The world seemed to stop as Draco held Onyx's body in his arms. Her skin was pale and rigid, and her eyes were wide and dead as they stared at the world above her. Blood continued to spill down her body, her hands wrapped around his in a loose grip.

"Onyx, no. Please, this can't be happening" he whispered, jostling her body around. She was unresponsive, limp in his arms as he held her close. The emperor felt every part of his body break as he held her close, tears running down his face as he squeezed her tight. "Onyx, please come back to me. You can't die" she whispered.

Even as the war raged on in the castle, Draco found himself unable to move, staring down at his mate as she grew cold in his arms. "Draco" a voice called out to him. He ignored it, staring down at Onyx, praying to the Gods that she would suddenly stir in his arms and everything in the world would be alright.

"Draco" Orion whispered, staring the emperor. "We need to end this. Give Onyx to me" he said, holding out his arms. The emperor shook his head, refusing to let go. "She's gone, Orion. I can't save her. Not this time and not in the next life. She's gone." Orion rested her hand on his shoulder, shaking him feverishly. "Draco, please. We need to stop this."

The emperor looked up, nodding. He reached down for the sword and pried it out of her stomach. Blood spilled out of the wound, her body falling to the floor. Orion stooped down and gathered Onyx in his arms. "I'll stay with her and keep her safe," he said. "We'll figure this out."

Draco watched as Orion moved her to a safe place in the castle, weaving through the undead until he was no longer in the hall. The emperor looked down at the sword in his hand covered in blood, no longer in the possession of its wielder. He turned around to the chaos before him, the sword shaking in his hands.

His fingers shook with power, light sparks flying off the tips of his fingers. He could feel his sorrow turn to anger, resentment building inside his body as he felt the sword shake in his hand. His wings flared up in the air, curving like that of a devil's horn. The ruby ring around his eyes flamed red, his face contorting into a mask of hatred.

The emperor charged towards the undead army, slicing through them with Onyx's sword. It rang with power as it claimed each soul, dead bodies falling around him as he avenged her death. His eyes glowed with an iridescent white light, large white bands circling his body as he channeled his light magic. They spun from his body, lashing out in long belts that disintegrated the undead as they touched it.

He flew into the air, using the lighting whips to plow through the army of the undead, bodies turning to dust. His mind was blurry and dark, his eyes only seeing the enemies that had killed Onyx. His only instinct was to avenge their death and torture those who had driven Onyx to the brink of her death.

"Draco!" Falcon called out to him as he flew near him. He was covered in black blood, cuts, and bruises engraved into his wings. Beside him was Azura, her foot cracking down on the spine of the undead, the bones cracking as they hit the ground. The emperor turned around, heaving deeply. "He killed Onyx!" he exclaimed, looking around him. "He killed Onyx and destroyed my home! I swear on everything I love! I will kill him!"

"What about the plan? If you just go ahead and kill him, it will only make things worst!" Azura pointed out. Draco shook his head, his face growing hot. "Fuck the plan! Onyx is dead! There is no plan anymore!" Before Falcon and Azura could stop him, Draco flew into the air, his eyes searching for Raebar.

The tribe leader's silhouette appeared in his peripheral view, his hand slapping Castrin and Iredine away as he fought with the rest of the Inner Court. Green flames spiraled from his hand, a huge wave of force knocking them into the ground. In his hand he had Alesandria who was writhing in pain, her hands clawing at his arm to release her.

With a warrior cry, Draco headed for the tribe leader, white bands of magic circling his body and squeezing him tight. The tribe leader's eyes widened, turning his attention over to the emperor who attacked him with brute force, the three of them falling to the ground. Raebar grunted, letting go of Alesandria as Draco pinned him to the ground.

"You killed Onyx!" he screamed, wielding her sword in his hand as he aimed it towards Raebar. The tribe leader ducked the blow, only catching the blunt end of the sword, causing a thin scar to appear on his cheek. A narrow stream of blood pooled from the wound, the tribe leader, pushing the emperor off him.

Green flames unleashed from his fingers and lashed around Draco's feet, burning the skin on his legs as he scrambled away. Draco extinguished the flame away with his magic, his eyes meeting the tribe leader. "You killed her in cold blood and didn't even blink an eye! How could you!" he said, his magic lashing out towards him.

White whips cracked against Raebar's skin, the bands wrapping around his body and pulling him down. Draco's hand wrapped around his throat as he strung him in the air, his magic stringing together to keep him in place. Draco gripped the sword in his hand, driving the blade into the side of his body. Raebar groaned as the siphoning magic around the sword pulled remnants from his soul, the veins around his neck straining.

Draco withdrew the sword and repeatedly stabbed him, the magic around the sword siphoning his soul out until he was weak and faltering at the hands of his magic. He was bleeding and panting, the sword tainted with dark blood. Draco flew towards the tribe leader, grabbing him by the throat and throwing him on the ground with all his magic combined.

