Ring of Gold Revisited

Chapter Twenty Seven

A growl tore out of Elias' throat as he slammed into Cobalt, knocking him from Waylana's hold and onto the ground. Waylana yelled at him furiously, but it was drown out by the heartbeat hammering in his ears, making the world around him buzz.

It was him.

After all these years, he was right before his eyes.

And Elias planned to kill him.

He slashed his sword at Cobalt but the crime lord rolled backwards, crouching on one knee, a wicked grin on his lips. Elias went to lunge again but Waylana was in front of him in mere seconds, striking him in the gut with her knee. Doubling over, he grunted in pain, and the assassin kicked the sword from his hand.

"What are you doing?" she spat as Tallis lunged at Cobalt, tackling him to the ground and pinning him there.

"He deserves all the pain the world can offer," he snarled, glaring down into her deep brown eyes. "And you will not stop me from dealing it to him."

He went to move forward but a hand caught his wrist. Kessia came up beside him, her lips pressed together. "We can't kill him. He has valuable information." She turned to Waylana. "Federra wasn't with him?"

The assassin shook her head and Tallis cursed, pressing Cobalt harder into the ground, causing him to groan. It seemed Waylana had rough him up pretty badly. "Where is she?" he growled, long ears flattened in rage.

"Like I told your friend, she's long gone," Cobalt drawled, hazel eyes gleaming as he glared up at the prince.

Elias just stared at him. The anger was beginning to fade, but grief was replacing it. When he looked at Cobalt, the memories came back, memories of a life he would never be able to return to because of the crime lord's actions. Deep auburn hair and brown eyes flashed through Elias' vision, a laugh echoed in his ears, and soft skin brushed against his own. All things he would never experience again because of the man before him. His eyes stung and his throat went dry.

Kessia stepped in front of him, obscuring his view of the crime lord. He blink at her, his mouth parting but no words forming, and he nearly broke down. But he wouldn't. Not in front of anyone.

He'd promised himself he'd never get lost in the grief again.

"Breathe," Kessia ordered, squeezing his wrist. He didn't like the way she was watching him, like she could see right through him, but he felt his nerves ease slowly. His heartbeat slowed. His muscles relaxed. Warmth spread through him. "Go wait outside. We'll handle this."

Elias wasn't sure why he felt compelled to listen to her, but he did, staggering out of the ruins and into the empty street beyond. He slumped down on the front steps and tilted his head back, letting the slight drizzle of rain wash down over his face.

He couldn't be weak again.

Not like he had been that night on the shore. When it had happened. When he'd dragged his blade down Cobalt's face.

Elias closed his eyes, hands shaking. His magic pulsed in time with his emotions, rising and rising until it was pushing past his skin. Lightning danced over his skin, making the air around him glow a faint purple, and every nerve in his body sparked to life.

The pressure was too much. It'd been too long since he'd last used a large amount of magic, and it was restless. It needed out.

His power erupted out of him. Wind whipped across his face, blowing strands of his silver hair into his eyes, and he welcomed the onslaught of rain that began. Thunder cracked so loudly overhead that the ground shook and Elias startled. Lightning streaked overhead, tearing the sky apart with its fury, and the entire world glowed with each flash.