A choking sensation tightened around her throat, and she instinctively clawed at it, eyes flying wildly through the melee of supernatural bodies to find her attacker.
A witch with dark curls. Niamh broke her hold and sent her flying into another witch so hard, their heads whacked together, knocking them out.
Pulling witches and warlocks off werewolves with her fae powers, dousing wolves who had been set on fire, rescuing others being crushed by rings of air and water, Niamh became the ultimate target. Magic whipped and sliced and attempted to crush her. Exhaustion pulled at that golden spirit inside her as she attempted to defend not only herself but others, all on a path to Astra.
A streak of powerful magic blasted past her shields, and Niamh felt an invisible vise wrap around her ribs, trying to crush her. She fell to her knees, gasping in agony as a witch and two warlocks clasping bloodied hands approached with madness in their eyes. There was a blur of movement and then huge jaws clamped the top of the middle warlock’s head. In a gory scene Niamh would never forget, the man’s head was torn from his body and tossed aside with a throw of Kiyo’s jaws.
The crushing sensation eased as Niamhtraveledbehind the witch to snap her neck, and Kiyo ended the other warlock. Blood coated his dark fur and large white teeth, his eyes wild with his fear for her. Niamh smoothed a hand over her mate’s head, and his ears twitched as he bussed into her.
“Thank you, my love,” she whispered hoarsely before they turned to survey the scene. The grass was muddied with bloodand pieces of supernaturals. Insides spilled onto the ground. Moans and whimpers and cries filled the air. All beyond the sight or hearing of the humans beyond Astra’s barrier. Niamh’s unshed tears burned as she took in the unseeing eyes of the dead strewn upon the battlefield.
Her gaze flew to Astra, who was fighting off Fionn and Rose. She swiped a blade over Rose’s arm before disappearing. Thea and Conall had joined Elijah and Echo in battle. Echo was trying to guard Odette and Elijah’s parents, but a warlock had broken past their defenses.
Niamh pulled on her magic to protect them.
But it was too late.
Bill Webb jumped in front of his wife and the child under their protection. The warlock ended his life with a swipe of his hand. A line of blood appeared across Bill’s neck. Wide-eyed, he slumped to his knees, clutching his throat.
“No!” Niamh screamed as memories of her beloved brother Ronan’s death at the hands of another coven slammed through her mind. A golden light blasted out of her, targeting the warlock.
He burst into a cloud of ash.
But it was too late.
Elijah’s father lay upon the ground,gone, as his wife sobbed over his body.
Astra.
Niamh searched the battleground and found her swiping the same blade she’d taken to Rose over the back of Elijah’s neck. Just a nick before she again disappeared. Niamh looked to Thea, Thea who believed she was no longer fae. Sure enough, Astra appeared in front of Thea, causing the wolf to rear back and bare her teeth. Astra dragged the blade across Thea’s side. The female alpha growled and swiped a paw, catching Astra’s leg before the fae disappeared.
Niamh braced.
Astra appeared right in front of her.
Magic tingled at Niamh’s fingertips and the weight of the weapon filled her palm. Lethargy washed over her, but Niamh fought through it. She couldn’t kill Astra like other faes. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t weaken her with iron. The iron blade had a thick leather handle to protect Niamh’s skin.
She slashed the blade across Astra’s face before Astra could nick her with her own weapon. The redheaded fae cried out in disbelief, clutching her bleeding cheek. Betrayal lit her aqua eyes. In her madness, she still somehow thought she and Niamh were meant to be. Two halves of the same coin.
“I am nothing like you,” Niamh hissed and rammed the iron blade into Astra’s heart. “It might not kill you, but it fucking hurts.” She twisted the knife.
Astra gaped, falling to her knees with a choking sound. With one last wide-eyed look she slashed out with her dagger, catching Niamh’s forearm. Then she disappeared.
Dismay thickened Niamh’s throat. But she’d known this could happen.
That it most likely would happen this way.
Even as Niamh ran toward the standing stones, crying out for her fae brethren to follow her, Astra reappeared in the middle of them. With a shriek of pure fury, she held out the blood-tipped dagger and slammed it into the earth beneath her feet.
Fionn dove at her, rolling her out of the circle.
Yet Niamh knew it was too late.
A crack. Like the loudest thunder she’d ever heard.
It boomed across Arthur’s Seat, shaking the rock beneath them. The fighting supernaturals cried out and all turned to watch as their dimension split open. A ball of fiery golden-red light appeared in the center of the stones.
Then like bolts of lightning, the golden-red light splintered, a streak attaching to each of the standing stones.
