Shadows Entwined (Shadows Descent #3)

39. Violet

39

VIOLET

The moment Flint touches the Crystal again, everything changes. The chaotic energy swirling around us suddenly focuses, channelling through him like he’s become a conduit for something ancient and powerful. His eyes glow with an inner fire, purple and gold intertwined.

“Flint?” I call out, but he doesn’t hear me. His face is a mask of intense concentration.

The walls of the chamber quake with intense force as reality continues to crumble and break apart around us.

From the tiny fissures, I catch glimpses of alternate realities - some breathtaking, others nightmarish, all twisted and distorted. But as Flint amplifies the Crystal’s energy, those fissures start to seal themselves shut.

Caine’s voice cuts through the chaos as he shouts, “It’s working! Keep going!”

I am mesmerised as I watch Flint’s aura grow, enveloping our entire group. The symbols on my skin throb in rhythm with the Crystal’s luminosity, and I feel our bond strengthening. Through it, I am able to sense fragments of what Flint has gone through, his clash with Glacier, and the unveiling of his true lineage.

Thorne speaks in awe, “He’s maintaining balance in the fabric of reality. But how is he doing it?”

“The Crystal recognises him as its true master now,” Blackthorn explains. “Thraxus’s bloodline, combined with his Dragon heritage and the power of the Fire god - it’s created something entirely new. But it’s not enough. He is charging the Crystal, returning it to what it was always meant to be. A defence against those who wish to harm MistHallow. Miss Violet is the only one who can truly stop this.”

“How?” I ask. “I don’t even know where to begin,” I admit this because I’d rather get help than fuck it up even more. Morgan said I would know, Amara said I would know, Magdeline said I would know, but I don’t fucking know.

Blackthorn’s eyes lock onto mine, his gaze intense. “You are the daughter of all magick, Violet. The power of the Old Ones flows through you now, but so does the essence of every supernatural race.”

I shake my head, overwhelmed. “But I don’t know how to use it!”

“Trust your instincts,” he urges. “Let the power guide you. You’ve been fighting it, trying to control it. Now you need to work with it.”

I take a deep breath, trying to centre myself amidst the chaos. The power inside me is a symphony of different magicks, all clamouring to be heard. For the first time, I stop trying to silence them. Instead, I listen.

The voices of countless generations of supernaturals whisper in my mind. I see flashes of ancient rituals, forgotten spells, the very foundations of magick.

And I see a familiar face, which makes me gasp.

I open my eyes and stare at Blackthorn. “Dad?”

He smiles sadly and shakes his head. “No, Violet. I am not your father. I am your uncle. Your father was my twin brother.”

“What?” Caine shouts out, his jaw dropping as he stares between us.

“Was?” I croak.

He nods. “As Morgan said, he is lost to us.”

“Can we get him back?”

He shrugs. “I have tried. Maybe you can.”

“You didn’t know who I was until Morgan said she was my mother, did you?”

“Not when you first landed here, but I saw glimpses of him in you. I didn’t want to believe it. It was impossible to believe before Morgan made sense of it.”

“Well, this is all very touching,” Nathaniel drawls, “but can we please fix the world?”

“You shut up,” I snap at him, but then I know what has to be done. “You said Morgan strengthened our sire bond?”

He nods warily. “Yes, what of it?”

“Come here.”

He frowns but doesn’t move.

Blackthorn shoves him roughly towards me, making me hide my smile. I have a family right under my nose, and I didn’t even know it.

“You aren’t going to sacrifice me, are you?” Nathaniel asks cautiously.

“Don’t give me any ideas. But no. I need to feed from you.”

“Oh, like fucking hell you are!” Caine thunders, and despite the world breaking apart around us, he marches over.

“Caine, wait,” I say, holding up a hand to stop him. “I know how this sounds, but I need to do this. It’s the only way.”

His eyes flash with anger and hurt. “You can’t be serious. After everything he’s done?”

