Chapter fifty - one - Finale part one

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I grind my feet to a stop, skidding across the floor as a rumen blocks my path. Taking a slow step backward, I bump against someone and sneak a glance over my shoulder, seeing Darius's back facing the other way to me.

Another Rumen is at the other end of his side, walls entrap us, and everywhere I look, the more people scream and push past others, trying to get out of the arena. Dust and smoke ascend through the air, blocking the sun. It's hard enough to breathe, let alone concentrate.

Still, I try and focus on the Rumen in front, snarling as its wings flutter outward.

"Now would be a good time to tame them again, Goldie," Darius lilts quietly.

I don't have time to ask him how long he'd been here for. If he'd watched everything from the stands. If he'd used his glamour. If he'd believed enough in me to get out of this.

"They don't seem to be on my side anymore." I sigh, and the Rumen cocks his head with a growl at me.

"Right then," Darius mutters, and a hiss of power sounds from behind me before there's a screech and the rumen in front of me pounces forward. I lift my dagger just as teeth near me, and the reek of carrion filters my nostrils. I swing my blade across its neck, and I exhale sharply at the crumple of its body hitting the ground.

I've always thought myself to be confident, but just then, even the death of an awful creature such as the Rumen makes my stomach turn, unlike before.

I wipe the blade clean at the side of my thigh and glance above the maze walls. Squinting up at the balcony, Sarilyn is no longer there, nor is the general and phoenix warriors.

Flames fly into the sky, causing my gaze to jump there. "Is Gus here?"

He's normally been the one to plan the attacks in the first place.

Darius chuckles. "Spent one day with him and already prefer him to me?"

"Yes." I spin around, but he's already facing me. A burnt Rumen lies where he'd used his powers to kill it, and my brows narrow as I look up at the mocking amusement behind his eyes. "Does that hurt your ego?"

"Not at all," he drawls his words into a whisper and leans his head closer to mine. "But to answer your question, he stayed to look after your brothers and those lovely witch friends of yours."

I exhale a long breath out of my nose at the mention of my brothers again. Darius must see the sudden drop in my expression because he says soft and quietly, "The three of them are fine, Goldie."

My head snaps up at him, and I hardly nod. I know they are safe, but I'd also kept so much from them.

"Your older brother, though—" Darius huffs a laugh and looks off to the side for a moment. "Was adamant that if you got hurt, he'll shove a sword through my skull."

That makes the corner of my lip pull into a smile. "And what did you say?" I ask as his eyes cut over my shoulder, and then a wave of shock floods me as he places the palm of his hand against my lower back, pulling me to his chest.

I furrow my brows, letting out a startling noise as I gaze up at his half-smile before he blasts a whorl of fire with his other hand behind me. A shriek rattles my eardrums, and then Darius stares down at me, his gaze swallowing me whole as he says, "That for as long as I live, immortality or not, I will make sure nothing ever happens to you."

His words leave me breathing slower, and I urge myself to think of something worth aggravating him for, but the truth is I'm speechless, wondering how Idris responded to that.

Darius's fingers brush my hair away from my face. "Have I told you that—" His head dips to the side of mine as he whispers, "You look like an absolute mess today, Goldie?"

That breaks me out of an unwanted trance, and I hum a short laugh as he leans back to look at me. His eyes speckle with humor.

"And has anyone told you how that mask doesn't favor you at all?" I lift my brows and smirk at him.

His lips curve into a grin, looking as if he is about to respond, but the ground rumbles beneath us, sending vibrations throughout my body.

I glance up as the leader of Rumen's barrels toward us from the air. I get out of the way, and its claws slam down on the floor, separating me from Darius.

"You have to be kidding me," I say under my breath as it roars its shrill cries and heads to me.

I run, my shoulders slamming against walls as I swerve corners. I don't look back, but I know the Rumen is on my tail.

*Trap it.*

*Trap it like you would with any other animal.*

Their weak spots are their necks. If I can just get somewhere that will lead me to higher ground; I can do it.

Three pathway walls come into view, leading to the center where shifters and Venators fight among one another. My steps pick up, and the Rumen soon starts to sound distant. That's the last thing I want, but as I'm about to reach the middle path, a force knocks me to the ground. The blade slides from my hands, and a buzz resonates through my ears as I blink away the haze.

For what feels like an eternity, I can't process what just happened until I'm rolled onto my back and hands grasp my neck like tendrils.

My eyes widen, coming face to face with the General hovering over me, and all the air starts waning from me as I take ragged breaths.