I kicked wildly, and then froze as something bright red pierced through his chest.
The shard.
Auriel had caught up to us.
The akadim dropped me at once, and I scrambled back to my feet, trying to grab the swords. But I couldn’t do more than wrap my fingers around the hilt. I couldn’t lift them. My arms were too cut up. And then with my adrenaline slowing, the full force of my injuries came on me. I couldn’t control my fingers. I was going numb.
The blade vanished from his chest, as Auriel pulled it out.
The demon collapsed.
“Wait!” I yelled. Auriel was already rushing around, gathering my weapons.
“Meka, we need to go! Now!”
“But the blade! It went through his chest. What if he turns back? What if he’s cured?”
Auriel shook his head. “We don’t have time! We don’t have time to find out!” Auriel had strapped every weapon to himself, his eyes widening. “Fuck! You’re hurt! Again.” He hoisted me into his arms.
“Auriel, wait!”
“Lyriana,” he growled, “we have to go. More are coming!” But our akadim was still alive. Still breathing.
I twisted out of his hold, running back to the akadim.
“Do you know Rhyan?” I shouted again, on the verge of hysteria.
“LYRIANA!” Auriel grabbed me, and was running now, back to the woodland. One ashvan remained, kicking at the suntree he was tied to, angry and scared.
The akadim laughed cruelly.
And I tried one more time. “RHYAN HART!”
“Not Rhyan Hart,” the akadim said, a sadistic grin spreading across his face. “Arkturion Rhyan.”
“Arkturion?” I asked. “Auriel put me down!”
“No!” he said, his voice low.
Because over my shoulder, a new horde of akadim had appeared. Collared. Unfamiliar. Blood was dripping from their mouths, and had been splashed across their tunics. Whoever they’d fought had lost. And now they were running toward us.
We reached the woodland, and Auriel hoisted me onto the ashvan, quickly cutting the rope. A second later he climbed up behind me, wrapping one arm tightly around my waist, and the other he used to reach forward for the reins.
“Vra!” he commanded, and the horse, more than ready to run away from the chaos, took off. His hooves stamped through the woodland, swerving around the trees.
“Shit! Shit,” Auriel hissed. “They’re coming after us. We need to get into the sky, or we’re dead.Volara,” he roared. “Fly! Fly!”
The ashvan raced faster and faster until I caught the hint of blue lights sparking under its hooves. I felt it rear back, its front legs lifting and kicking out, and then we were flying, lifting off the ground. I stared down, numb. The demons had reached the woodland.
But there was only one I cared about. The one Auriel had stabbed. His glowing red eyes were still visible in the dark. He was still alive. Still an akadim.
He hadn’t been cured. He hadn’t changed. He’d been stabbed with the red shard. With the shard that was meant to cure him. But it hadn’t worked.
My heart sank.
There was a logical explanation. There had to be. Like maybe because Auriel had wielded the blade, and not me. Therefore,the shard was incomplete—missing the light I carried inside. Or maybe it was because he’d missed the heart.
When we found Rhyan, I’d be the one to stab him. I’d have the sword, and my light. I wouldn’t miss. It would work. He’d be cured.
