Overthrow- The Demon Queen 1 [Editor's Choice]

The Heartstone’s fragments swirled in the air around her, reforming, knitting back together. The God-Killer lay in two pieces on the floor. The hooded figure staggered back, clutching their chest, their hood falling away to reveal a face that was still human but barely—scars upon scars, eyes that had seen too much, a mouth that had forgotten how to smile.

The wave of force that followed threw Kaelen across the room. He hit the bone wall hard, felt something crack in his ribs, and slid to the floor. Sera was already down, unconscious, her daggers scattered. The guardians had dissolved into harmless smoke. Overthrow- The Demon Queen 1

The queen was laughing.