White sparks flew from his arms and suffocated him as his body hit the ground and tumbled into the courtyard, a groan escaping his lips. Draco flew towards the tribe leader, his feet shaking the ground as he landed before him. He kicked the tribe leader over, blood spilling from his lips as he choked. "I will make sure you repay for what you did to Onyx" he hissed, holding the blade to the tribe leader's neck.

He applied gradual pressure, letting the sharp blade slide across his neck, creating a thin cut that ran across his neck. Blood began to leak from his skin, spilling onto his fingers as he cursed and groaned under his lips. Draco dug his fingers into the wound, constricting his hands around his throat once more and throwing him across the courtyard.

Raebar's face cracked against the ground, blood pouring from his nose as he struggled to get up. A wicked cackle escaped his lips, his teeth stained with blood as he got up, limping towards the emperor. "Beat me to death. Torture me. It won't erase the fact that Onyx is dead" he said, his rusty eyes darkening. "Come on Draco. You knew that she wouldn't live long enough to step foot into Crojesian. I did you a favor. You should be thanking me."

"You killed her out of pure fear that she would overthrow you and you knew she would if she stepped foot into Crojesian!" Draco screamed, wiping the blood away from his face. "Aries and Eshara defeated you before their death and you were scared that their daughters would do the same, so you took the strongest one out!"

"It's nice to see that you have a favorite" Raebar said, only a few feet away from the emperor. "I must agree with you. Onyx is the stronger and more capable one out of the two but Alesandria is so easy to toy with. Her mind has the endurance of a mortal. So fragile like glass and that type of person is just too good to look over."

He chuckled once again. "Never underestimate the underdog."

Draco's body trembled with anger as he followed Raebar's gaze behind him. Crawling down the stairs away from the chaos in the palace was Alesandria, covered in blood. She looked disoriented, her wide eyes looking up to meet Draco's eyes. Her whole body shook, tears running down her face. "Draco" she whispered, stalking towards him. "Draco, I did something bad" she whispered, shaking. "I did something really bad."

"What are you talking about?" he asked in an impatient voice. She flinched at his harsh tone, stopping in her tracks. Her eyes moved over to Raebar who smiled, the tribe leader walking over to her and pushing her black hair back. Alesandria stuttered, her body trembling once again. "It was never my intention and I didn't know what to do. By the time I realized what was going on, it was too late."

"Alesandria, just spit it out!" the emperor yelled at her, causing her to recoil. The tribe leader grabbed Alesandria by the back of her neck, dragging to the center of the courtyard. He threw her to the ground, kicking her body over before winnowing over to Draco and grabbing him by the neck. Green flames licked at his body as his he was engulfed in necromantic magic, his body hurling over as he fought off the grip around his body.

Raebar grabbed Onyx's sword from his grip before throwing him against the caste wall, the emperor crumbling to the floor. Draco coughing blood into his hand, pressing a hand to his ribs. His eyes were blurry as he struggled to get up, wiping blood from his lips as he regained his posture.

When his eyes came into focus, he saw Raebar standing with Onyx's blade to Alesandria's throat, her body shaking with tears as the tribe leader pressed the sharpened steel to her throat. "You see, I would have thought you would have all figured it out by now considering you are a brilliant emperor Draco. However, it seems like you were too bewitched by her sister to realize the enemy standing beside you all along."

His eyes turned over to Alesandria, shaking her. "Tell him, Alesandria. Tell him how you played them all without blinking an eye." He aimed a kick to her back, her body hunching over. Alesandria cried, a hoarse croak escaping her lips. "Please don't hate me! I never meant to hurt any of you!"

"Sorry is not going to help you now Alesandria! Say it before I slit your throat and you bleed to the ground and join your sister!" Raebar threatened, pressing the blade into her skin. With trembling words, Alesandria cried, "It was me! Heather was controlling me, and I was the one leaking all of the Inner Circle plans and strategies to the desert tribes! Any valuable information I told them! I was the one that stabbed you to bring down the barrier! I had to! If I didn't, Heather would possess me to kill myself and I didn't want to die!"

"It was you?! You were their secret! Their spy leaking information?!" Draco exclaimed, hot tears running down his face. Alesandria nodded, her eyes blurry with tears. "Yes, but you have to understand! I t wasn't me! Heather was in my mind and she possessed me to do all of this! I didn't want to believe me but somewhere along the way, I got desensitized to her manipulation and just went along with it but I swear on everything I love, I never meant ill intention!"

Draco closed his eyes, digging his fingers through his air to erase the thought of what he had just heard. "Castrin knew and he made a deal with Heather not to tell you or anyone to protect me! He only did it so that she wouldn't kill me! Iredine found out as well but it was already too late to tell anyone! The damage was already done! Draco, I am so sorry!"

"Stop, please just stop!" Draco screamed. Alesandria whimpered as Raebar tossed her to the ground, her body crumpling to the floor as she sobbed. The tribe leader kicked her over, the point of his feet crunching into her ribs. She screamed in pain as blood poured from her body, a strangled gasp escaping her lips.

