I tossed Rhyan over my shoulder and I leapt onto the bench, climbing up to the next row, grunting with exertion. And then I laid him down and withdrew my sword, placing it in his shaking hands.
“I’m going to stop the threat,” I said. “Wait for me.” I pulled his fingers around the hilt. “Rhyan, you still know what to do with this! Use it.”
Then I leapt down to the first row and ran for the akadim. With a cry I jumped into the air, my feet kicking its chest. I launched myself back, just barely landing on my feet and brandished my sword. I could feel the pop of the protective dome ending, and a sudden feeling of whiplash and exhaustion. TheRakashonimwas starting to burn through me. I’d already used more than I ever had. And I wouldn’t last much longer.
I spun on my heels and my sword sliced through the akadim’s arm.
He spat, and I drew my arm back ready to wield again. I feinted and then slashed, hitting the same spot. These beasts were smaller than the ones I was used to, but their skin was just as tough, their muscles just as thick.
He started to walk back, his red eyes boring into me. For a second, my vision blurred, and it looked like there were two of them. But then it righted itself. Only I stumbled again, the sword in my hand suddenly feeling heavy. The akadim ran and tackled me to the ground, his claws around my neck.
I screamed, feeling his nails digging into my skin, my air cut off.
I kicked and twisted my hips, but I wasn’t getting anywhere. Suddenly, he stood, still choking me, and held me up, my feet dangling on the ground. I couldn’t fight back. Couldn’t do anything.
He leapt over the gate onto the field, running with me as I kicked and punched his hands, desperately trying to get him off me. I closed my eyes, drawing on my energy and kicked. It was enough. He released me.
Another akadim came. I spat, both hands on my sword, and I ran him through. Another was nearby, ripping open the tunic of a mage. I raced for them, screaming, and managed to cut off its arm, and then I pulled my blade back, and took off its head.
More soturi were on the field now, fighting the akadim. The demons at last were beginning to retreat.
I saw the silhouette of Aemon leaving the field, the remaining demons marching behind him.
Alarms were ringing everywhere now. Warning bell on top of warning bell. But I could only assume the retreat meant one thing.
Morgana had succeeded. The vorakh had been freed.
My chest heaved, and my knees buckled, as I dropped my sword, the tip of the blade pushing into the ground. I leaned on the hilt, seeing stars, my vision darkening. There was a fire in my chest. Too much power. Too much. I was too weak. Too spent. TheRakashonimwas taking its toll.
I fell to my knees.
But Rhyan was in the stands and he was waiting for me. And with everything happening, we had an opening. We could get out. I would recover, and I would heal him, and I’d find a way to restore his magic.
Thinking of him, of my love, and all we’d promised, all we had to look forward to, I got back on my feet, and I ran for the stands, my arms pumping furiously. I reached for the wall, and hoisted myself up. And then again onto the benches.
“Rhyan!” I yelled, climbing up the next row. My feet slammed down, and I reached automatically for him.
But he wasn’t there.
His blood smeared the white stone. And my cloak covered in his fluids was on the floor.
I grabbed it, my hands trembling. Underneath the cloth was the sword I’d left him.
“Rhyan!” I screamed. “RHYAN!” I picked up the sword, and climbed to the next set of benches and the next. I raced down the row, and then back, climbing the next and the next, and then I ran down again, my eyes searching, moving rapidly to every seat, every inch of floor space, every possible corner he could be tucked into.
“RHYAN!” I jumped back over the wall and into the arena. My heart hammered, the panic at full throttle now. Where was he? Where the fuck was he? “RHYAN!”
Mercurial appeared on the opposite side of the arena, leaning casually against the wall of the stadium. His body was blue. But for once, he wasn’t fully human. Instead of his beautiful face with his feline features and long hair, he had the head of a falcon.
Something shifted inside me. A memory. His old form. He used to appear that way. Popping in and out, always with the head of a falcon. I gasped, feeling a punch to my gut. Andsuddenly, I saw an ancient temple in ruins. And Auriel, weak and fighting against Kane. Not Kane. Shiviel.
And then my heart cracked, and my vision went blank, pushing me from the memory, back into the arena.
Mercurial watched me curiously, his falcon head snaking side to side as he stretched his neck.
Lost your lover?His voice purred into my mind.
Where is he?I demanded. I kept running. He had to be near. “RHYAN!”
