Sapphire

  Lesath, in his half-decimated form, stood with Mira. The night sky shrouded them, and all Ava could see were their silhouettes. Mira’s horn glimmered silver while Lesath’s jagged points threw golden glints.

  “The last human, kill it. Sacrifice it,” he said. “Only then will we be purged of their curse.”

  Mira inclined her head as he continued.

  “It must be one of the guardian lineage, and its soul must be strong.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “Adhara and her mate have just given birth. Seek them out for they will want to help. Protect them and befriend the child. Mold its soul and when it is of age, make it believe it’s truly trying to save us all. Test it by taking it to the other guardians. That is the only way our curse and the race of man will both be wiped from this land.”

  Mira nodded once as he continued.

  “Do not let Lorna kill the human child. She will take its power for her own. She has seen what we intend to do. I think she means to make her own sacrifice to counter ours, a boy with great powers. Find him first if you can.”

  “Of course. But, my lord, how will I reclaim the shards of your horn?”

  “Go to the other sister, Capella. Lorna holds her captive as well but is still close to her. Lie of your intentions and perhaps she can be swayed to your side.”

  “I will bring Adhara’s child to you when it is ready and sacrifice it,” Mira said coldly. “The last of the humans will not suspect, nor will the other guardians.”

  “And you are the last of us,” he said with a trace of fear. “By killing a virtuous and trusting soul, one that will willingly die for you, such a sacrifice will break the darkness inside our own kind but not in the humans.”

  “Not the humans? If they remain molochs they will—”

  “I have a use for them.” A disturbing grin spread across his deformed head, making it look as if his whole jaw might unhinge. “The humans came from another realm, and I plan on seeing that they return to it.” A gargling hiss of excited anticipation slid between his jagged teeth.

  Mira swished her tail and a meteor flashed overhead. “I am ready to serve, my lord. What the humans have done is unforgivable.”

  “The dragon, Sirrush, is also willing to aid us.”

  Mira’s head jerked back. “The dragon?” She shook her mane, ears swiveling back and forth. “We cannot put our trust in the dragons. They—”

  “They also want to see the realm restored. Do not question me.” A growl gurgled from his deformed body, and Mira trembled from the effort to stand still.

  He turned his head and Ava saw the red eye in his skull glow brighter than any star. “They killed your foal.”

  Mira laid her ears back.

  “They murdered it to open a gateway to man’s realm once more.”

  He tilted his head, revealing bone beneath ragged strips of his neck. “You can feel it as well, can’t you. The darkness. The hate. The desire to kill. It has affected us all.”

  At his words she stamped a hoof and tossed her head. “I will help you destroy them. All of them.”