Pleasure washes over me, soothing the aching exhaustion for a moment. But without the insistent need to keep feeling that pleasure, I manage to cut my magic off before I can drain myself completely. Leaving the final thread, I keep that flame of pain in the soldier’s chest while Draven spins back around. His massive sword flashes through the air and cuts the soldier’s head off.
Lyra speeds through the air, heading straight for Gremar. Dragon fire roars from her jaws while Alistair shoots another torrent of his own fire at the red dragon. Gremar bellows in fury as he is forced to dive in order to escape the attacks. But Lyra and Alistair don’t give him even a second to recover. Flying after him, she breathes fire at him again while Alistair throws fireballs towards his wings.
Steel flashes in the corner of my eye.
Gasping, I whirl around and yank my dagger up. But it’s already too late. A sword slams towards my neck.
Right before it can hit, Draven’s huge sword smacks into it with such force that the enemy blade cracks. I ram my dagger into the side of the soldier’s neck while his sword is stuck on Draven’s. Wet gurgles escape his lips as I yank the blade back out while Draven kicks his body aside.
Battle cries echo from the other Silver Clan soldiers as they suddenly surge forward in one massive charge straight at us.
Draven curses under his breath and summons his storm magic again. Wind and rain and lightning crash over the soldiers, shoving sections of them aside. But the others slam right into us. I shove my magic into their chests in rapid bursts. First flaring their fear. Then panic. Then confusion. One emotion after theother until they stumble and hesitate, not being able to make sense of their own feelings. Draven plows into them with his sword while lightning flashes through the air, keeping the others at bay.
My knees almost buckle and my entire body shakes with exhaustion, but I keep pace with Draven as we force our way deeper into the rows of enemies. Gritting my teeth, I shove my magic into them to keep the ones behind us from attacking Draven while his attention is on the soldiers before us.
I will protect him. I will watch his back even if it kills me. Because he is mine. And no one fucking touches what’s mine.
“Kill him!” a soldier suddenly bellows from the back of the crowd. “Take out Draven Ryat first!”
Silver armor gleams in the red afternoon light as the entire horde of soldiers suddenly whirls towards us. Abandoning their efforts to get to Rin, they scream as they all charge towards us instead.
Lightning crackles across Draven’s muscular body as he spreads his arms wide, his massive, bloodstained sword in one hand. Black clouds billow out around him like a rippling cloak.
The soldiers barrel towards us but fear washes over their features as they stare at the Shadow of Death before them.
Storm winds crash into them as Draven throws his magic right into their charging ranks. I slam my magic into their chests, blowing their fear into wildfire. The world around me sways as my energy drains further with every passing second. Twisting and slashing, Draven keeps the soldiers away from me as the first rows reach us. Lightning splits the air, and they scream as they fall. But more soldiers keep surging forward.
Drawing on all my strength, I shove bursts of magic at them. Pain. Panic. Fear. Exhaustion. Soldier after soldier drops. My legs shake with exhaustion, but the enemies just keep coming.
“Ryat!” Rin Tanaka yells across the crowd.
Then the horde of soldiers reaches us.
Streaks of black shoot through the air and crash into the ranks of soldiers right before they can smack into us. I gasp, stumbling back in shock as massive black panthers leap through the air and slam straight into our enemies.
They scream in panic as the panthers claw at their faces and sink their teeth into every bit of exposed flesh.
Dragging in a deep breath, I stagger upright and whip my head around to find Diana Artemisia charging forward with her sword raised. A horde of black panthers follows her like a rippling sea.
Draven draws in a shuddering breath of relief. Blood runs down his imposing sword and stains his hands red. He rakes one of them through his hair anyway, pushing it out of his face before falling into a battle stance again.
As soon as Diana reaches him, we sprint forward together.
Cries of panic echo across the red-stained grass as the panthers Diana has summoned with her clan magic tear through the rows of enemies. Draven’s storm magic slams into them from the other side while he and Diana shear through them with their swords. Gripping my dagger tightly, I watch Draven’s back as we make our way towards Rin at the center.
A screech of agony splits the air.
While still fighting back-to-back with Draven, I whip my gaze up towards the sky.
Gremar Fireclaw roars in pain as a fireball burns a huge hole in his left wing. His lava shield falters for a second. Alistair attacks.
With a scream that seems dragged from the bottom of his soul, Alistair stands up on Lyra’s back and shoves both palms towards Gremar. Magic, boosted by Lyra’s through their union bond, explodes across the heavens.
I gasp in shock as a torrent of fire so wide that it blocks out the sky bursts from Alistair’s palms.
It slams into Gremar before he can recover his lava shield.
Screaming for death and fury until his voice echoes between the mountains around us, Alistair pours every drop of magic into that one massive attack.
