Queen of Light (The Light-Bringer Trilogy, #3)

Twenty-Three

James stood halfway down the corridor, grinning as he eyed them. Matias ground his teeth together, his grip on his sword tightening.

"He's mine," Matias growled.

James's ember-like eyes darted to Cal. "Light-Bringer," he said. "I remember being promised a duel."

"No," Matias snarled. "You deal with me."

The demon glared at him. "I deal with whoever I please."

"You used me. You tortured us," Matias spat.

James flicked his wrists, long, gleaming daggers appearing in his hands. "Then I will deal with the both of you."

He charged at them. Matias and Cal parried his blows. Matias's anger and thirst for revenge drove him. They attacked as quick as lightning. But James was a whirlwind of death and steel.

James shoved Cal away, her armour scraping against the stone floor as she slid back. The demon kicked Matias's feet out from under him. James knocked his sword out of his hand and pressed his knee into Matias's chest.

"It's a shame that I couldn't take my time with you," the demon sneered raising one of his daggers. "Goodbye, little prince."

Akaljot and Lucas grabbed the demon's wrists.

"Goodbye indeed, little prince," Akaljot snarled.

Rays of pure, unfiltered sunlight shone through the Everlight's fingers. Lucas wrenched the dagger away from James, and handed it to Lance. James's face twisted and contorted in agony. He let out a gut, wrenching scream and perspiration beaded on Akaljot's brow.

The light-wielders placed a hand on James's shoulders, their grips on his wrists firm.

"Do it now Matias!" Akaljot ground out. "I can't hold it for much longer!"

Matias held his hand out to Lance. Lance handed him the dagger and Matias knelt down in front of James. The demon groaned softly. There was nothing but hatred in the demons glare.

"Do it," James hissed. "Kill me. Stoop to my level."

Matias raised the dagger. "I will never be like you."

James's eyes moved to look behind him. "She doesn't have much time left."

Matias slashed the dagger across the demons throat. Dark red, almost black blood poured from the wound. Akaljot and Lucas like go of him and he collapsed to the floor. James gasped for air as his blood flooded his lungs. He let out one last gurgling breath, and his eyes turned amber in colour—dull and unseeing.

Lance grabbed a torch from a sconce on the wall. The flame touched the demon's corpse and it went up like a bonfire.

Matias looked around the corner. "Where is Cal?"

—

Cal sprinted through the halls. If what James said, held any amount of truth, then her mother was on Javareya's doorstep.

Please don't let her die, Javareya, Cal prayed.

She opened all of the doors in the corridors, the sunlight turning marigold, orange. The faint clink of chains reached her ears. She followed the sound to an alcove. Her eyes widened.

"Mom?"

Queen Marilyn laid upon a stone altar. There was a golden crown upon her head. The queen turned her head towards her daughter, golden eyes dull.

"Cal?" her mother mouthed.

"Mom!" Cal ran up to her mother. A sudden weight pressed down on her shoulders, shoving her to the ground. She crawled the rest of the way. Her hand touched an invisible barrier before her. Cal's eyes widened. "Mom? Mom!"

Her mother's eyes drifted over to an empty space, and then back to her. She reached a chained hand out. "I'm so sorry, my little light," Marilyn mouthed.

Cal started to bang her fists on the invisible barrier. "No! No! No! Mom, no!"

"I'm so sorry," the queen mouthed. She closed her eyes and her hand fell.

The barrier and the weight fell away. Cal closed the distance between herself and her mother. She gently shook Queen Marilyn's shoulder, tears welling in her eyes.

"Mom?" her voice cracked. "Mom, wake up."

Nothing.

Cal's tears spilled over.

The queen was dead.