I looked into the black eyes of the cruel man and gritted my teeth, my heart pounding. I was not going to let him run. He would pay for everything. He was trespassing on a land he was banished from. As queen, I was going to keep my word. Jonga would either walk away or never leave again; buried in the dirt of Udan or die in the river.

The blood on his chest proved that he had already started to slaughter the Udanians. I would make him pay for it with his own blood.

"Lenox delivered you to me like he promised," he laughed, holding out his hands. "I guess I can let his brat go."

I gasped, realizing what he had meant, Lenox wasn't proving his loyalty to me, he was following the directions to get his son back.

I wondered if staying in Kaija was a part of that. Fury coursed through my veins. There was not much I could do about Lenox now.

"How dare you come back here!" I shouted, stepping forward, the water wading over my feet.

"This was my home well before it was yours," he spat. "You've sullied Udan with your filthy Kaijan blood."

"I am not a Kaijan," I spat. "I will never be as intolerant as they are."

"You lie to yourself," he whispered. "After all, you don't know who you even are."

"It doesn't matter anymore," I whispered. "Now I am Mara, Queen of Udan."

"Not for long," he hissed. "Your rule is coming to an end, my queen , and then you'll be no more."

Jonga lashed forward toward me with clawed hands. I pulled the dagger from within my dress and held it by my side. I dashed to the side, my breathing heavy as Jonga ran past, sliding against the water. The water roared as it rose. A wall emerged, showing the rocks underneath our feet.

"Find Hona!" I called to Dari. Dari stood there in shock, but nodded, rushing toward the direction of Udan.

Jonga laughed maniacally. "What you'll find left of him is a corpse."

"He—"

"Hona is dead," he revealed, his eyes filling with the fire from Udan.

"Hona is dead," I repeated.

Dari stopped in his tracks.

"I will kill anyone who sides with you!" Jonga screeched.

Time stopped for me. Dari called my name, but I couldn't hear it. I was distant, standing in the river, waiting for Hona to hold me in his arms again. I would never feel his warming touch or hear his calming voice. I would never feel his lips against mine. He was gone.

He was dead.

Jonga murdered him.

He was his friend, his brother. Hona bore a great sadness without Jonga by his side and easily... Jonga killed him. He treated Hona like an insect to squash. Like he treated me.

The itch built, bubbling in my veins like the tonic. It wasn't fair. Hona was kind and just. He was willing and dedicated. I lashed my head back, screaming in anguish.

Hona was dead. It was because of Jonga. The itch burrowed in my veins, driving to my arms and filtering to my palm.

I screamed once more, the water shielding me in a wall. My vision tunneled, and I couldn't remember where I was or who. I knew Hona was dead and my mind no longer belonged to me. The clouds of distortion veiled my mind.

"I will kill you!" I vowed as the wall of water fell. "I will rip your vile heart from your chest!"

Jonga looked shocked. "I knew giving you the vial of the Guardian's blood was a mistake," he whispered. "You are who I thought and you have learned to control your power. Chaos roams inside of you!"

I screamed once more, gritting my teeth as I lashed toward him with the dagger. "Enough talk," I spat, rushing toward him.

His speed was unlike anything I had seen before. I lashed my hands out, the dagger falling from my hand. It fell into the water, lost like the one from my dream.

I clawed at his face, using my hands on my weapon. A deep scratch appeared on his cheek. Jonga blinked as he placed a hand to his cheek and pulled his hand away. Staring at the blood, he laughed.

"But your power won't measure mine," he vowed. "I have more of the Guardian's blood in my veins."

Even though Jonga continued to talk, I could hardly hear him. I raced back toward him, lashing out. Jonga stepped back, defending himself with a violet shield emanating from his palm. He smiled the entire time, making me even madder.

"Is this it?" he asked. "I could reach out and kill you any moment. I'm tired of the waiting games."

Jonga reached out and grasped me by the throat. I winced, feeling my airways close. I pried my fingers around his, trying to loosen his grip.

I remembered how weak I felt before. Before I was Mara, before I became Queen of Udan. I had left them all unprotected, and hadn't kept my promise. I wasn't a Queen; I was a monster. The same one everyone thought I was in Udan.

My body seized, arms limp. Jonga released me, throwing me into the water. My vision was no longer tunneling. I looked to the violet veins on my body, noting that they were retreating into my pale flesh. I blinked, listening to the annoyance of Jonga's laughter. It nagged at my mind, driving me toward insanity.

