My mouth twitches into a smile at her words when Braxton steps out through the trees. His eyes flick between us, looking determined and desperate to get a band before the Trial ends.
So his solution is to start charging at Blair.
I tear my eyes away from him when I hear a branch crunch behind us. I turn, staring at nothing but the crisp air. And then Jax doubles over from the impact of an unexpected and unseen punch. “Ouch,” he wheezes.
Hera has arrived.
Andy transforms into her wolf form, sniffing the air to find Hera before suddenly charging in what can only be her direction.
I whip my head around, searching.
There’s only one Elite left.
And then I see him. He’s the farthest from us, standing with his arms crossed over his chest, observing the chaos that is unfolding before him with a smug smirk. Ace’s eyes lock with mine. His grin grows.
Found my target.
The scene around me is a blur of blood and bodies. Paedyn and Andy are fighting off Braxton and Blair while Jax and Hera disappear and dance around each other, landing solid blows before vanishing.
That leaves Ace entirely to me.
I barely bat an eye at the violence surrounding me as I take on Hera’s power and disappear into the chaos. I only shed the Veil ability when I’m right before him so he can see my face when I send a fist into his nose with a sickening crunch. He staggers back, clutching the broken bone as his eyes fly to mine.
And then I suddenly see nothing at all. A thick, stone wall encases me, and yet, something pierces my side. The sharp pain only sharpens my senses, reminding me that this is only an illusion, though the pain in my side is anything but. I step through the wall, and it vanishes in a wisp of smoke, revealing Ace clutching a spear in his bloody hand.
The same spear that nearly killed Paedyn.
I Blink behind him, having taken on Jax’s ability, and drive my knee into his back. Then I’m Blinking around him, hitting him hard without hesitation. I’m playing with him. I could easily finish this fight quickly, but I won’t deny that I’m a monster who wants to have a little fun with him first.
After sending a blow to his jaw, he suddenly multiplies before my very eyes. Dozens of Ace’s surround me, all moving and mixing up with one another, leaving me to guess where the real one ran off to.
I filter through the powers at my disposal, the ones dancing beneath my skin from those surrounding me. Blair’s Tele power surges in my veins, begging to be used.
That could be fun.
Now I just need to find the real—
Pain laces up my leg when the tip of his spear dives into it. I grit my teeth and turn towards him. “There you are.” I smile as I lift him off the ground with nothing more than my mind.
He gasps, choking as I crush his windpipe, his feet dangling a good two feet off the ground. His mouth is moving, making odd noises as he tries to get air into his screaming lungs.
I’m still smiling. “What was that? I can’t quite hear you.” His duplicates vanish into smoke beside me, and the cries of fighting around us fade as I focus on him. Focus on his life that I hold in my hands, my mind.
But the cry of pain I hear next doesn’t belong to him.
I know that voice. I’ve heard that sound and silently hoped I never would again. My head whips to the crumpled body lying so close to me, silver hair sticking to her fevered face and the tears rolling over her faint freckles. Blood gushes from a jagged tear beneath her ribs, and a strangled sob escapes her.
“Kai…help me.” Paedyn’s whisper is so quiet, a single breath away from death. Blood covers her hands, her hair, her body—staining her a revolting red. “Kai, it hurts!” She screams the words in agony, her body wracking with sobs and spasms of pain.
I hadn’t realized my hold on Ace had slipped, hadn’t realized I’d let him drop to the ground until he was on top of me, knocking the breath from my lungs. The tip of his spear is digging into my throat, his legs pinning down my arms. And then that smug smile is back, as though he wasn’t just gasping for air a moment ago.
“And here I was, thinking you were the strong one. The prince who didn’t let his emotions get in the way.” He smiles as the pointed tip of the spear pierces my skin, drawing hot blood. “But look at you,” a condescending laugh, “caring for her has made you weak.”
He’s about to drag the blade across my throat—
“Kai!”
Jax’s voice startles the both of us, and I turn my head to the side just in time to see him toss a single arrow towards me. It’s all I need. I catch it by the shaft, and in one swift motion, plunge it deep into the closest, open spot of Ace’s flesh while pushing the spear’s rod away from me.
He screams when the arrow sinks into the soft flesh of his shoulder. His hold on me loosens, and I throw him off before staggering to my feet, the slice on my neck leaking blood. I spin to find Ace suddenly behind me, to my right, my left. I’m surrounded once again.
“Over here,” one of the Ace’s calls, and I spin, grabbing my forgotten throwing star from my pocket. Ace’s duplicates are vanishing and reappearing as I aimlessly search for the real one. “Behind you,” he mocks, and I whip around, anger boiling my blood. “You know what I’m going to do after I kill you?” one of them asks as another whispers loudly, “I’m going to do the same to Paedyn.” Then another Ace chimes in, “Such a shame, too. I’m going to miss looking at her.”
I’m going to kill him. Now. No more games. No more toying. I’m ending this.
Suddenly, the multiple Aces vanish, leaving only one remaining.
And I don’t hesitate before raising my throwing star to send it sailing through the air at his heart.
I see his eyes widen when the blade sinks into the center of his chest, embedding deep into his flesh. He stumbles back, gasping as he stares down at the fatal wound. A twisted smile finds its way to my lips.
I’m going to enjoy watching him die.
I take my time walking over, watching as he drops to his knees. I’m standing over him now, staring down into his shiny eyes, glistening with tears.
My smile falters.
Those aren’t his eyes.
No, the eyes looking up at me are warm and large, the deep brown of melted chocolate. Sweet, like the boy those eyes belong to.
I drop to my knees.
For the first time in years, I feel true, terrible terror.
The illusion blows away in the soft breeze, sending tendrils of smoke into the morning sky.
Leaving behind a bloody boy.
My bloody brother.
Jax.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Kai
“No!” The word tears from my throat as disbelief and disgust claw at me, threatening to rip me to shreds.
Jax doesn’t make a sound, his eyes wide and locked with mine. Silent tears slip down his cheeks, clinging to the thick lashes that surround those big, brown eyes. He looks at me, horrified as he begins to tip backwards on his knees, unable to stop himself from falling in his final moments.
Not him. It wasn’t supposed to be him. Never him.
I grip his shoulder and the back of his head, carefully lowering him to the ground through my blurry vision. I swipe at my eyes, trying to compose myself as I inspect the wound. The throwing star is embedded deep into his chest, blood oozing out from around it. Dark, heavy blood that isn’t stopping, isn’t slowing. The type of blood that accompanies a goodbye.