My blood froze. No. Not him.
The false king’s imprisoned dragon had returned to the Fallen Trials. And this time…
He played for the wrong team.Bloody traitor.
Victor raised his glowing palms, snarling, “Let the games begin.”
Chapter Thirty-One
THORNE
The musclesin my wings burned. Each thrust drove me faster than I’d flown in years. Serafina and I had flown all day and into the night without stopping. I hadn’t pushed my body to this degree since I woke on the floor of a tavern, gutted by the news that Pyrrhus had fallen.
Because of Alaric,I thought, teeth grinding hard enough to fracture stone.
Carcerem took shape on the horizon, caged by craggy rock and turbulent sky.
“Look. Over there.” Sera leaned low over my neck and thrust her arm forward.
The walls of the colosseum burned. Eager flames formed a fiery crown upon the earth. Sparks darted to neighboring houses, setting thatched roofs aflame. Smoke coiled through streets filled with panicked villagers.
“Do you think—”
“Alaric,”I growled.
“And there, in the field outsidethe castle walls.”
Not far from the colosseum, menacing images skulked across the landscape—bony spines hunched, limbs scrabbling the ground. My ears rang with the clang of metal, throaty battle cries, and bellows of pain. Ash floated in the wind, filling my nostrils.
“It’s The Dark One’s army. We’re too late,” Serafina cried. “The city is lost.”
“As long as the sacred arbor survives, there is hope. Slyborn Castle was built on solid stone. The wendigos will find it difficult to infiltrate. We must end this battle before they get inside.”The Dark One would not destroy Carcerem as he had Pyrrhus.
“Did you see that flash of magic?”
I narrowed my eyes. Two glittering fighters defended the main road to the castle.“It’s the king and queen, Victor and Runa.”Side by side, they held off a wave of snarling monsters, hurling balls of energy at their targets. Their once fine clothing was scorched and stained with blood, the queen’s dress little more than ragged scraps.
“They’re losing ground.”
“Once I get you to safety, I’ll circle back to them.”
“Oh, no, you don’t. I’m here to help.” The flash of Serafina’s glowing palm flickered in the corner of my eye.
The hell she would. I knew all too well the destruction The Dark One could wreak. I’d not risk losing her as I had Pyrrhus. This time, I wouldn’t survive.“Absolutely not. I—”
A black mass launched out of the clouds, slamming into me. Oxygen exploded from my lungs, my ribs cracking.
Sera hurled off my back. Her scream ripped straight through my heart.
“Sera!”
“Hello, Brother,”Alaric’s teeth snapped before my face. We tumbled tooth over tail.
Stars streaked through my vision, followed by the ground. Stars. Ground.
Terror seared my nerve endings.
Serafina. I had to catch her.