"Face it, Draco. You have no one left in your corner! Onyx is dead, Alesandria is practically gone and your entire kingdom and home for the matter of fact is now under my control! No matter what you do, you can never overtake me!" Raebar claimed, cackling. "And if you even try to get in my way, don't think I won't rip out your entrails the same way you gutted me when we fought!"

His rusty eyes gleamed with pride, emerald flames licking his body and crawling up his arm. "You can continue to fight but you won't win. So, surrender or watch your entire family die in front of you. Onyx died in your arms the same way your mother died in your father's arms. The rest of your court can die in your presence as well. I'll make sure to save you for last."

Draco's eyes flickered down to Alesandria's bloody body back to Raebar standing in front of him. He turned around to see his castle erupted in flames, his inner court fighting desperately for their lives as the undead clawed and tore them apart. His mind strayed to Onyx's broken body lying in his arms, her cold eyes and her last words lingering on her lips.

"Just promise me whatever happens, protect Alesandria. Help her take over the throne. I can't be there for her, but you can. Please, take care of her."

"Fine" Draco whispered, taking a deep breath. "Just make this stop."

Raebar smiled, his eyes going back to the castle. "Cinis cinerem. Pulvis et cinis." Green embers spilled from his hands, intertwining around the castle. It went inside and surrounded the undead, strangling them until their bodies broke down to nothing but ashes and dust. Draco watched as the undead rotted to the ground, leaving behind ashes, dust, and bones.

His court fell to the floor, free from the grips of hell they were being held at. Raebar directed them to the center of the courtyard with his magic, pulling them outside until they tumbled to Draco's feet. Yongui pulled herself up, blood covering her wings and skin as she made eye contact with Draco.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Falcon asked as he helped Azura up. His eyes flickered between Draco to Alesandria to Raebar, a worried expression on his face. "Draco, listen to us don't do what you are going to do."

The emperor shook his head, tears rolling down his face. "I'm so sorry I let you all down. As a man of my word, I have failed Onyx, my court, and my duties to the entirety of the Inner Circle and I am so sorry."

"Draco, you did what you could do! You're a great emperor!" Castrin said, earning a glare from Draco. The emperor huffed, turning his attention back to the tribe leader. "No. I didn't, and I am not. I've let all of you down and I've let my parents down."

"That's not true Draco. Mom and dad would have been proud of you" Raiyah said, tears rolling down her face. "I could never do what you have done for this kingdom in a million years. Even through their graves, they are smiling at you. They love you and are proud of you. I love you so please, don't do this."

"Stop! Just stop!" he pleaded, shaking his head. "Just stop talking or trying to convince me!" Yongui's voice cut through his words, hard and convincing. "Draco, whatever you are about to do, don't do it" she simply said. "I know you are torn about Onyx but please, don't do it."

Draco shook his head, his body shaking. His eyes went down to Alesandria's limping body. "It's because of Onyx that I have to do this."

Taking a deep breath, the great emperor of Elsavior kneeled in front of Raebar Casvionel. His wings lowered to the ground, his head dropping. When he looked back up to meet Raebar's eyes, his gaze was no longer clouded or confused.

It was clear, hard, cold, and concrete.

"I surrender."

A/N: And that is the end of Chapter Forty-seven!

So...please don't kill me! I swear everything will be fine! We five more books to go through!

Please don't kill me!

Everything will be fine, I promise!

So as you all know, the coronavirus has been spreading like wildfire so my university has been forced to hold online classes until easter break when we can return on campus (hopefully). Even though I have online classes they don't begin until the 30th so I have a lot of time on my hands to hopefully finish publishing the chapters of this book so I can move on to The Shadow Heirs and the novellas.

As for now, all you be careful out there. Be safe, healthy, stay indoors, and wash your hands thoroughly. If you are sick, stay home and take care of yourself. Don't take this lightly. It can be very detrimental. Even though most healthy people with a good immune system usually bounce back, those with health ailments are struggling to recover! It's important to keep them in your prayers and practice safe hygiene and self-quarantine. For more information, make sure to go to the CDC website to receive daily updates on the coronavirus. Another way to keep yourself informed is to visit the website corona.help for daily updates worldwide!

So tell me what you guys thought of this chapter. We are four chapters away from finishing the book!

How are you liking The Septic Curse and how do you feel about the book ending soon? Let me know in the comments below!

Are you guys enjoying the books and series so far? I want to hear your honest opinion!

Any NEW Ships you like?

Any specific scenes you liked! Any conspiracies? I would love to hear them!

Love you guys!

Thank you guys for all your constant support. It means so much to me that you enjoy this book. I enjoy writing it and to hear your feedback always makes my day!

So tell me what your thoughts are on this chapter and don't forget to comment down below and vote if you liked it.

Remember to stay happy and healthy!

Until next time Lovelies!

With love, May