I tilt my head back in confusion. Standing before me is an enormous creature with bluish skin, imposing horns, and charredclothing. Its looming hand hangs in the air, casting a shadow over me. Before I have a chance to react, it comes crashing down, sending me hurtling across the uneven cobblestone road. My sword falls from my grasp, the breath knocked out of me. The impact sends a searing pain through my head, like a hot knife slicing through my skull. With a groan escaping my lips, I gently extend my hand to feel the warm, sticky blood trickling from the new gash on my forehead. Just great.
Despite the shock, I gather my strength and slowly stand, my legs wobbling as I cling to a planter box for support. A hiss emanates from my left, and I catch sight of a sinister black smoke weaving its way through the street, heading directly for me. I glance back at the beast that knocked me into next week only to see Raiden engaged in a fierce battle with it.
With a flick of my wrist, vines burst from the ground, snaking their way around the monstrous creature's wrists and ankles, immobilizing it.
I know I only need conscious thought to get them to act, but I squeeze my fists anyway, making the vines tighten their grip, trying to hold it down. With a thunderous roar, it forcefully tears through the vines, breaking them into pieces. Damn it!
“Everly! Maxon is near the south gates, at the wharf. GO!” Raiden bellows.
I nod, knowing Raiden will fight better if I’m out of the way. I draw in a deep breath, and sprint toward the south gate, my heart pounding so hard I can feel it pulsing in my fingertips.
A howl sounds from my left before Nymeria and Anika burst out of a small alley, moving to flank me. Their white coats are now covered in a blackish red liquid, probably blood.
“It’s so good to see you two,” I whisper through harsh breaths.
Arriving at the south gate, I draw to a stop, hands on my hips, chest heaving. With Nymeria and Anika at my side, I feel more alive than I ever have before. I can sense Maxon down the bond. He is not hurt and is drawing nearer. There are fae fighting in the streets everywhere I turn.
In the midst of this chaos, I glimpse Maxon engaging in a fierce battle with several deadlings at the end of the street where the gates to the wharf are. And for the first time since this horrible ordeal began, a weight lifts from my shoulders as relief settles in. He’s okay.
As I look around, my eyes land on a cluster of children gathered beneath a cart. I sprint over, with Nymeria and Anika close behind, their paws pounding against the ground. My heart races as I kneel down and come face-to-face with multiple pairs of glowing yellow eyes, their tiny frames shaking with fear. Shifters.
“I know you're all scared, but you need to get to the safety of the castle. The way should be clear.”
It looks like we’re driving the deadlings back.
The children huddle closer together beneath the cart, shaking their heads in fear. My heart races. I know they are scared, but it’s crucial for them to reach the castle. Nymeria exhales impatiently, her paw scraping the ground.
I lock eyes with her. “Can you carry these kids to safety on your backs?”
Both wolves nod simultaneously, their eyes glinting with understanding.
My fingers grip the wood, and I lean back down. “Let’s go. My wolves will take you to the castle, where you can find your parents. If you stay here, you’ll be in danger.”
The four little shifters exchange glances, then cautiously emerge from beneath the cart. I release a deep breath, a wave of relief washing over me, as I extend my hand to help them up. Their small hands slip into mine, and I can't help but feel a surge of protectiveness. Carefully, I lift each one of them up onto Nymeria and Anika’s backs.
“Keep them safe.”
Nymeria and Anika both bow their heads in understanding, and I watch them leave.
I hear a roar that sounds like my name. My stomach twists like someone wringing out a wet towel. Amidst the chaotic scene at the gates, my eyes lock onto Maxon’s. His burning like embers, piercing and deadly. As he strides toward me, a nearby building erupts in a violent explosion. I instinctively duck, shielding my head from the onslaught of flying debris. The air is filled with the acrid scent of smoke, mingling with the metallic taste of fear in my mouth. As I rise to my feet, panting heavily, my ears still ringing, a dense cloud of smoke and rubble obscures my vision. Suddenly, a dark mass crashes into me, engulfing me in complete darkness.
Chapter fifty-four
Everly
Ihit the stone ground with a force that makes my teeth smash together. Shit, that hurt. Every bone in my body aches, as I lie here stunned, blinking up at the sky. A loud hiss escapes from between my clenched teeth when I manage to push myself up from the ground. My breaths came out in ragged gasps, harsh and shallow. I think I may have fractured or broken some ribs. Holding an arm under my breasts, my heart pounding in my chest, I survey my surroundings. Where am I? How far have I been carried?
Pacing directly ahead of me is the gigantic black wolf with the crimson eyes that gleam in the black depths. I grip my dagger tighter in my hand, holding it in front of me. If I die, I die fighting. Even though the Shadoweaver wants me, no one specified if that was dead or alive. Either way, I am not about to make it easy.
An eerie chuckle rings through the empty street, but my attention remains fixed on the red eyes before me. The beast disperses, smoke twists and twirls, transforming into a solid form, leaving my mouth agape. With her pale white skin contrasting with the thick black bands wrapped around her throat, the wolf had shifted into a woman. The wind tousles her long black hair, creating a mesmerizing, billowing effect. Clad in a white silk kimono adorned with red flowers, her arms and chest smeared in blood, she grips tightly in her left hand a katana. My throat tightens as our eyes lock once more, and I swallow awkwardly. The intensity of her glowing red eyes captivates me, while her malicious smirk sends a chilling shiver down my spine.
“I can see you shaking like a leaf from here, princess,” the woman taunts, tilting her head in a predatory way.
“What are you doing here?” I’m proud that my voice doesn’t tremble.
The woman brings her arm to her mouth, a sly grin forming as she licks the blood from her arm and tastes it.
I scowl, narrowing my eyes on her. She’s taunting me.
