah spoke to me. She blessed me with power to be her hand on this plain. Bale may even be destroyed by the goddess’s divine blood coursing through me.
I pray this.
I pray this so hard.
I have to try, or else the fear will tear my mind apart. It’s splitting now. I can feel Bale’s presence invading, and my body flames. Her vileness scorches—my mind splintering.
The tug comes stronger, and I crack my eyes open. Caben kneels beside me, a metal pin in his hand. He works my cuff.
The cuff snaps open.
He rips the cuff off and latches it around his wrist. His eyes find mine. “You’re to do great things, Protector Kaliope.” Removing his ring, he slips it on my thumb. Then he kisses my palm. “And I love you more than any other.” He cries out as the fire that was consuming me now rushes his body. “Tell the empress of my wishes for my kingdom.” A sad smile mars his face. My heart breaks. “Keep your promise to me.”
“Caben,” I choke out.
He reaches out and caresses my face, his hand trembling. I rise up and cling to him. “It’s not too late. Give me the cuff—” I try to pry it from his wrist, but it’s now seared to his flesh. “You can’t fight her!”
“I know,” he says. His eyes are deep blue, resolute. “That’s why you’re going to end her before she can find the shard.” He cups one arm around my waist and leans forward, dragging something beside us. He takes my hand and rests my palm on the hilt of a sword.
“Damn you.” I glare at him through tears. “How can you ask me to do this?”
“You have to, Kal. It’s the only way. It’s been the only way from the start.” His eyes bore through me. “Did you think I was going to let you sacrifice yourself?”
I scream. “Damn your pride, Caben! There’s still time—” But there’s not. A blue light illuminates the whites of his eyes and his head flies back. His body snaps with currents, his skin sizzling with the dark goddess’s power.
Rubbing my hands together, I try to call forth whatever power saved the priest, my lips trembling as I plead to Alyah. Then I shakily place my hands on his temples. No fire. No searing. I feel nothing of the darkness, and my hands rev
eal no light. “Come on!”
Why isn’t working? Please!
Caben’s hand flies up and knocks my arms aside, breaking my hold.
“She’s—” He jerks his head sideways, fighting her control. “Here.” The blue in his eyes changes to a fierce white-hot glow.
I scramble back. “Caben?”
A slow smile curves his lips. “You have something of mine, Kal,” he says. It’s his voice, his baritone with a touch of his lilt, but the words are not his. He’s still in there somewhere. I know this, but the glint of evilness in his eyes chills my blood.
Gripping the hilt of the sword, I rise to my feet. I arc the blade before me. “Release him.”
He laughs, a low, hollow boom. “I think you value this body”—he looks over himself as he stands—“too much to harm it.”
I lift my chin. “Release him and go back into your confines or else I will cut you down. The goddesses will not allow you to exist in this realm.”
“I’m tired of hearing about them.” He raises his hand and sends a blast of power into my chest.
My body whips backward, and I land on my back hard. The mercury seeps through my tunic, its soothing chill dousing the fire spreading over me. Caben walks slowly through the silver covering the ground. It boils where his booted feet touch.