I glared at her, hate rolling off of me in waves, but the Darkness was retreating, driven back by either my fear or the hopelessness of the situation.We were outnumbered andChassinahad at least a thousand years of experience on me. I couldn’t call the Dark in the best of times. There was no way I was going to take on an ancient Champion and six of her guards. AndZya, no matter how good she was with her dagger, wasn’t going to help. So the Dark retreated, as if to save itself, to spare itself this. But before it disappeared entirely, it became a voice, almost like my own but different somehow.
Come, it called to anyone who would listen.Help.
There was a moment of silence before, to my astonishment, a response.
Coming.
Wings rustled above us, sending the leaves on the trees above swirling away and leaving us exposed to the sky. Chassina looked up, worry creasing her brow as she took a tentative step back. Her men went with her, dragging Kane along, blade still poised at his throat. Her concern turned to hatred as Rainier dismounted hisZver, boots squelching in the mud before him. Of his six original riders, only two were at his side. I wondered briefly what happened to the others. Were they in battle somewhere else? Had they fallen? Were they even alive? Then I saw Hugh still choking on his own blood, and I didn’t care anymore.
“Chass,” Rainier growled the familiar nickname with all the pleasantry of old schoolyard rivals meeting up again after years apart.
“Rainier,” Chassina spat, dark eyes blazing.
“Am I finally going to get to kill you after all these years?” Rainier asked, drawing his sword.
I inched toward Hugh. Chassina and her warriors had their eyes settled firmly on Rainier and his Zver. They'd forgotten about us entirely, having decided Rainier was the bigger threat. I slid forward slowly so as not to draw their attention. Zya noticed and, catching my eye, gave me an encouraging nod. Her grip around her dagger tightened but she, otherwise, didn't move a muscle. Kane was breathing heavily. His eyes were wide and frantic as tears spilled down his cheeks. He stared at Hugh who was making gurgling noises now.
“Tell me, how is Harlowe?” Chassina asked. She tried to make her tone mocking but I could hear the sincerity in it all the same. She genuinely wanted to know. "I'd love to bring news back to Alosia."
“Come and find out.”
Chassinascoffed and then struck, faster than I could have imagined, faster than anyone without the Blessings could haveeven seen. But Rainier had the Blessings too, so their blades met, sending sparks throughout the clearing, illuminating every tree and stone each time they clashed together. Rainier’s men hovered at the edge of their fight.Chassina’sstepped forward as well, reaching for the swords hung at their sides. All of them were powerless to help. And none of them were paying attention to anything other than the two ancient heroes fighting before them.
I'd made it to Hugh. I knelt quietly on the grass, making sure not to knock into any stones that might make noise. Chassina's soldiers had drifted farther away, closer to the the fight. The one who held Kane had dragged him along as well. Keeping one eye on them, I pressed my palms to Hugh's chest. Forcing myself to stay calm and breathe, I met his wide eyes before I began knitting him back together.
Once I felt his heartbeat grow stronger, once I noticed the blood spurting from his neck had slowed to a trickle, I looked up atZyaand nodded. She understood, slipping away just as I did, but toward the enemy this time.
I remained rooted to my spot, fearing that any movement from me would draw the eye of one ofChassina’smen. I was, after all, their intended target. So I kept my hands against Hugh's chest, pumping healing magic into him for as long as my body had the strength to do so. His hand gripped my wrist, lips moving but no sound coming out. I understood anyway and nodded at his gratitude. Then I lifted my gaze to the brawling heroes asZyasneakedacross the clearing to the man holding Kane. She'd just raised her dagger to strike when he whirled, knocking it out of her hand with his own.
“Sneaky bitch,” he growled, throwing Kane down and advancing upon her.
“No!” I screamed, unable to help myself.
The fighting ceased. Everyone turned to see what I was shouting about as the man raised his dagger aboveZyawho he'd backed against a boulder. I couldn't move. My hands were fused to Hugh's chest, healing his fatal wound. Frantic, I reached for the dark, hoping it could reach Zya where I could not.
One moment, the soldier's hand was plunging down toward my friend's chest, the next his neck exploded in a spray of blood and viscera that had him falling into the dirt an instant later.
An arrow protruded from his throat.
Gryfonstepped from the tree line beyond the clearing, lowering a bow, lips set in a grim line as he glared at Chassina and her men who were now surrounded. More of his warriors emerged from the shadows and Rainier grinned broadly, tightening his grip on the sword in his hand.
“You,”Gryfongrowled, eyes narrowing at the woman before him.
“Traitor,” she spat, the word vicious and brutal.
Before anyone could say another word, she flicked her wrist and a dagger went spinning forGryfon’ heart. My body reacted before my mind, a dark plume of smoke shooting from my chest to engulf her blade. The dagger burst apart, shards of steel shooting throughout the clearing and sending everyone running for cover. I slumped forward, hands slipping from Hugh's bloody chest. The shadows soared back into my body, feeding me with their returned energy, but it wasn't enough. That little burst of magic, combined with the healing I'd been using on Hugh, had drained me.
When I finally managed to raise my head again, I found Chassina wasn’t disappointed that her blow hadn’t landed. Instead, she was smiling.
“So youdohave it,” she said, happily. “Thank you very much for the verification, Third Ringer. At least this trip hasn’t been totally wasted.”
Then, with one final grin, she shot up into the sky, flying away on nothing but the wind and vanishing in an instant. I gaped up at the sky where she'd been a moment before. She couldfly? Could I do that?
“Are you alright?” a familiar voice asked.
I looked back to findGryfonat my side, probing me for injuries while his eyes met mine.
“I’m fine,” I replied, peering past him to where Rainier andGryfon’s own men were takingChassina’smen’s spears from them and casting them in chains. “I’m—”
