Rootbound

“No.” It was the only thing I could say, the only word I had left to me. Ash had to be a shifter, then, that was the only other answer. Even though I knew I was wrong the second I thought it.

“To answer a coming question, no, he’s not a shifter. Mother confined him to this form, though why she didn’t just kill him I can’t fathom. Then again, it will work in my favor now, I think.” He flexed his arm and sent Ash back into the sky. The eagle circled once, let out a piercing cry that struck through me, and winged away.

“He was delivering a message for me. He’s Mother’s messenger boy now. But I would give him to you, for the stones.” Raven grinned.

Time paused, the world slowed, my heart stopped beating, I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe or think. I had two powers to me, two elements that were mine. And one of them would allow me to control Raven.

I grabbed hold of Spirit and held it like never before.

I was ending this.

Now.

CHAPTER 20

aven’s eyes widened. “What are you doing?”

I slammed Spirit into him, using it like the weapon it was, digging it into his mind. He stumbled back and shook his head, tried to lift a hand, red lines of power coursing over his skin. Fire at his fingertips.

“No.” I threw the word at him and he lowered his hand, horror finally replacing the smug look on his lips.

Spirit grew in me, filling me as fast as I flung it at Raven. I wanted control over him, I wanted him to break into a thousand pieces at my feet and beg for his life. Beg to be forgiven so I could tell him it would never happen. Then and only then would I kill him.

“Larkspur, this is not the way.” Talan stepped between Raven and me. I felt Talan’s hold on Spirit, felt him trying to slow me down. I flicked a hand at him, and the ground bucked under his feet, sending him to his knees. I thought it would break his concentration. I was wrong.

“You’re on his side?” Peta cried out, her pain cutting through me. Chaos built around us, so many emotions, so much power, so much pain.

Raven shook his head and I screamed, a wordless cry as I threw everything I had at him. “Tell the truth, Raven. Do it.”

His mouth flopped open, once, twice and then the words came in a flood.

“I don’t love Samara. I manipulated her with Spirit to accept me into her bed. I plan to let her carry to term, have the baby, and then I will use her own Enders to kill her. They will think she is dangerous to her family and they will kill her. I will raise the child on my own and take control of the throne. Once that is done I will take the Rim next. I will keep Bella as my queen. She reminds me of Mother. We will take each family throne, one at a time. But I will do it this time, I will not rule through others. I will rule. I will bring the elementals into line.”

The Sylphs around us gasped and shifted. “Samara, do you hear this?”

“I hear it.” She stepped beside me and laid a hand on my arm. “You will kill him?”

“Yes.”

Raven shook and I refocused on him. Talan stood where I’d thrown him.

“Lark, this is not the way. Do you not feel it, the darkening of your soul?”

I didn’t care that he was right, that I did feel my heart closing off. The part of me that would have held back and given mercy slowly shriveled.

I snorted. “It is not the use of Spirit that darkens me, but this world and those who are in it. Raven, is that all the truth?”

He shuddered, his body twitching. “You were always my favorite, Lark. I wanted us to be on the same side through this all. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

His words surprised and hurt me more than I thought they would have. I stared at him, his blue eyes fighting sudden tears. I hardened every part of me. “Then you should have tried harder to do what was right.”

He bowed his head and slumped to the ground. The second his knees hit the stone he disappeared.

A scream of fury ripped from my mouth.

I stumbled forward. I knew he’d had that trick up his sleeve, but I’d thought he’d be too busy fending me off to use it. Damn it all to the seventh hell.

A hand touched my arm and I swung around to face the deep blue eyes of Talan. “He held back, do you realize that? He didn’t use all his power, though maybe he didn’t even realize it. I think a part of him wanted to tell you the truth all along. Whatever bond you have with him from the past still affects him now. It could play into your favor at some point.”

I jerked away from him with a snarl. “You stay the hell away from me.” I dug my hand into the leather pouch at my side and produced the plastic bracelet he’d offered me. I flung it at his feet.

Peta let out a long, low hiss and shook her head. “You’ve turned out poorly, Talan. You obviously needed me more than you realized.”

As I spun away, I caught the look of sorrow in his eyes. “Peta, you don’t understand.”

I left them to argue. I had a queen to face. Samara had sunk to the ground, her skirts pooling around her.

“Lark, what did he do to me?”

I crouched in front of her. “Manipulation. He has a powerful tool that he used to benefit himself.”

Her pale eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “He could do it again?”

I nodded. “He could. You need all your people to know to send a message for me immediately if he returns. If they are all aware, he won’t be able to control all of them at once.”

She grabbed my hands. “He’ll come for my baby.”