A Court of War and Sacrifice

45. A Glimmer of Hope

The artwork above is not mine.

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    The only sound to be heard was Seren's sobs. She clutched at Azriel's leathers, not caring about the blood that covered them. He was gone. She couldn't feel him. He was gone. Her sobs were silent. Her pain was unbearable, stealing away her voice entirely.

    "Come back," Seren whispered once more. "Please come back."

    She breathed in his scent, night chilled mist and cedar. She'd never again wake up beside him in the morning. She'd never again train with him. He'd never again carry her as they flew above Velaris. She'd never again feel the shadows crawl over her, offering comfort. They would never dance with her flames. Azriel would never teach Estelle to fly. He would never see her grow up.

    "A pity, really. I was hoping I'd be the one to take his life."

    She lifted her head as Osiris and Seker landed. Seker set Erebus down. "I suppose there will be no objecting to her coming with us now," Seker laughed.

    Osiris' gaze drifted to Estelle, held safely in Feyre's arms. "What a charming niece we have. I think we should take her to meet her grandmother."

    Seren pushed herself to her feet. "Get away from my daughter."

    "Or what?" Osiris growled.

    Seren's gaze dipped to Erebus' mangled wrist, and his disabled wings. "I promised that if you ever hurt me or my family again, I would kill you. Azriel swore to kill the two of you," she looked between Osiris and Seker. "So I will do it for him." Eris stood behind her. He held out Elysian. She shook her head. "I don't need it." He fell back.

    Osiris and Seker's siphons flared. Cassian started forward, but Seren held up a hand. Her numb pain was giving way to an unrelenting fury. Fire burned in her gut and she fed it into her eyes. Her hands grew white hot.

    Osiris and Seker lunged. She attacked, but not with her fire. Flaming hands sped towards Osiris and Seker's minds. She found their shields, strong and prominent. They flew towards her, unaware of her presence.

    Seren watched them come. Her flaming hands were poised. They reached her and she dug her claws into their shields. They screamed, falling to their knees. Seren ripped their shields apart, recalling all of her lessons with Rhys and Feyre.

    Osiris gripped the sides of his head. "Get out!" He screamed.

    Seker couldn't speak. Already, his mind was hers. She saw everything he'd ever done to Azriel. Everything he'd ever done to Azriel's mother. She saw it all. She saw his thoughts, his memories, his mind. She saw it...and she destroyed it. A scream tore out of Seker's throat as Seren shattered his mind into pieces. He collapsed, the light fading from his eyes.

    Osiris was still fighting back, trying to reform his shields. Seren turned her full focus onto him. She grabbed him by the throat, still tearing away at his mind. "You burned him," she hissed. "And I will burn you." Osiris screamed as her hand grew hotter still. His flesh melted around her fingers. With one final blow, she shattered his mind, then snapped his neck. Osiris fell beside his brother, his neck thoroughly malformed.

    Seren faced Erebus. He stared at her, eyes wide with fear. She strode towards him, flames crackling to life around her body. "Do you remember how I promised to kill you?" She seethed. "Because I do. I promised to melt your wings off."

    Erebus tried to run, but she grabbed him. Seren kicked the back of his knees in, forcing him to the ground. She grabbed the scarred central tendons of his wings. Her hands fed fire into his very veins. Erebus wailed in pain. His wings became even more deformed. The scent of burning flesh and blood wafted through the air. Seren burned until his wings were nothing more than bloody stumps on his back.