Gideon had gone to Silenus and hacked at the chains holding the king against the wall. Ben darted for Logan and managed to duck as a knife flew through the air.
Where the hell was Koios? Ben couldn’t see him anywhere. He was supposed to be freeing Silenus with Gideon while Phoebe served as their distraction. The plan had been clear. Logan, Phoebe, and Jack would fight while they played savior.
Then Ben caught the slightest bit of movement behind the throne. Koios wasn’t trying to free the king. He was trying to get to Thudlez.
Logan glanced at Ben. He’d seen the same thing Ben had. “Go,” Logan ordered.
Ben charged while Logan fired a few shots from his gun. They bounced off whatever shield the manticore had managed to form around him.
Phoebe spun and spread her wings, shielding herself and Jack from any ricochets. Ben ignored them and charged toward the edge of the dais. He pulled out the metal sheers and slid them across the floor toward Koios. If they could get through the chains, they could get Thudlez out of harm’s way.
The manticore bellowed and a blast of magic flew out. Ben hit the floor and bounced down the steps. He groaned and rolled onto his side. Jack and Phoebe were also on the ground, but the manticore had Ben in his sights.
“No!”
The word held power…and came from a very familiar voice.
Koios moved in front of Ben and faced off against Diekstra one-on-one.
“You do have your magic,” Diekstra yelled. “And I will have it!”
Another blast of magic blinded Ben for a moment, but then all he saw was a shimmering wall of black and silver. Koios knelt in front of Ben with his back to the manticore. His wings had fully extended.
Ben looked up and Koios’s eyes glowed with the same silver and gold rings he’d seen before. The difference was that his wings reflected the same metallic shimmer.
“You shifted,” Ben gasped. “Are you okay? Are you?—”
Koios glanced down and his eyes widened. “I’m…good.”
“We could really use a revised plan about now.”
“I’m working on it.”
But they were out of time.
Ben reached for Koios and touched the metal feathers shielding them from attack. “Trust me?”
Koios glanced down and nodded. “With my life.”
Then Koios spun and dove toward the manticore. Koios used his wing the way Gideon used his sword. He sliced at the magic surrounding Diekstra and the manticore’s shield fell. Koios swung again, spinning Diekstra around as they fought.
Ben leapt to his feet and ran forward as Koios knocked Diekstra backward with a solid blow. He landed against Ben’s chest, but Ben braced himself for impact as he brought one arm around Diekstra’s chest and the other encircled his neck.
Diekstra never saw the feather coming, but Ben knew exactly where to aim. His carotid artery spewed blood as Ben sliced through his neck with the weapon he plucked from Koios’s wing. Ben held Diekstra’s head back and waited until his heart had pumped enough blood out of the wound that he wouldn’t be able to regain consciousness. It only took a few more seconds for Diekstra’s heart to stop beating.
Power exploded from Diekstra, knocking Ben off his feet. He slid across the floor and landed against the wall. All that stolen magic had to go somewhere. Colors flowed out from the body, the same odd red and orange hues they’d seen outside. When it finally stopped, silence filled the throne room.
Koios doubled over with his hands on his knees as their packmates struggled to their feet. Ben stared at his mate, waiting for him to say something. He’d been the only one who kept his feet when the manticore’s magic blasted out of him. Ben struggled to his feet. He had to get to his mate.
“We did it,” Koios gasped.
He straightened and ran for Ben at full speed. Ben caught him and wrapped Koios in his arms. His entire body trembled. Koios squeezed him tight and wrapped his shiny wings around them both.
“You’re okay,” Koios said softly. “We’re all going to be okay.”
“What the hell just happened?” Phoebe bellowed.
Koios looked up at Ben from their private cocoon and smiled.