I look at Nathaniel, who seems equally wary. “I don’t like it any more than you do. But our bond, twisted as it is, is part of this. I need to use it. I’m starving. The human blood we sourced is nowhere to be found...” I gesture around. “He is the one I need. He is the only one who can help me.”

Thorne growls. “Violet, are you sure about this?”

“Feed from me,” Caine snarls.

“I could, but it wouldn’t be as effective. Trust me. I don’t want to do this any more than you want me to, but I have to. Or the world is doomed. This isn’t about desire or romance. I need Nathaniel’s blood to strengthen me so I can channel the power properly.”

Caine’s eyes flare with icy anger, but he nods stiffly, understanding the necessity even if he doesn’t like it.

I turn back to Nathaniel. “Are you willing?”

He studies me for a long moment, then tilts his head, exposing his neck. “Do it.”

I don’t hesitate. Despite my loathing for him, which I’ll admit is marginally less so now, I want this more than anything. The vampire inside me is practically ripping apart my soul to get to him. My fangs extend, and I sink them into his throat. He pulls me closer with a low groan, and I shudder with revulsion. But then I ignore him and focus on what he is giving me. His blood floods my mouth, rich with ancient power. As I drink, I feel my strength returning tenfold.

Suddenly, memories flash through my mind. Not just Nathaniel’s, but those of countless vampires before him. I see the birth of our race, the first turning, and the evolution of our powers, and beyond that, I glimpse something even older, the primal force that spawned all supernatural beings.

My magick.

I pull away, gasping. Nathaniel staggers slightly but remains upright.

I step back from Nathaniel. The symbols on my skin shine with vibrant energy.

“I understand now,” I say. “I know what I have to do.”

I turn to face the Crystal, where Flint is still charging it. I raise my hands, purple lightning crackling between my fingers.

“Flint,” I call out. “I need you to let go of the Crystal. I can take it from here.”

Flint hesitates for a moment, then nods, stepping back. Chaos erupts when his hands leave the Crystal’s surface, but I’m ready.

I place my hands on the Crystal, and immediately, a shockwave of power ripples through the chamber. My aura expands, merging with the Crystal’s energy.

I see flashes of the birth of magick, the separation of realms, the true nature of the Convergence.

My voice rings out, amplified by the Crystal’s power, “We need to shut these veils once and for fucking all. I’m not doing this again in another fifteen hundred years. Fuck that!” I yell. “You are slamming shut, and you are staying shut! End of fucking story!”

As I channel my power into the Crystal, I shape the veils to my will. The chaotic energy swirling around the chamber calms down. The cracks in the dimensional veils seal themselves, guided by my power.

I grit my teeth, pushing even more power into the Crystal, into the Nexus tree, into the rips and tears. I’m making the Convergence my bitch and whipping it hard. I tremble as I tap into the full potential of my heritage as the daughter of all magick.

Flint hovers, wanting to help, but I ignore him. I don’t need them. Not for this. This is my job, and I intend to kick arse while doing it.

“The veils between worlds are reforming,” Thorne murmurs. “Keep going, princess.”

“Ugh,” Nathaniel mutters. “Princess.”

“Shut your fucking mouth, would you?” Blackthorn snaps at him, and I try not to smile and concentrate, but I can’t help it. I am elated. My hair, which has long since lost its fight with the hair tie, blows in the whirlwind surrounding me.

I grit my teeth, pushing even harder. My entire body trembles with the strain, but I refuse to give up. This is what I was meant to do.

“You’ve got this, Violet,” Flint murmurs from right next to me. “Just a little more.”

With a final swell of power, I feel the last of the veils snap into place, and everything goes quiet and still.

I slump forward, utterly drained. Flint catches me before I can fall.

“You did it,” he murmurs. “You are perfect and amazing, and I love you so much.”

I manage a weak smile. “We did it. All of us.”

Blackthorn’s expression, soft and a little sad, says, “The Convergence has been halted. The veils are stronger than ever before. You’ve saved both worlds, Violet.”

“So, what now?” Thorne asks.

I look around at my family. “Now we sleep.”