A Court of Death and Retribution

chapter 44

Feyre

—

I let out a ragged scream as I watched the Dark Mother throw her magic at my son. Azriel and Gwyn had to hold Rhys and I back as we tried to claw our way to Nyx. Gwyn was a nice female and a fierce warrior, but I wanted to kill her in this moment.

We were so close. So damn close to them we would only have to run a short distance and fly over one of the chasms that was created. I had to stand here and watch as the smoke collided with Nyx. I clawed and kicked and screamed trying to break free from Gwyn, but she just held me tighter.

Then, a blinding white light erupted from Nyx's direction.

Gwyn and I fell to the ground out of shock as we shielded our eyes. I was free of her arms, but I couldn't see anything in front of me.

When the white light finally dimmed, the battle continued around us. Rhys hauled me to my feet, and we turned to run to Nyx, but stopped when we saw what had happened.

We stared at her in awe. Light emanated from her like the darkness does from Rhys. Her hair was golden and shining and her brown skin seemed to glow softly even in the night. She wore a dress of white silk, which flowed effortlessly on a phantom wind.

The Mother.

"Mara enough. I've had it with your childish games. You dare hurt my creations? You dare try to take this land as your own? It will never be yours so long as I live. End your maddening games or I'll be forced to end you." The Mother spoke with a calm authority. A true goddess. A true queen of creation.

I looked over to Nyx, who was clutching his side while holding up Bella. As I started to run to him, Rhys held me back.

"We can't get in the middle of this." Rhys warned inside my head.

I shot him a glare, but turned to look at the Dark Mother as she let out a wild and wicked laugh. "So we're using first names now Auriella? Tell my why you've chosen now as a good time to start caring about your little creations? Tell me why you let thousands die before intervening?" The Dark Mother—Mara, took a wobbly step closer to the Mother—Auriella.

"Mara was Bella's mother's name." I gasped to Rhys.

He turned to me and nodded slowly to tell me he remembered.

Auriella didn't seem to have an immediate response. She just stared at Mara, unshaken by her words. "I was preoccupied."

Unease settled in my gut. Mara had a point. Too many Illyrians, Valkyries, and Darkbringers were hurt or killed before Auriella appeared. I'm grateful she stopped Mara before she could kill Nyx, but why wouldn't she help us before it ever came to that?

Mara was fuming, but she seemed to settle as she looked at Bella, who was breathing heavily and struggling to stay awake. She looked exhausted. Mara held out a hand towards Bella. "Belladonna my love, come and let's end this. Let's become the true Queens that Prythian deserves."

Goosebumps rose over my flesh as Bella pushed against Nyx. He tried to hold her back, but his injury looked too painful, so she slipped out of his grasp. Time seemed to move painfully slow as Bella staggered towards Mara. I held my breath as she slowly raised her ungloved hand, then put it in Mara's.

"Get Nyx. Get him out of here." I spoke quickly to Rhys, but his eyes were widened and glued to where Mara closed her hand around Bella's.

This isn't Bella. This can't be her. Something's wrong. Something's—

Bella opened her mouth and glared into Mara's eyes. A halo of black smoke surrounded her similar to how the light seemed to surround Auriella. "I...will never...help you."

I gaped at the image before me. Mara was screaming out in pain as Bella siphoned from her. Auriella just stood there and watched showing no emotion and Mara snarled as she pushed Bella back with a burst of power. She rolled past us, then landed in a runners stance, sliding back in the ground. When she looked up at Mara, it was a look that promised death.

Bella had tricked her, and now she had the power to help Auriella kill Mara.

Auriella looked back at Bella, who was now walking to stand by her side. Darkness and light engulfed them both as they blasted their powers towards Mara.

I could feel the strength of their power radiating from them like a strong and suffocating wind. It was beautiful and deadly.

Transfixed in awe by their power, I knelt down on one knee and bowed before Auriella and Mara. Rhys followed soon after with a look of shock and awe, and soon, everyone surrounding us had put one knee in the land that we fought to protect. That Bella had given everything for. That Auriella had helped create.

Nyx dropped down on two knees, staring wide-eyed at his mate. I smiled at him as tears formed in my eyes. Cassian and Nesta knelt with their daughters. Cal was kneeling beside Azriel and Gwyn behind us. Even the other courts and High Lords and Lady had knelt. The Witches and the Death Gods recoiled in pain. There were no more traitorous Illyrian's left alive, so the battle had stopped to behold the divine display of strength before us.

I watched in awe as Mara's flesh peeled away from bone, then bone turned to ash as Bella and Auriella killed the Goddess of Death.

They killed the Goddess of Death.

The same goddess that created—

"Bella! No!" I stood quickly and lunged, but clearly it was too late. The Dark Mother was dead, and slowly her creations died around us. The battle was truly over—we had won.

I waited for her to fall with them. She wavered, but it seemed to be from exhaustion. Looking over to Nyx, I watched as he slowly stood and walked over to Bella. Then, his eyes widened, and his hand that was clutching his wound went to his ribs. "Bella!" He roared as he started sprinting towards her.

Unease fluttered through me as I turned to see Bella fall to the ground. Nyx was screaming her name over and over again until he reached her, falling to his knees and frantically shaking her.

My legs wobbled and a choked sob escaped me as my eyes searched for any sign of life. Anything that would tell me what I wanted so desperately to believe was true. But there was no evidence to ease my pain—to ease my son's pain.

Bella's tan skin grew pale, her eyes wouldn't open, her chest didn't rise and fall. I fell to the ground and sobbed hard into Rhys's shoulder.

Bella was dead.