I rolled on my side, touching my arm. A massive gash from the jagged rocks stained the side of it. I winced, arching my back. I fought everything inside to stand. The itch was burning bright like flames, keeping me on my knees. It was consuming me.

I grasped at the water, feeling the rocks under my palms. I needed to keep going, I had to keep fighting. Avenging Hona was all I wanted to do.

Tears fell from my eyes. I felt so hopeless; so weak. I was displaying weakness once more, showing Jonga what I was; a weakling.

I tried to find Dari but he was long gone, perhaps, behind the walls of Udan mourning for the loss of his kind.

It was my fault.

I had caused all this mania. I had driven the Rabaka to take over their kingdom and all they did was protect me; a stranger who did not even remember who she was.

I inched upward, trying to stand again. My knees wobbled as I pressed my palms deeper into the water. I felt the jagged spines of rocks push into my palm. I stood, eyes set on Jonga. He watched from a distance, entertained.

"Getting up?" he said with an arched brow. "You'll get knocked down until you can't stand anymore."

"I—" I whispered, tasting blood on my lips. I wasn't sure if it was Arawn's or Makaio's or mine. The water was washing away the many sins I had either way. "I am Queen of Udan and I will save my people."

Jonga's smile disappeared. He stormed toward me, hands by his side. His feet picked up the water, moving closer. I felt the irritating drip of the water drop onto my skin. But, I was not going to give up. Not one of the people who died were going to die in vain.

While the itch was consuming me whole, taking every piece of my sanity; I had to wake up just for a moment. I had to keep going a little longer. If I didn't, everyone's deaths would be for nothing.

I held out my hands, seeing the violet veins. I tried to project the wave of violet again, but it would not produce.

I thought back to the moment I had done it. Jonga said Hona was dead. A wave of agony rushed over me. I just needed to feel that pain again.

Jonga approached, reaching out his hand once more. He tried to pry his fingers around my throat once more, but I was ready.

I dodged, sliding on my right leg. Lashing it outward, Jonga fell into the water, cursing my name. I gritted my teeth, standing over him. I thought back to every moment I had shared with Hona. The kiss he denied, the embraces we shared. The words we exchanged. They were gone. Now mere memories. I thought of what Dari said about love, that it was possible.

The violet wave emerged. I screamed, lashing my head back. I reached out and grabbed Jonga by the throat. I looked into his black eyes seeing something I had never seen before; fear.

He was afraid of me.

I tried to find a hint of remorse within myself but I wanted to do one thing. Kill him. I wanted to take his life away for taking away Hona's.

"Please," he whispered. "I was doing what I was told."

I tried to listen. I wanted to have mercy, but mercy would not have me.

"I loved Baria," he whispered. "You killed my love. Understand, I must avenge her."

My fingers shook around his throat. I murdered his chance at love, just like I did to Dari.

"You tortured me," I answered, my voice dropping as I thought back to Hona's kind and warm smile. He would not smile any more because of Jonga. "So did she. You must suffer for the crimes you've committed, traitor."

I released my grip letting him fall to his knees. I wanted him to have hope just like I had. I wanted to see the glint of hope in his eyes before I took it away from him. I desired for him to be left with devastation until the end of time.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I will never forget the day you spared me."

I smiled, feeling the cruelty he must have felt. I leaned down, looking into his eyes. Reaching forward, I pressed a hand to his chest.

"I will never spare you," I whispered. "You deserve death."

Reaching my hand in, I felt the warmth of his blood swarm around my fingers. The crack of his chest cavity echoed in my ear, singing like sweet music. I pried my fingers around his heart, watching as his eyes blanked and he gasped. I yanked it from its chest, holding it in my hand like a prize.

Jonga's eyes followed my hand as I stood. I stared at the beating heart, feeling it drum in my hand. With each beat, the anger from what he had done surfaced. I thought of each moment Jonga had inflicted pain. My lip trembled as Hona came into my mind. There would be no mercy for the merciless. I clasped my fingers, sinking my nails into the heart. It beat once more in its final movement.

Jonga sputtered, falling into the river. Half of the cold water submerged his body, rushing over it. I dropped the crushed heart into the water, and stared down at my hand.

More blood spilled, more blood on my hands.