Despite the fact this is not the time to be messing around, I can’t help smirking. “Guess you never learned how to swallow, huh?”
He arches a brow at me, his lips twitching, but we’re both distracted when the sound of screams carries on the wind. Clearing his throat, Raith urges Kazer to fly faster, and when we exit the cloud cover, my heart almost stops as all amusement drains from my face. At least another half a dozen Xalgrith warriors are in the sky, flying amongst the students who are scattered across the horizon.
One of the scaly beasts snaps at a smaller bear animali, swallowing its head whole. The student screams, but their cries are cut off as the Xalgrith warrior plunges his sword into her chest, and she falls from his blade, spiraling toward the ground.
No.My heart thunders in my ears as I witness more students fall.
Raith lets out a monstrous cry, and the scattered animali turn, listening to his call. They veer off, angling toward the ground at frightening speeds, heading for the safety of the academy barrier. The students cry out as they desperately hold on, knowing that if they lose their holds, they’ll die.
A Xalgrith’s beast closes in on Ian, but his animali swerves to the side and they only just manage to miss the creature’s jaws.
Down. Down. The group soars lower.
The students’ animali dart and weave as the Xalgrith chase them, the Xalgrith’s larger creatures beating their wings and snapping at the animali with their powerful jaws. A creatureappears above us, talons outstretched as the creature attempts to pluck me from Kazer’s back.
I scream andKazer drops suddenly, the talons barely missing my head. I’m showered with more blood, and I peer up as the Xalgrith is hurtled from his creature, and the strange dragon-beast is beheaded by a man on a winged bull animali.Ambrose.The original gives me a grim smile as two more large animali soar from the clouds behind us, and the originals, Germain and Virelle, also come into view fully dressed in battle armor. The powerful warriors join the fray, and shadows explode in the sky.
Far below, I spot Thane flying on Rinoc, along with Galen and Knox who are also on their beasts. They shepherd the students toward the academy, spreading out to guide them.
“Shade?”Galen’s panicked voice reaches my ears. There aren’t any nicknames this time.
“I’m fine,”I whisper back, though I am definitelynotokay.
The battle rages as the originals fight the Xalgrith, and some of the students who are straggling at the back of the group fall from their animali, caught in the fray.
Three more Xalgrith appear, flying toward us, and my heart stutters. “Raith!” I yell.
His shadows twist in the air around us, his features morphing as his inner beast fights for control.
“Do you trust me, sunshine?” he asks, his gruff voice more monster than man.
“Yes,” I rush out, though my throat is choked with fear.
“Good girl,” he rumbles, and he tosses me from Kazer’s back.
Chapter Twenty-Four
~ Shade ~
The chill air whistles by my ears, and I scream as I tumble toward the ground below. Above me, the battle rages, and a student named Rezamine, is attacked by a Xalgrith. Shortly after, she hurtles toward the ground, passing me, and still seated on her animali. Rezamine and her animali are both dead, Rezamine’s lifeless fingers still tangled in her animali’s thick hair that’s slick with blood, and I turn away from the gruesome sight as they careen toward the ground below us.
Come on magic!I hiss internally, panic surging through my system.Power builds in my chest, and my shadows spring from me. They curl around my body, curving through the wind, but they don’t slow my fall.
I didn’t think this was how I would die. I thought I had at least until the games started. Not that it matters, in hindsight, because I’m sure no one is ever ready to die, but Ireallydon’t feel ready.
I squeeze my eyes shut, thinking of the flow of power coming from my ring. I needmore.More power if I’m going to survive this. More if I’m going to?—
Oof!Strong arms and shadows band around me, and I yank my eyes open to see Galen’s lips curve up as he smiles down at me. The light catches his snow-white hair, and I gasp from where I’m now positioned in front of him on Arizak’s back.
“Galen?” I croak.
“Good to see you in one piece, treasure,” he drawls.
“Get her back behind the barrier!” Thane shouts from atop Rinoc not far away. “Knox, we have to get the rest of the students to safety!”
Blinking, I turn my head to where Knox is atop Bonfang a little further on my other side, the wolf’s powerful wings flapping as the animali hovers in the air. Knox’s dark gaze settles onto me before he turns away, following Thane into the sky.
Galen directs Arizak toward the academy, and it’s not long until the stallion is landing on a grassy area beside the forest. In one easy motion, Galen jumps from Arizak’s back, carrying me and placing me on my feet.
