A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 136 | The Devil Comes Knocking

Madison crawled onto the crumbling rooftop of a partially submerged building, her body battered and beaten by the unrelenting force of the tsunami. Every movement sent sharp waves of pain through her muscles, but she pushed forward, her body trembling with cold and exhaustion. The water clung to her like ice, soaking her clothes and weighing her down, while her skin burned from the cuts and bruises she'd sustained in the chaos.

Her fingers scraped against the jagged edge of the rooftop, nails cracking as she pulled herself up with a final, desperate burst of strength. She collapsed onto the solid surface, chest heaving, her breath coming in ragged gasps. For a brief moment, she lay still, the weight of everything crushing down on her. The cold bit into her skin, but she forced herself to sit up, scanning the ruined landscape below.

She was alone—or so she thought.

A sharp crackle of magic snapped through the air, and before she could react, Isis appeared, standing tall over her. The wicked grin on the sorceress's face sent a chill down Madison's spine.

"It's so very loud," Isis cooed, tilting her head as if listening to some invisible melody. "Your crystal... it hums in fear. I can feel it vibrating, almost like it is everywhere around me. You're absolutely terrified, aren't you?"

Madison froze, her heart pounding in her chest, the terror paralyzing her. Isis crouched down, her cruel eyes locking onto Madison's with a malicious gleam, as if savoring the power she held in this moment. "It's been far too long, child," Isis whispered, her voice dripping with dark satisfaction. "My master has waited for this... for you. To finally meet you as he intended."

Panic surged through Madison as she tried to pull back, but there was nowhere to run, no way out. The rooftop beneath her feet creaked ominously under the relentless weight of the storm, and the edge of the platform loomed, offering no escape.

"N-no, please..." Madison's voice trembled, her breath coming in shallow, panicked bursts. She had it all wrong, and she feared what would happen when they discovered the truth. But before she could say more, Isis's hand shot forward, clamping around her wrist with a grip that felt like iron.

"Oh yes, Your Highness," Isis hissed, her words laced with venom as she dragged Madison closer, their faces inches apart. "He's dying to see you again. To finish what he started... back when he tried to kill you on the moon."

With a snap of magic, they vanished from the flooding platform, reappearing deep within the concealed stronghold of Isis and her armies. This was the crucible from which their enemies would one day launch their final, decisive strike. The very air in this place felt heavy with ancient magic and whispered promises of devastation

***** *****

Mya knelt beside Richie, her hands pressing rhythmically on his chest, panic surging through her every movement. Both of them were a bloodied, battered mess—soaked from the tsunami's reach, but alive. Her breaths came fast, shallow, each one fighting against the rising tide of fear clawing at her insides. "Breathe, damn it!" she cried, her voice trembling and filled with desperation. "Richie, one, two, three, four," she counted, her voice rising with every compression.

Her palms moved with frantic precision, each push harder than the last as she battled the icy grip of dread. "Come on, Richie! Come on!" she pleaded, tears mingling with the rain as she forced the words out. Her voice cracked, breaking under the weight of it all. She wasn't supposed to care this much anymore. She was with someone else now—had moved on—but seeing him like this, seeing the light flicker from his eyes, terrified her in a way that no other loss had.

The memories of them together, laughing, fighting, and everything in between flashed through her mind, taunting her. The idea of losing him, of never hearing his voice again, clawed at her, leaving her breathless. Despite everything, despite the new life she had built, Richie had always held a piece of her heart—a piece she wasn't ready to let go of.