Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Lyv was staring at herself. A darker, more sinister version of herself. They were both wearing that white dress, the same locket, the same ring. One who had the same...well, everything. Everything except for the eyes.

They were pitch black. A glittering onyx.

Dark Lyv smiled, holding out her hand for Lyv's. "Don't you want to come along? See what all we can do? I barely got to show you anything before the mistress locked me away."

Lyv shook her head fiercely, taking a step back. "No."

But Dark Lyv still held her hand out, reaching farther. "Come on, Lyvi. Those few times when you played with the darkness, you have to admit it felt good. You felt powerful. Especially when you were using it to use me. Even the mistress didn't think you'd be able to do it. She was very proud of her niece."

She kept her mouth shut.

Because she was right. She did feel more powerful...and it only made her want more. Just the thought of being able to see everything her dark magic allowed her to do was tempting enough, but she couldn't give into it. She couldn't, no matter how much she craved it.

But she was getting close. So, so close. Maybe if she learned more about it, how it moved, how it...

"No," Lyv whispered again, though it didn't sound nearly as convincing as she wished it to be. "I will not give into the darkness like Corliss did. I won't hurt or even kill those around me who I love. I'm stronger than she ever was."

Dark Lyv only smiled as she stepped back, sweeping her arm out behind her. "You are. And even stronger with that dark magic within you. See?"

And when she disappeared into the shadows...Lyv stared in horror at the scene beyond.

She was looking down at wide expanse of Escarral – the mountains of Ceron, the shorelines of Oria, the grassy hillsides and dry plains of Inder, the capital city of Escarral itself. It was home, one Lyv missed more with every passing day she wasn't able to go.

As she watched, though, the screams began.

A low rumble sounded through the land, shaking everything as a darkness began to spread in the distance, devouring everything within its path.

Which was the whole of Escarral.

Lyv could see the familiar faces of those she knew – city citizens, her brothers-in-law, her nieces and nephews, her sisters...her father Bence. They were running, some of foot and some on horseback, trying to get away from the darkness that was coming for them.

They were screaming for her, tears streaming, until their voices were nothing more than raspy whispers. No matter how fast they ran, though, they were never fast enough.

The darkness was closing in.

Tearing down every building and home in its path.

Ripping through the streets and forests, rivers and lakes.

And turned every one of the people she knew and loved from her human home to ash, one by one.

Until there was nothing left.

"Your little Seer is blind for a reason when it comes to the darkness," Dark Lyv whispered in her ear then, sending a chill straight through her. "Because you are the only one who can see into it."

"This can't be real," Lyv whispered, staring at the absolute nothingness in front of her then, still hearing the echoes of the screams and cries. "This can't be real."