From where we stood, I barely heard him. Dae and I straightened but didn’t release each other. We made our way closer to the others.
“Want me to check it out?” Jasper asked.
Dante nodded, staring ahead at the forest that showed no signs of disturbance. The gargoyle took off with notable speed. Dante shifted, angling his wolf ear in one direction, then marginally adjusting to another. He repeated the action, like he couldn’t pinpoint the origin of whatever he searched for.
“What is it?” King Nicholas asked, coming up to his side.
Nervous glances passed between our gathered group. Nora’s daggers remained poised in her grip, and Melody seemed prepared to wield her magic within a moment’s notice, her fingers wiggling loosely at her sides. I reached for the arrows at my back out of instinct, only to realize I hadn’t had my quiver or bow for days.
“I need arrows.” I whipped my head to face Dae, panic flooding my system.
“I’ll get you some.” He was gone before I could blink, those strong legs carrying him with focus and determination toward the loaded wagons full of battle preparations.
“The energy. It’s…shifted.” Dante’s ear twitched, and there was a lilt to his voice like he was questioning his own statement.
“How?” Nora asked with the bold confidence of a queen.
“It used to be this concentrated power, but now it’s gone quiet. I’m sorry if that doesn’t make much sense, it’s hard to put into words.”
I tuned in to the forest around me. He was right, something had changed.
“Maybe they lost it? Or maybe it killed them?” Melody suggested.
“Maybe. It would explain why it feels like a dampening fire,” Dante said.
The minor rumble of shouting voices became a cresting chorus. Soldiers grew frenzied in a wave as a few on horseback galloped along the outskirts toward us from the south.
Nick ran to meet a messenger, and most of us followed.
“Majesty, they’re attacking the flanks,” the man spat out.
“Who?” Nick asked.
“The dark wielders. It’s a slaughter. All of Windguard’s army from the rear is gone. Highcrest and Duski soldiers are falling as we speak.” The man’s dark face was ashen, sweat glistening across his forehead. He’d seen what the dark magic was capable of. Even I hadn’t yet, and seeing this man’s fear hinted that I didn’t want to.
“It’s been minutes,” Nora whispered in disbelief, her weapon filled hands falling slack at her sides.
“They’ve established themselves around the perimeter!” Jasper approached at breakneck speeds, landing with enough force to dent the earth. “They split up, drawing the dark magic around us on both sides. We’re surrounded.”
Terror in its purest form rushed through my body as sure as my blood. Dae returned to my side, empty-handed. “No one would spare them.”
Well that did nothing to make me feel empowered. Surrounded and weaponless. Great.
Sounds of distress grew louder, men and women belting out their war cries. I couldn’t swallow the lump in my throat. “Braxius!”
My not-so-small blue dragon propelled himself from the ground, his wings a thunderous boom as he came to me.
“We’re surrounded and they’re attacking from behind. Take all of your horde and protect the army!”
“On it. DRAGONS, WE’RE SURROUNDED!”
Within a moment, they all took off southward, their shadows crossing the earth as Brax and Tyberius led them to the front lines. Dante followed beneath, racing on all fours, and King Nicholas and Prince Marco rushed behind.
“LOOK!” Melody pointed toward the eastern area of forest. Black veins crawled up tree trunks, spoiling the green leaves that sprouted until they shriveled from decay. A wall of impenetrable, hungry black closing in and devouring life in its path.
Dae shifted beside me. His bones cracked and his skin stretched in a way I hadn’t noticed before. Like this form was ruthless from its very creation. His claws dug into the soft ground, suffering through the change.
“Are you hurting?” I asked, placing a hand on his midnight fur.
