“Why did that dragon look so—”
“Corrupted?” Lakota finished for me. “Not sure. Left!”
Another gray surged upward, aiming for Lakota’s wing. I thrust out my hands, air tightening like a vise around its throat, and pulled. Its neck snapped midair before the body dropped to the ground. Lakota roared his victory to the skies.
“We have to get to the center courtyard to land. The others will be here soon!” I reminded him.
We pivoted in the air, angling downward toward the largest open courtyard within Mageia’s walls. I hit the ground beforeLakota and took off running, weaving through the crowd of leadership until I reached the center.
Amid the chaos stood War Chief Kalluri and General Wylder locked in a furious debate. Rhodes and Shayde lingered just outside the circle, tense and alert. The clash of battle echoed so loudly through the courtyard that the argument had to be shouted to be heard.
From what I could gather, they were debating the entry of the Hollow’s forces now that Tyria was already at Mageia’s gates.
“They’ll have to fight their way through, Kalluri!” General Wylder bellowed. “Just like the Glade’s groundborne elementals!”
I couldn’t hold back. “Then send more troops to the front lines!” I snapped. “The Key can’t be unveiled if Fallon doesn’t survive long enough to reach the Tomb.”
Then Elias lunged at me, screaming inches from my face, “Can you not unveil it yourself?!”
Before I could react, Rhodes stepped between us, his arm shoving his father back.
My hands trembled, sparks crackling at my fingertips. Fury flared hot in my chest. I clenched my fists to contain it just as Kalluri stepped into view, his expression twisted in confusion and alarm.
“I’ll go,” Shayde announced, already turning on his heel. “Anyone who wants to help win this war—come with me.”
Rhodes and I took off after him, joined by a wave of familiar faces.
“He’s right, Kalluri.”
The voice that once haunted my nightmares brought me to a dead stop. We turned as one to see Captain Thorne striding acrossthe courtyard. He wore full battle armor—no weapons in sight, but his presence was blade enough.
We barely had time to react before General Wylder shouted behind us. “Whose side are you on?!”
The question wasn’t for Thorne. The question aimed squarely at his sons.
Rhodes and Shayde froze mid-step, chests heaving. A beat passed. Then Rhodes whirled and closed the distance between him and his father in three furious strides.
“Aren’t we all supposed to be on the same side of this war, Father?!” he shouted.
Elias Wylder looked as if Rhodes had struck him. His eyes flared with something—shock, maybe. Or rage. Around us, the battlefield noise surged. The hiss of clashing elements, steel against steel. But all I could focus on was the fire now burning in General Wylder’s gray eyes—hotter and darker than I’d ever seen in anyone.
War Chief Kalluri stepped forward, his voice steady amid the chaos. “Take the western wall. Air and Earth, channel up and over. Fire, take flight and guard their descent. General, stay behind.”
I could feel Kalluri’s gaze burning into me, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of a glance. I turned on my heel and walked away without a word.
Around us, the bonded dragons of the fire elementals landed wherever space allowed, wings folding tight as their riders climbed on. Within moments, we were airborne.
From this height, I could see the Hollow’s groundborne forces finally breaking through to the front lines. I relayed the update to Fallon just as Lakota banked hard, angling us toward a small cluster of Tyrian troops advancing along the western border.
Earth elementals descended the castle walls on thick, summoned vines, while air elementals leapt from the parapets, channeling wind to soften their landings. Noemi unleashed a wave of flame on a knot of Tyrian soldiers. She and Rhodes soared upward again, vanishing into the sky. Some Tyrians collapsed instantly, consumed by fire. Others ran, screaming, arms flailing, their bodies engulfed in flames until they finally fell.
Lakota and I raced toward the Hollow as they charged along the outskirts of Tyria’s lines. Drithan swooped low, talons tearing through Tyrian soldiers like blades. Behind us, flames roared—Yorro was close, unleashing fire on the advancing troops while Doryan channeled more fire along the ground.
The Hollow was only feet from colliding with Tyria’s front line.
I summoned every ounce of the air element within me and hurled it forward, blasting back the enemy’s vanguard in a single, sweeping strike. It gave the Hollow the advantage they needed to strike first and strike hard.
The battlefield below writhed like a living tapestry of chaos and valor, where dust and blood mingled with the four elements in tangled, uneven threads as the Hollow forces surged forward.
