Recognition flares in his eyes, and a cruel grin spreads across his face. “Oh, I am definitely getting promoted for cutting you down,” he snarls before charging at me.
I lift my scythe to meet his sword, but before we connect, a scorching fireball shoots past my ear and slams into him. The guard flies backward, screaming as the flames engulf him. Whirling around, I find Varian swaggering up the hall, smirking.
“I can fight!” I yell, as another explosion somewhere ahead shakes the corridor. I run to follow it.
Varian jogs at my side, and his curious gaze locks on my scythe before quickly scanning my body. A slow,appreciative grin spreads across his face. “I’m sure you can. But you’re also the chosen one, and that means–” another guard appears and he casually blasts him, “you need to be protected.”
I’m forced to skid to a stop to avoid colliding with the flaming body. Before I can skirt around Varian, he backs up a step and waves me forward with all the flourish of a Victorian gentleman.
He gives me the same playful grin, and it feels jarring, considering the circumstances.
I frown back. “Worry about yourself.”
My words are met with a deep laugh, and I roll my eyes. Varian doesn’t leave my side.
By the time we reach the main hall, total pandemonium has broken out. Prisoners and guards fight all around us, but my focus jumps to the handful of men wearing purple cloaks – Council mages.
“The mages, Varian! Take down the mages!” I yell as I run into the fray.
I head for the area where the fighting is thickest, letting Cassandra’s memories guide me as I cut through a sea of armor. The floors are slick from blood, but I push forward, aiming for a mage not far ahead. Magic sparks against his cloak as another prisoner unsuccessfully tries to attack him.
The mage gives a sinister smile before raising a hand. Invisible magic pulses, and the prisoner is blasted into a marble column.
“Hey, you, Merlin cosplay!” I yell, trying to distract him before he can do more damage.
The mage’s hood falls from his head as he turns toward me, and his eyes widen like he’s seen a ghost.
He’s staring at my scythe.
“No…” he starts, staggering a step back. “It cannot be. I must alert Need.”
He darts toward the door, joining the crush of soldiers that are now scrambling to flee.
I chase after him, wondering why everyone is suddenly trying to get outside. But my confusion only lasts a second before I notice the heat that’s starting to envelop the room.
Guards look over their shoulders at something behind me as they scream in terror. A deafening roar shakes the floor, and I turn just in time to see why they’re running.
A massive black dragon stands in the center of the hall. It fills half the room, and its onyx scales glow faintly orange as it exhales a stream of fire at the escaping guards.
They go up in flames, but the dragon jolts as a blast of magic hits it from behind. Letting out an indignant roar, it turns toward a group of mages huddled together. It lets loose another surge of fire, only to meet a protective shield.
I’m about to jump in when the shield crumples under the inferno. My brow lifts, impressed.
The dragon keeps breathing fire, even as its amber eyes find mine.
They’re the same shade as Varian’s.
My expression must give me away, because the massive beastwinksat me.
The mages’ agonized screams pull me from my shock, and I turn back to the exit doors. Unfortunately,I don’t look away quickly enough to miss the way the mages’ skin is starting to melt off their faces.
Fantastic. That’s going to haunt me forever.
It takes me a minute to climb over the charred bodies, and a glimpse of scorched purple fabric reminds me that the mage recognized my borrowed weapon.
Unease builds in my gut, and I pull back my Reaper powers. If the scythe is important, I’d rather that Need doesn’t know I have it – not when there are so many other weapons available.
The scythe vanishes, and I pick up a discarded sword off the ground instead. The handle is still warm.
