With Chepi in Dace’s grasp, I can’t take the chance that I’ll miss. So I inch toward the ledge, raise the blowgun to my lips, and aim for Leandro instead. Taking my shot at the same time Cade yanks hard on my dress and jerks me back toward him. The move causing the dart to veer wildly off course before disappearing into the chasm.
The beast snarls and roars. Grasping Chepi by the throat, he holds her up high as though considering the most efficient way to destroy her. As I wrench free of Cade’s grip, swerve out of his reach, and reload my weapon. Fully aware the attempt was half hearted at best, staged to make Leandro think he’s serious, and I don’t have time for his games.
I center my aim, ready to shoot, when Cade rushes from behind. Leaving me no choice but to nail him with a swift roundhouse kick to the jaw that sends him reeling and skidding across a long swath of rock that rips a hole in his sleeve and burns off a good portion of flesh.
“Dammit, Cade,” Leandro shouts. “Get up! If you kill her now, the world will be ours! We are two kills away from ruling the worlds!”
The beast growls, the sound deep, guttural, echoing through the ravine. His glowing red eyes fixed right on mine as I center my aim on Leandro again.
Releasing the dart just as the beast lifts a hand, about to remove Chepi’s face, when, at the very last second, he changes course, pushes her out of harm’s way, and removes Leandro’s instead.
His features falling away like a discarded mask, Leandro’s pulpy mess of a mouth screams briefly in outrage, before collapsing inertly beside his old face.
Chepi looks on in horror, presumably thinking the same thing as me.
Another Richter felled.
Another relative killed.
No telling how the beast will react.
Though one thing is clear: Dace has now managed to outshine his twin in every conceivable way.
Cade turns on me in a fit fueled by rage, grief, and deeply rooted shame. Having failed at his one and only chance to make his father proud by slaying me.
With his fists clenched to his sides, his whole body shaking, he throws his head back and howls in a way so primal, so chilling, Coyote quickly chimes in.
But no matter how desperately Cade yearns to transform into the two-headed, snake-tongued, monstrous version of himself, he can’t make the shift.
Blaming me for his failure, he lurches my way as Coyote continues to howl by his side, and I aim the blowgun straight toward him. All the while begging him to stop, to not go through with it, to give up the fight while he can.
“It’s over. He released you. You don’t realize it now, but he has. It’s just like you always wanted, we can work together. But instead of me joining your side, you can join mine.”
His hands curl to fists and he stops dead in his tracks, leaving only a handful of feet yawning between us.
“C’mon, Cade. You don’t have to do this. With you and me working together, we can stop the prophecy.”
“It’s too late, Seeker.” While his gaze is filled with loathing, his fists can’t seem to respond.
They’re useless.
Unable to strike.
So he turns to Coyote still howling beside him, focusing hard on Raven’s natural-born enemy until his lids begin to droop, his knees give out from under him, and his body falls unconscious to the ground.
“No!” I scream, scrambling to put some distance between us. Only the move comes too late. My boot catches in the hem of my dress, my blowgun flies free of my hand, and I land in an unarmed heap of shimmering red silk. Unable to do anything but stare helplessly before me as Coyote, now soul-merged with Cade, bares his teeth and lunges straight for me, as Raven furiously rattles his cage, trying in vain to escape.
Raven and I both watching as Coyote descends.
Knowing it won’t be long until we fall and the prophecy is fulfilled once and for all.
With no defenses left, I lift my ring high. Hoping it might distract Coyote from his mark, and watching in horror as the gem catches the last fading rays of the sun and transforms my gown into a swirling circle of flames.
I scream. Try to smother it by rolling onto the rock.
Only to realize the flames do no harm, the element is mine to control.
At the first whiff of smoke, Coyote yelps, tries to change course, but it’s too late.