Icould protect them.
Without realizing it, as we neared the doors of the throne room, I had begun to build up a barrier. Asecondbarrier, within the first, within the one that held the fog away, high above this cursed mountain.
“Protect them all,” I rasped, feeling my pain heighten. The price was higher now. Because the power wasmore.
It nearly brought me to my knees. I trembled underneath the weight of that pain but I could not fall. Iwouldnot.
When we reached the throne room, I saw Jos and Kyl slumped in the doorway. Valavik stepped over them without a second glance. And so did I. I could not waste another moment.
Even before I stepped inside, I unleashed the barrier. I could sense Wrune near. I swore I could hear his heartbeat. I could hear dozens and dozens of hearts beating, both Dakkariandhuman.
And when I stumbled into the throne room and cast my gaze wide, I strengthened my barrier, running it along the walls. I saw Tess, I saw Jacques, Kaila, Hassan. I saw Benn, though I could not hear his heart. Others among the villagers were alive, but they had slipped into unconsciousness. Like Farah, whose hand Hassan scrambled for, even though they’d fallen into a heap. Like Emmi, who Kaila had gathered close to her.
And Tess. Her wide eyes were on me. So familiar and yet, even under the tumultuous pain, I felt stronger than she was. She looked broken. A shell of who she’d been. Like me. Like how I’d been. Surviving one day into the next.
I pushed my barrier over them, quick and so fast that I saw Tess’ hair blow back from the wave of it. And to my right…
Wrune.
His red eyes fastened to me. His left arm was hanging, the bone snapped clean. Blood dripped down his side. Beyond him, hisdarukkarshad risen, though most were nursing similar injuries. Two warriors had not risen, knocked unconscious from the tumble.
“Morakkari,” came Wrune’s guttural rasp.
Relief spread through me once they were all encased under my protection.
“Nothing can touch you now,sailon,” I told him.
Even still, nothing woulddaretouch him.
In that moment, I realized I would sacrifice anything for him. He’d talked of love once and I’d been afraid. But I didn’t feel afraid any longer.
I feltstrong.
When my eyes caught on thesarkias, my gaze was dragged like a magnet to the one I knew I felt the energy emanating from. She looked even younger than me. Thin and bony. Her black blood dripped. Her lips were painted gold, though it had smeared along her cheek. Her claws were encased in crusted blood.
She’d been born with power too.
Only, I didn’t think she’d ever heard the voices of Kakkari.
I didn’t think she’d everansweredto them.
Next to her, I spied thedarukkarsthat had been taken, including Hukri’s mate. In a flash, I whipped out the barrier, encasing them fully at her feet. I pulled, bringing them away.
Thesarkiashissed and made a mad scramble for them but when they struck my barrier, it flung them away, the force of which surprised even me. Again and again, they clawed at it, striking, scrabbling like ravenous beasts.
With one final tug, I shot the unconsciousdarukkarsacross the throne room and laid them gently at the feet of their warrior brothers.
Only three. Where was the fourth?
Wrune’s sword rang as he whipped it up.
“Who are you?” came the voice. Soft and rasping. Familiar.
My gaze landed on the owner of the voice.
TheSetava Terun.
“Don’t you recognize me?” I asked, though my voice sounded far, far away. A moment later, my gaze strayed to her side. A Dakkari female lay to her left. And on the other side of her…my breath hitched when I saw the fourthdarukkar, and my chest ached where his own had been torn open.
