I killed him.
He’s dead. And I’m…frozen.
The weapon falls. My hands shake.
No.
I will not die. I willnotdie today.
I reach for my sword, preparing myself for another attack.
“I’m coming for you, Fire Wielder,”Nyxa says, her voice urgent, strained and worried all at the same time.
But it doesn’t matter, she’ll never reach me in time. It’s not possible.
Suddenly, I feel someone at my back, I whirl around with every intention of gliding my blade straight across his throat, but stop short when I see that it’s Jax, with Theo plunging a dagger into the chest of one of the guards only ten feet away.
“What are youdoing?”I say frantically, needing him to get out of here, needing him to survive. “You can’t interfere with the trial!”
“This isn’t a trial. It’s a bloodbath,” he grunts in return, his strong arms driving his blade into the guard I hadn’t even noticed.
“This is your father’s doing?” I ask.
He nods. “He’s afraid I’ll tell you the truth.”
“The truth? Whattruth?”
But before he can respond, more guards descend upon us.
And together, with Theo to the left of us and fucking Char to the right, the four of us cut our way through the pack. But there’s still too many of them, and with both Jax and I unable to command the elements, there’s no way we’re making it out of this alive.
“I’m almost there,”Nyxa says, her words penetrating my thoughts, battling with the sounds of people screaming out their final breaths.
How the hell is that even possible? The walk would take—
“When did I ever say I was walking?”She chuckles, the sound a shock to my system, mixing with the scent of death and blood.
But it doesn’t matter.
Even if she does manage to make it in time, even if she is able to connect to the flames, bend them to her will, there arehundredsof guards, and she won’t be able to take them all on by herself.
“Do not doubt what I am capable of.”
With my back to Jax, my blade finds its next target, making sure each strike lands in a spot that won’t allow them to get back up.
More guards emerge from the tunnels.So many tunnels.
“I’m here,”Nyxa says, the relief in her voice washing over me. My eyes scan the edge of the arena, but I don’t see her. Just the guards. Nothing but guards.
“Where?” I scream, desperation thick in my voice. Becausefuck,I can’t keep going for much longer. None of us can.
“Look up.”
A tingling sensation takes over my entire body, starting at my fingertips and racing to my core. The air shifts, the heat of the sun disappearing as a massive shadow stretches across the ground, blocking out the light. I hear a low, rhythmic whoosh, the unmistakable sound of beatingwings.
Look…up…
And I do.
