And then, with a long calm exhale, I let it go.
The ground erupts.
Jagged spears of earth shoot up from the snow, aimed directly at the ogres’ path. The force is immediate, and the ogres scramble to dodge the deadly spikes. But they’re too slow. One of them is impaled, the earth piercing through its thick, meaty body with a sickening crunch. The other roars in fury, losing its momentum, faltering under the sudden assault.
I rise from my crouch, magic still humming in my veins. The other ogres have ceased their battle, their eyes fixated on me—a blend of fear and morbid curiosity etched upon their brutish faces. Then, with a deafening roar that shakes the very mountains, the ogres abandon their fight with my friends. As they charge toward me, the ground trembles beneath their massive feet.
Lifting my palm up in a sweeping motion, I send a fierce gust of wind barreling into the remaining ogres. They stop their charge, lifting their arms to try to block the onslaught of snow and wind.
I walk forward, anger singing in my veins, ready to take on the remaining four ogres. Raiden and Zaria are already engaging one, Valric another, as the two stragglers come for us. Adrenaline sings through me, and I tighten my grip on my sword, my teeth clenched.
Suddenly, my mating bond flares to life, a foreign magic stirring in my blood. My steps falter in the snow as I draw it to the surface, curious. A fiery path of magic trails down my arm, engulfing my sword in flames. I lift it, turning it in my hand.
Did I somehow summon Maxon’s fire, did he open the bond for me, sharing his dragon’s fire?
I don’t have time to think about it as two ogres are on Tristan and Kian, swinging their fists with the fury of a demon. Kian is knocked from his horse and Tristan jumps, launching himself, sword raised at the ogre.
A rush of adrenaline has me running, the ground lifting to meet me, pushing me forward. While the beast is focused on Tristan, I lift my sword, slicing at the backs of his knees. The sword surprisingly cuts clean through the flesh, the ogre instantly falling to the ground. My sword sings, demanding more, the flames burning brighter than before. With a snarl, the ogre rolls over, ready to launch itself at me when Tristan's sword pierces through its chest.
I spin around frantically, searching for Kian. My stomach lurches when I see him pinned beneath the last ogre, its massive body crushing him into the snow. His sword is knocked from his hand, his form struggling against the weight. I falter as I watchhim lose the battle. Panic pounds through me and my vision tunnels, adrenaline surging like wildfire in my veins. Before I even register the movement, I’m closing the distance in a blur. My sword is already raised, and with a scream of raw fury, I drive it into the ogre’s back, straight through its heart.
The beast lets out a guttural roar, its body jerking violently as flames erupt from the wound, consuming it in seconds. I scream again, my anger ripping through the cold, as the ogre’s body rolls off Kian and crumbles, disintegrating into ash and embers.
Panting, I sink to my knees in the snow. My body trembling from the exertion, my sword falls from my grip, the flames extinguished as quickly as they appeared.
The cold snow seeps into my clothes, but I barely notice it. My lungs heave as I try to catch my breath. My pulse is still pounding, the adrenaline refusing to ebb, and I can feel the aftershocks of my magic pulsing beneath my skin.
For a moment, I just kneel here, staring at the ash and the snow, my mind struggling to process what just happened.
The sound of wings flapping overhead pulls me back, and I glance up just in time to see Raiden landing beside me. His wings fold against his back, and the warmth of his presence is a stark contrast to the cold biting at my exposed skin. He kneels next to me, his hand landing gently on my back, a reassuring weight that grounds me.
"Are you okay?" Raiden's voice is low, concerned, but steady.
I nod, unable to speak just yet. My throat is raw from screaming, my pulse still thundering in my ears. I can feel his eyes on me, the heat of his hand spreading through my body, chasing away the lingering cold.
“Kian?” The sound of Zaria’s worried voice has my head snapping up. She’s kneeling in the snow next to Kian, tapping his face lightly, but he remains motionless.
I scramble to my feet, sinking in the snow as I stagger over to him and fall to my knees by his side. His face is paler than normal, and his breathing shallow. I lean over him, cupping his face.
“Kian?”
“Those ogres were ready for war,” Tristan murmurs. “I’ve never seen any behave so bloodthirsty.”
Valric steps up behind me, his shadow falling over me with Nero by his side in human form.
Tears prick my eyes, and I grit my teeth, tasting the salt of frustration on my tongue. My magic is growing again, a heat that feels both familiar and foreign simmering beneath the surface. I command it to spread, to reach out and search for injuries, for anything to mend. I try to summon that same unthinking focus I had with Nova. Back then, I didn’t even notice I was using magic. It was effortless, instinctual—a simple thought transformed into action without hesitation or control.
But this time, it’s different. My mind is too aware, too burdened by doubt and desperation. The warmth in my body pulses, but it doesn’t reach where I need it. The magic feels trapped, stubbornly refusing to move beyond my skin.
“It’s not working,” I mutter, frustration tainting my voice.
“What’s not working?” Zaria lays a hand on my arm.
“I healed Nova after the attack on the way to the Evergreens. Maxon told me to keep it a secret. I just . . . I don’t know how I did it.”
Zaria’s warm brown eyes widen, and she blinks. “You can heal?”
I shrug, looking back down to Kian. “Maybe the first time was a fluke.”
