bChapter /bb193 /b

    Enx POV

    The world narrows to the burning grip of my mothers hands that are ced on my chest and my father unyielding strength as his arms stay wrapped around my shoulder. Then there’s the cold fury of the Hollowed Queen trying to rip me away from myself. Her power surges in my veins, cold as the grave, ancient and tireless. It’s pressing against every memory, every shred of hope and fire I possess.

    force myself to hold onto the im that April left inside me, the one living thing that is strong right now, the pulsing mark of her teeth, her magic and her trust. For a heartbeat, I can feel her breath again my neck, like she’s right there. I can hear her whispering my name and the pain and rage that had threatened to drown me flickers, and turns to defiance. I won’t let this ancient monster wear my skin, I won’t let her use me to harm the people that I love.

    My mother is chanting now, the words are old and fierce and her magicshes out in silvery coils, that wrap around my torso and sink into my skin. My fathers magic is different, it’s heavy and grounding, the strength of the earth itself pouring into me. The Queen’s shadow’s writhe and strike, but they can’t break through thebined barrier of love and fury.

    “You will never banish me,” the Queen snarls through my lips, her voice warpps mine into something low and inhuman. “You cannot keep me out, I am the hunger between your heartbears, the thirst between your breaths. I am the beginning of this world, and I am the end—”

    “Silence, Witch!” My mother shouts, and for a moment the words hit like a p and her magic snaps at the Queen’s grip, driving her back

    harder. “You are nothing but a ghost, and you have no ce here.”

    The Queen shudders inside of me, I feel it all, I feel the way her ws scrape across the shield my parents have built, but she’s slipping, sliding, and her rage is turning frantic the more she loses her grip. My own magic, fed by April’s mark, by the defiant fire that she left burning in me res, it pours through every nerve and every bone.

    “You are not wee here,” I snarl. This time it’s my voice, and my own will, as I fight to the front. I push against her, pouring everything that I have into forcing her back, forcing her into the pit, the darkness, the Hollow that wants to swallow her whole. “This body is mine, this soul is

    not yours to wear.”

    The Queen screams, and the sound seems to echo through every stone and root of the house. It’s a shriek, so sharp that I feel blood trickle from my nose, but my family doesn’t falter. My father tightens his grip, my mothers magic soars with my sisters, and behind ti all, I feel April’s

    love, like a lifeline.

    I cling to that, I burn with it, and pour it into every inch of myself as I refuse to give up.

    The shadows break suddenly. It feels like ice is shattering within my chest, and a flood of cold rips loose, torn screaming from my bones. The Queen’s howl fades to a distant wail and I gasp. The world spins as the darkness is dragged back, then out through my skin and into the air

    between us.

    My mothers hands are burning now with the magic she’s using. Her eyes are closed and her lips are moving in a steady chant as my fathers arms hold me upright while my body sagsi, /iexhaustion pulling at me. But I’m alive, and no longer just a shell.

    The darkness twists in the air, it looks like a tattered shape, a wound torn from reality itself. Then with a final vengeful shriek, it vanishes, and

    is sucked back toward the direction of the Hollow, it leaves behind it a ringing silence, and the smell of burnt earth.

    For a long moment, none of us move. I can hear my own ragged breathing, my mother’s whispered prayers, my father’s quiet, shuddering

    breath. It’s over, is it really over?

    When atst I raise my head, I meet their eyes and both are filled with relief and horror.

    “It’s over,” I say, my voice raw but my own again. “For now. She’s gone.” For now she’s gone and April is safe.

    My mother sobs once, relief breaking through, and folds me into her arms. My father stands behind, arms crossed tight over his chest, every

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    muscle still trembling.

    “You did it,” he murmurs, voice hoarse. “You held her back, Eryx.”

    Closing my eyes I let myself lean into their strength. Feeling the warmth of my mothers magic still wrapped around me, the steady weight of my father’s pride and protection. I had to do it, I couldn’t watch April be tormented anymore.

    Deep down though, I know the truth. She’s not defeated, she’s not gone for good. She’s waiting and watching and now that she’s touched me, felt my power, she’ll never stop hunting.

    For tonight though, April is safe, and I’m still myself. For as long as I beathe, I’ll fight to keep it that way.

    “What did you do, Eryx?” my father asks.

    “I took it from her,” I say.

    His eyes widen. “You did what?” He steps closer. “Do you have any idea how dangerous and foolish that is? How much damage that could have caused. You saw how strong she is, and you let her into your body!”

    “Maybe you see it as foolish but I see it as helping. Now imagine that, but it was April. She doesn’t have my power, my strength. She would ibe /igone, lost under the Hollowed Queen’s curse.” He knows it, if that was April and not me, the Hollowed Queen would have taken everthing and there would be no April right now.

    “How did you do that?” My mother looks at me.

    “I didn’t think it would work, I didn’t actually think it would be possible. I exin, and I know they don’t care about that, to them it’s the fact ! did, that I put myself at risk even if it was to save April from a gruesome fate. “When I imed her, I pushed my magic into her, I thought if I could push hard enough, the Hollowed Queen would be forced out.”

    My mother gasps. “Eryx.”

    “I know, it didn’t push her out, I could feel it, the Hollowed Queen holding on, needing another host, another body. So I told April to im me, knowing that the Hollowed Queen would jump her magic from April to me. It worked, April has my magic in her to protect her, and I’ll deal with the Hollowed Queen.”

    “You gave her ess to your magic,” my father shouts. “You gave the Hollowed Queen a look at your power, do you have any idea how dangerous that is? How foolish that is, if she wins against you, if she overtakes you fully, the world will burn while you are silenced inside your own body by her.”

    “April needed to be protected,” I say.

    “At what cost? To the entire world, Eryx, she may be gone now but once you open that door, you open it and you don’t close it. She cane back, and then what? She hits you at the moment you’re not expecting it and takes full control?” He stares at me like he’s disappointed, and I don’t care.

    “Right now, April is my priority, she’s safe, that’s all that matters to me.”

    He sighs and turns away.

    “You know you would do the same with mother if you had the chance. Don’t try to make this sound wrong or different because we’re not your age. The fact is, it is the same, age doesn’t matter. She’s my mate, and I will protect her with everything that I have, whether you agree father or not.”

    For a moment he says nothing then he looks at me. “You’re right, I would do the same, I would give myself up to the devil if it protected your mother, or you and your sister.” He turns so his back is to me. “No more foolish moves, Eryx, at least not until you make us aware of them.”

    14:03 Wed, 8 Aud

    Ined and stand, walking out and leaving them alone.

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