The air crackled as I stepped forward, my boots crunching over the charred earth. Smoke curled in the distance, but my focus was fixed solely on Magnus. His broad shoulders were squared, lips curled into a sneer, blood staining the edge of his collar.
“You should’ve stayed down, Magnus,” I said, my voice low but steady.
He laughed bitterly. “And let him win? Let you stand there like you’re something more than a broken mate I threw away?”
Elias moved beside me, his fingers brushing against mine, silent but fierce. I didn’t need to look at him to know he was ready to tear Magnus apart. Still, this wasn’t his moment. This was mine.
“You didn’t throw me away,” I said sharply, taking another step. “You freed me. And now you’re going to watch me end what you started.”
Magnus's eyes narrowed
