Forsaken Moon (Book Two)

Chapter Eighteen

Our swords clang together at the hilt, our faces so close to each other I could see the slightest bit of guilt in her eyes. "Emma, please. Just stop this madness." I beg, even as I fought her. I couldn't kill my sister, but I knew I had to. For the sake of the kingdom, for vengeance, for safety.

"I can't." She whispers, her eyes full of sorrow before they harden under a mask of rock. We fight against each other, entangled in each other's presence as we fight. Screams and yells were far below us, the magnificent sight of black and white wings fluttering for control as we fight at close range.

It was a dance, a dangerous dance at that. One misstep, one move off beat, could cost my life.

I was hyper aware of that fact as we fought each other, never offbeat. We knew each other's moves so well, we knew when to feint and when to attack. Every motion was anticipated, and each and every jab I went forwards with was met with empty air.

"Sister, you and I both know we're evenly matched." She smirks, throwing a dagger towards me. I deflect it with a brush of a finger, darting down to impale one of her warriors below us.

"I'm stronger and faster, Emma. I have better control of my powers than you do." I scoff, our swords clanging metallically once again.

A knife is thrown into my thigh, taking me for surprise. Looking down at the knife, I lose focus at the blood that drips slowly down my thigh. I yank the gleaming blade out of my flesh, once clean now coated in my blood.

She takes my distraction to her advantage, spinning behind me and locking her arms around my neck. I gasp, clawing at her arm as she tightens her chokehold. My wings begin to wilt, my throat crushed under her strength.

I elbow her stomach, hoping for a reaction but get none. Black dots spot my vision, sweet air out of my grasp. She's jostled forward, her arm barely being lifted off my neck. Gasping in live-giving oxygen, such sweet and pure relief, I twist out of her grasp and slash my sword.

A silver blade quickly blocks mine, it's vibrations traveling down to my wrist. I look up, seeing Emma glaring at me in fury. Her wings tinged black, smoke travelling from her back. I wince at her damage, knowing she must be in pain.

"I watched Silver die by my hands with a smile! He died a very painful death!" She snarls at me, eyes a deep red. Cold and relentless as she digs at me with her words. Heart breaking, tears swarming down my icy cheeks, I lunge forward with a scream of pain.

Power was in my voice, power of grief and loss and anger mixing into one. My sword pierces through her abdomen, crimson leaking from her white dress and staining it red.

We stare at each other in shock, the war still raging down below us severely. Tears flow abundantly, dripping down as I watch her wilt and fold herself over my blade. I thrust it even more, until her body was up to the hilt of my sword and my arms were around her.

"I'm sorry." I choke out, a strangled scream falling from my lips as her body goes limp. I fly to the ground, falling to my knees and cradling her dead body close. A powerful burst exited my body, flinging every enemy aside as if they weighed nothing.

Sobbing, I bury my face into her cooling skin. Wails of fury and grief leaving my mouth. She coughs in my arms, bringing to my attention that she wasn't dead.

"Emma! Emma!" I wail, softly shaking her. Her eyes opened, the clear blue that I loved so dearly staring up at me with a deep sadness.

"He... isn't... isn't dead. He's..." She stops, coughing horribly as blood trickles down from the corner of her red lips and down her chin. "He's hidden away... in the stable." She whispers, moving her thin hand to cradle my cheek. I lean into her cold hand, shaking with sobs.

"I love you, I love you so much Emma." I cry, she smiles faintly as her time draws nearer.

"I love you too, Tanya. I'm sorry." Her hand falls from my cheek, the light dimming from her eyes. I unleash an unholy wail, my sister gone. Dead by my hands.

"No, no, no, no, no, NO!" I scream, my head falling forward in the midst of the battle. But it was almost like magic, the way her warriors stopped attacking and stared around them in confusion. She controlled them, I think.

"No, wake up. WAKE UP!" I wail, but she was cold in my arms. I rock, holding her body close to me as the war comes to an end.

"Hey, Tanya, it's okay. We're here." Ben smiles sadly, readying himself in case I let out more raw power. Ivy grabs my hands, gently forcing me away from my dead sister. I sob as she pulls me into a hug, holding me close despite the blood that stained my hands and clothes.

Sobbing uncontrollably against her, all I want is for this to end. The grief. The pain. It should all end. Annie and the rest of my family crowd around me, joining in on the hug as Fleet finishes up his duties. 

Kai, John, and Jack crowd around me and pull me flush against their chests. Dylan and Lilly, pull me away from them to kiss my forehead and take care of me like they used to when I was younger. They were always like another set of parents for me.

Fleet arms wrap around me pulling me away from our family and holding me close as I begin to go numb. No longer crying, I just lean against him in shock. She was dead. Because of me.

"It's not your fault, Tanya. It had to be done, and if you didn't finish this, you know I would have for you." He whispers softly, I nod but inside I felt empty.

"Tanya, look at me." He sighs softly, I shake my head. He slowly lifts my head up, making me look at him. His disheveled hair, plastered against his forehead with sweat. His eyes were my molten gold, gazing at me gently as if I could easily break.

"Love, I know how sad you feel and I'm so sorry you had to lose another sibling. I really am, Tanya. I never would have thought she'd do something like this, I am so sorry. I'm here for you, darling." Fleet soothingly rubs my back, holding me close as tears crawl down my face yet again. I don't realize when he picks me up, nor do I recognize the fact he's bringing us to our tent.

Setting me down on the bed, he walks off and comes back within seconds with a bowl of warm water and a clean, white cloth. He cleans my hands and wounds gently, washing me of all blood. Tears crawl silently down my face, my shoulders shaking softly with each quiet sob.

"Shh, it's okay. I'm here." He murmurs sweet nothings to calm me down, cleaning my thigh wound and treating it with medicine before wrapping it in bandages.

He crawls into bed beside me, pulling me close,playing with my hair as he rubs my back. I fall asleep against him, my faceburied into his chest.