Shadow & Storms (The Legends of Thezmarr, #4)

by Helen Scheuerer

For he knew in his bones that she would emerge victorious, Naarvian steel in hand, vows of vengeance on her tongue. And that she would come for him.

The weight of her Naarvian steel sword at her belt was profound, which was just as well, because she was going to use it to cut through every fucking creature who stood between her and Wilder. Man or monster, they would find no mercy at the tip of her blade, not this time, not ever.

No one, not a reaper, not the King of Harenth, not the biggest fucking monster in the midrealms, was going to stop her.

For him, the world would wait. And when he was safe at her side, they could watch the whole fucking thing go up in flames to be reborn anew.

‘Then the world will know that if they hurt him, I’ll burn them all to the ground.’

As blood dripped from Wilder’s swords, that brilliant white light flared again. At last, he tasted the storm on his lips, and looked up.

She broke away, panting. ‘I love you,’ she gasped, refusing to tear her eyes away from him. ‘I love you so much I can hardly breathe. I’ve wanted to say it for so long —’ Wilder gave a hoarse, broken laugh. ‘Tell me again later. Tell me when we’re safe.’ Thea kissed him again, desperate to show him that tempest he’d brought to life within her from the moment they’d met. ‘I’ll tell you every day until my last,’ she murmured.

‘You’re dead anyway,’ she promised. ‘But touch him again, I dare you.’

‘I am the storm,’ she told herself. She let her lightning rage, right alongside her heart, and she split the gods-damned tower in two.

‘I love you,’ he whispered, breaking away for just a moment. ‘I love you so fucking much.’ And then he deepened the kiss, claiming her fiercely, dragging his hands over her body as though he could imprint the shape of her onto his palms.

Thea’s heart nearly burst as he gazed upon her with nothing but love – pure, adoring love in his silver eyes. ‘No man could have you and not be consumed,’ he murmured.

lethal. ‘A Warsword is also a killer. A man – or woman – of violence and fury. Any good in me is because of that storm wielder you so vehemently insulted.’

‘Thank you,’ she said quietly. ‘You never need to thank me,’ Wilder told her. ‘I will always fight for you. And it’s my honour to do so.’

‘Keep looking at her like that,’ Anya warned, stepping forward with her shadows spilling forth. ‘Keep looking at her like that and see what happens.’

W sister

‘Not on the battlefield. In life,’ he said. ‘Where you go, I go, from now on.’

Thea smiled, and Wilder didn’t think he’d ever seen anything so beautiful. Her face was illuminated by the moon, fresh snowflakes flushing her cheeks pink.

Let them see, he thought with satisfaction. Let them see what I’d unleash on them all for her.

‘Out of the three of you, from what I’ve seen, you’ve got the most control.’ ‘Hey!’ Thea protested. Kipp scoffed. ‘Please. Half the time your magic is as much a temper tantrum as it is a power.’ Wilder bit a knuckle to keep from laughing at that.

Don’t let the world – don’t let anyone convince you that you’re not enough. Only you define your story. You and you alone. When they tell you what you’re not, when they tell you what you can’t do, remember: you are the storm, Elwren. You split the skies and flood the plains. You make the ground tremble beneath their boots. No one can fucking stop you.’

With a flick of her wrist, Seb’s bones broke beneath her strength, and Thea snapped his neck. He went limp instantly in her hold and she dropped his lifeless body in the snow. A blur of black fur shot out from her side, a vicious growl echoing through the trees. A powerful canine jaw closed around Seb’s neck — Blood spurted. And in one violent wrench, Dax ripped out Sebastos Barlowe’s throat.

OMG FINALLY

With a flick of her wrist, Seb’s bones broke beneath her strength, and Thea snapped his neck. He went limp instantly in her hold and she dropped his lifeless body in the snow. A blur of black fur shot out from her side, a vicious growl echoing through the trees. A powerful canine jaw closed around Seb’s neck — Blood spurted. And in one violent wrench, Dax ripped out Sebastos Barlowe’s throat.

YES FINALLY

‘Do you have a moment?’ she asked. ‘For you? Always.’

‘Because I love you, so deeply, Thea. And if I tell you I love you a thousand times a day for the rest of our lives, it will not have been enough.’

‘I know you don’t like to dance, but…’ He took her hand in his. ‘I think we’ve long since established that I’ll always make an exception for you.’

Wilder already pitied his fellow Warsword. Arguing with an Embervale sister was like arguing with a brick wall. Torj would be better off saving himself the hassle and admitting swift defeat.

A smug sense of satisfaction washed over Wilder. Commander Yarrow was not the first to be taught a lesson or put in his place by Althea Embervale, and nor would he be the last.

‘I want more than war stories and bloodshed. I want to build a life with you, Thea.’

Soon, she told herself. Soon she’d light up the sky with her storms. She could almost taste the vengeance on her lips.

Thea looked at all of them: Drue, Adrienne, Wren, Farissa… They all wore their hair in a side braid, just as she did – a nod to the women warriors beyond the Veil, and a nod to her, the woman Warsword among them. The gesture made her throat ache. She had dreamt of something like this, long ago.

With the battering ram as her war drum, Thea surveyed their ranks. Sure enough, the eyes of the allied forces did not fall to Talemir Starling, nor to Anya, the Daughter of Darkness, and not to Wilder Hawthorne either. They looked to her. A former child of Thezmarr, a girl turned warrior, Althea Nine Lives, the Shadow of Death, the wraith slayer. The storm-wielding Warsword. Althea Embervale.

‘We are all daughters of darkness, Thea. We were born into a world of it, a place that would dictate the way in which we defend ourselves, the way we live our lives. No more. That world is no longer. And the next one will be what we make it.’

And then, with bolts of lightning like spears in her hands, she unleashed herself upon the monsters.

Thea smiled at him then, and for a moment, it was as though the war had never happened, as though shadows had never ruled. She shone brighter for him than the sun.

‘It’s always been you, Thea. And as long as I’m with you, you’re the only home I’ll ever need.’