Kieran fell.
Zyra saw it all happen in horrifying slow motion—the arrow embedding itself in his side, the way his golden eyes widened in shock, his body jerking backward from the force of the impact. The scent of blood hit her like a punch to the gut.
No. No. No.
A strangled cry tore from her throat as she lunged toward him, her heart hammering against her ribs. The world around her blurred, everything else fading into insignificance. Nothing else mattered but Kieran.
His knees hit the ground, one hand clutching at the arrow protruding from his ribs. Blood seeped through his fingers, dark and glistening under the eerie glow of the battlefield.
The Commander's chuckle sliced through the chaos like a blade. "Ah, there it is. The weakness of a fated bond."
Zyra snapped.
The fire inside her exploded.
Heat erupted from her core, the very air around her igniting. Flames surged outward in a golden inferno, consuming everything in their path. The ground beneath her cracked and melted, turning to molten stone.
The Sentinels hesitated—just for a second.
It was enough.
Zyra moved.
Her body blurred as she closed the distance between herself and Kieran, her magic roaring in protest as she poured everything she had into reaching him.
Kieran's breathing was ragged, but his eyes still burned with defiance.
"Zyra…" he rasped.
"Shut up," she choked out, dropping to her knees beside him. Her hands trembled as she reached for the arrow. It was coated in something unnatural. Dark veins had already begun to spread from the wound, twisting over his skin like ink in water.
Abyssal poison.
Her stomach turned to ice.
Kieran is dying.
---
No Fate but Theirs
The Commander stepped forward, his voice laced with amusement. "You should let him go, girl. He was never meant to leave the Abyss."
Zyra's head snapped up.
The air around her boiled.
The fire in her veins had never been stronger. She could feel it—pulsing, begging to be unleashed.
And she would.
Because they had taken everything from her.
And now they wanted to take Kieran too?
Not a chance.
"You think I'll let you take him?" Zyra's voice was a low, venomous whisper. Her hands clenched into fists, magic coiling at her fingertips. "You think I'll let you decide our fate?"
The Commander's masked face tilted slightly. "The Abyss decides all fate. You are merely a pawn in its grand design."
A bitter laugh escaped her. "Then you don't know me at all."
She stood, her power surging. The fire inside her roared.
The Commander's presence darkened. "You cannot fight the will of the Abyss."
Zyra's lips curled into a deadly smile. "Watch me."
Then she unleashed hell.
---
The Wrath of a Fated Mate
Her flames exploded outward.
Golden fire tore through the battlefield, reducing everything in its path to ash. The ruins trembled. The very sky above them split apart, revealing the raw power of her soul.
The Sentinels reeled.
For the first time, Zyra saw hesitation in their movements. Fear.
She embraced it.
Her magic flared, a scorching wave of destruction engulfing the enemies before her. The Sentinels screamed as the fire devoured them whole.
One by one, they burned.
But the Commander—he did not fall.
He stood amidst the firestorm, his black cloak untouched by the inferno raging around him.
A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the battlefield. "Impressive. Truly."
Zyra's breath came in sharp gasps. She had never unleashed so much power before.
The Commander tilted his head. "But tell me, little flame…"
He vanished.
Zyra's heart lurched.
A whisper of movement—and suddenly, he was behind her.
"…what will you do when the fire burns you too?"
Cold steel pressed against her throat.
---
A Fated Bond's Last Stand
A sharp pain flared along Zyra's neck as the Commander's blade bit into her skin.
She stilled.
The flames around them flickered, wavering under the sudden shift in power.
But before the Commander could strike the final blow—
The ground beneath them shattered.
A wave of pure, golden energy erupted outward, sending both Zyra and the Commander flying apart.
Zyra hit the ground hard, gasping for air.
Then she saw him.
Kieran.
He stood in the center of the battlefield, his golden eyes burning with an intensity she had never seen before. The arrow was gone. The dark veins had vanished.
But something was different.
A terrifying power coiled around him—something ancient, something forbidden. His body pulsed with raw energy, a mix of fire and shadow swirling at his fingertips.
The Commander slowly rose to his feet, his amusement gone.
Kieran's voice was cold, sharp as a blade. "You should have killed me when you had the chance."
His hands lifted—and the world ignited.
Light and darkness collided, swallowing everything in its wake.
Zyra barely had time to react before the explosion ripped through the battlefield, sending her tumbling into oblivion.
---