The Last Royal Luna
(Book 2) – Chapter 52

‘Moon Goddess please help me end this. These witches deserve to burn for the pain they have caused. I don’t know if I have more powers coming but I NEED this one. I need to burn them and keep the power of fire for the war.’ I prayed before pulling all my power in the middle of my chest and holding it as it grew in power.

They all were laughing at how cocky I was and deciding on how to end us when I finally had enough. I pulled at the power in my chest chanting in my head to see them up in flames. I was in shock when we saw the fire growing around their feet and crawling up their bodies. They all started screaming and wailing trying to get the fire put out. Their spells and chants didn’t touch it. In fact, it seemed to piss off the flames making them grow hotter and stronger.

“MAKE IT STOP.” The leader yelled out dropping one had from her ball of magic to try to pat down her leg before falling down on to her knees trying to get the earth to take away the flame.

“Witches like you deserve to burn for the deaths you have caused the pain you gleefully enjoy partaking in.” I shake my head before pushing more power from my chest into the flames causing them to burn higher and faster.

“I will kill you!” One of the witches promised as she was rolling all over the ground hoping to stop the flame from burning her body anymore.

“Not before I kill you!” I shoved more magic into the flames causing them to completely take over all the witches but the leader. Their screams became muffled from the sound of the flames consuming their bodies.

I looked back at the leader just in time for her to drop to the ground. I watched her face drain of any sign of life and I was finally able to take a full breath knowing this s**t was over.

“Well, anybody got any salt?” Melissa joked and we just shook our heads at her. We did need salt though and to bury the ashes.

I looked at all my mates and started walking toward Blake who looked the worst between everyone. I could feel my heat crawling up my body and pushing at me harder. I knew soon I would need to hole up with my mates and take care of this s**t. Hopefully we could recoup and stock up on necessities before it fully hit.

I turned around when I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up and noticed a witch walking out of the woods. She didn’t speak to us, she didn’t make a big show of anything or even smirk at us before attacking. She must have been chanting under her breath or in her mind which means she was one of the stronger witches we had come across. All I know is that I saw her hand go up and this ball of light came toward me. I just barely saw the essence of the spell when it was flying toward me. I was in freak out mode not knowing what to do.

“Move, Ryder!” Charles yelled as he shoved me to the side and down on the ground.

I landed with a thump but before I could yell at him for shoving me, I heard Charles shout of pain before falling to the ground. I looked over and saw Charles body laying a few feet from me with a burning hole in his chest.

Before he had even hit the ground Melissa had thrown a spell back at the witch bringing her to her knees and I threw everything I had at her. Grass blades were shoving themselves through her skin and muscle while she was drowning in her own b***d. Her body temperature skyrocketed causing her body to turn red and within a second her whole body exploded.

It’s like I was frozen and all I could do is stare at Charles on the ground. The only noise I heard was a buzzing sound and I didn’t even realize that Asher and Knox had made it to my side helping me stand up. Charles gave his life for me and all I could do was stand there in shock. That ball of magic was meant to kill me. I had taunted those witches. I had prolonged their deaths giving the other witch time to make it here and try for revenge. I was unable to protect my mates from the hurt that they felt today. I’m supposed to be this Royal badass princess and someone who’s come to be like a brother to me was killed protecting me because I was unable to do so myself. I ripped my arms out of my mate’s hands and stomped away from them mumbling and cursing at myself for being so weak.

“I’m so sorry Charles. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t able to react in time to save myself. It should have been me.” I felt the hot tears falling down my cheeks.

Edgar caught up to me and pulled me into his chest. He didn’t speak or try to pull me back toward everyone. We just stood there, both of us crying, feeling the sadness of losing someone important to us. I cried harder when I thought about Edgar being upset with me for getting his second in command and best friend killed by acting like a scared little girl. I knew standing here putting myself down wasn’t helping anyone, but I couldn’t stop. I was too afraid to look at Edgars face so I kept my face crushed into his chest.

“My magic can’t repair this. I am so sorry Ryder. Edgar. He was becoming such a good friend to all of us and I wish these witches could burn a second time.” Melissa shouted the end before wiping away her tears. Alistair was holding her and nodding in agreement with what she said.

I pushed away from Edgar and looked at everyone. “If you are looking for someone to blame and be mad at, I have your answer. It would be me. I stood there letting that ball of magic head right at me. I froze like I had never been in a fight before. Like I wasn’t meant to win this war. He gave his life so I could live and I am ashamed that it happened.” I tried to step back farther from Edgar but he grabbed onto my arms.

“You are NOT to blame, Ryder. Those witches were trying to kill us and Charles was killed saving the last Royal who can and will end all of this. He risked his life for one of his best friends, his leader’s mate, his Luna, and for everyone that this s**t is hurting. He would never want you to regret it because I know he doesn’t. We all would have done the same thing if we had been close enough and I will forever be thankful that he was able to. I loved him as a brother and I will miss him until the day I die but he knew I would die without you.” He told me sternly. I heard all the rest murmur their agreements along with calling me stubborn, soft hearted, in big trouble later, and several sweet names showing their love.

“Not to interrupt but his body won’t be lasting much longer if you wish to say your good-byes or if we know what he would have wanted to be done.” Alistair told us with a look like he hated to be the one that brought it up which I understood.

I knew that as a vampire his body wouldn’t stay intact so I wasn’t sure on what he would want. Edgar seemed to be in deep thought thinking about it so I pulled him with me as we walked back to Charles body. I felt this small buzz, almost like a tickle, on the bottom side of my feet and it made me look down. It took a second to realize what was going on but I caught on after. The earth was telling me what it wanted us to do. It wanted us to return Charles body back to it. The ashes would help the earth and it was only right since everything was born from the earth.

“The earth wants him returned to it as we do the witches ashes. We just don’t want to salt his since the earth will be taking his back into itself.” I looked at Edgar wanting for his response.

“I agree with you. Even as a vampire he was still spiritual and lived as if he wasn’t one of the undead. He had led such a great and fulfilling life.” We all agreed before saying our silent good-byes. We needed to get all these bodies buried and get a move on. No matter how hard the journey would be from here on out.