[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Something light slithered over my neck, tickling my skin.I reached up and felt cold metal; the pocket watch theClockmaker had given me, so long ago.Lifting it up, I saw immediately that there was no saving it; theelectricity had cracked the glass and melted the edges of the gold casing.The delicate hands were frozen inplace.From the looks of the damage, it seemed the timepiece had taken the full brunt of the lightning bolt, onehundred and sixty-one hours from the time the Clockmaker had given it to me.Thank you, I told him silently, and unlooped the chain from my neck, letting the watch clatter to the ground.Ferrum’s eyes widened as I struggled to my knees, then my feet, fighting to stay upright as the floor lurchedand spun.“Still alive?” he hissed as I shook off the last of the dizziness and faced him, clenching my fists.Everything was clearer now.I could feel the Iron glamour of the fortress pulsing al around me, and the blackhole that was the false king, sucking it al away.I probed further and sensed the glamour of the Neverneverholding out against the Iron Realm, growing weaker as the Iron Kingdom pressed forward.I could feel theheartbeat of both lands, and the creatures dying on either side.The power of the Iron King can be given, or can be lost, but it cannot be taken.I suddenly realized what I had to do.I trembled, wishing there had been more time—that Ash and I could’ve had more time.If I’d known, I might’vedone things differently.But beyond that moment of regret, I felt calm, certain, filled with a resolve that pushed back all fear or doubt.I was ready.There was no other way.I looked at Ferrum and smiled.The false king hissed and sent another bolt of lightning at me.I raised my hand, Summer and Iron glamourswirling around me, and knocked it aside, sending it into the wall over Ferrum’s head.The energy exploded ina shower of sparks, and Ferrum screeched in rage.For a moment, I held my breath, waiting for the pain andnausea to hit.Nothing.No pain, no sickness.Summer and Iron glamour had merged perfectly, one no longer tainting theother.I reached out and cal ed my spear to me, ripping it from Ferrum’s grasp, grabbing it as it smacked intomy palm.Ferrum’s eyes bugged, and glamour flared around him like a dark flame.I flourished the spear andsank into a ready stance.“Come on then, old man,” I cal ed, ignoring my pounding heart, the way my hands were shaking.“You throwlike a girl.You want my power? Come get it!”Ferrum rose into the air like a vengeful phoenix, hair and robes snapping behind him.“Insolent child!” hescreamed, “I shall not toy with you a moment longer! I will take my power back right now!”He flew at me, covering the arena floor in a blink, though I saw everything clearly.I watched Ferrum close onme, his face twisted into a mask of rage, lunging forward.I saw those deadly talons, stabbing at my chest.Iknew I could block it, step aside…I’m sorry, Ash.I closed my eyes instead.Ferrum hit me square in the gut with the full power of his hate behind it, driving his claws deep into my chest.The force bent me over, punching the breath from my lungs, a moment before fire blossomed through mystomach.The pain was excruciating.I would’ve gasped, but there was no air left in me.Somewhere far away, Iheard Ash scream in rage and fury, Puck’s cry of dismay, but then Ferrum stepped forward, pushing his clawsin even farther, and everything melted into a red haze of agony.Bent over the false king’s arm, my body shook and convulsed, and I concentrated on not passing out, not giving in to the blackness that crawled at the edge of my vision.It was tempting, so tempting, to give in, to let go of the pain and sink into oblivion.My blood dripped to the floor between us, a growing crimson pool; I couldfeel my life leaking away, as wel.“Yes,” Ferrum whispered in my ear, his breath smel ing of rust and rot, “suffer.Suffer for stealing my powerfrom me.For thinking you were worthy to carry it.Now, you wil die, and I wil become the Iron King once more.The power of the Iron King is mine once again!”I raised a trembling, blood-soaked hand and grabbed the col ar of his robes, raising my head to meet thefalse king’s triumphant gaze.My life was fading fast; I had to be quick.“You want it?” I whispered, forcing the words out, when al I wanted to do was scream or cry.“Take it.It’s yours.” And I sent my power, the mergedglamour of Summer and Iron, into the false king
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]