“Again, Kyla!” Savine shouted above the chaos of the battle in front of him. On his command, Kyla released another wave of her essence against the barraging forces. The streaming light that poured from Kyla was blinding. It shot toward the sky like a dozen writhing snakes. When her essence struck the Hylaxes, they once again filled the sky with writhing terror before they fell to the ground. The Hylaxes hit the ground with a sickening crunch.
Savine knew better than to believe that crunch killed the Hylaxes. These warriors were born to withstand falls. They could splatter to the ground and rise to attack minutes later. Their essence was a gift of exceptionally fast healing, especially for healing broken bones. It rippled through them and allowed the legion to rise from hard falls from the sky. So Savine attacked with his magic. Thorns sliced through the enemy, spearing them to the hard dirt of the valley floor.
Kyla and Savine continued their assault using their essence until both of them felt the strain of using too much power at one time. Before the effects of overusing their essence could take hold, Savine ordered Kyla to switch to their swords. She made no argument as she drew her sword.
The attack seemed to be quelled in some sense. The immediate risk of danger seemed to fade as Savine and Kyla took in the surroundingcarnage. Trees continued to rip, break, and smash the loyalists and grounded Hylaxes. Only a few Hylaxes buzzed in the sky above, and they seemed to be depleted on arrows.
His own warriors looked exhausted. Many worked to move the injured up the mountainside near the forest where Avery now rested. Good. The trees would provide safety for not only Avery, but also other injured and exhausted warriors.
As he glanced to the mountainside, he could make out Bayberries climbing down the ridge. Riggins and Po, despite their eight-centuries old bodies, led the charge. Savine felt his heart tighten with pride. The Bayberries, despite no experience as warriors, would risk their lives for his cause. He never asked such a thing of them, but here they were, ready to die by his side to protect their homes.
Savine let out a war cry, rallying his warriors. They responded, echoing back his cry as they began the final push to victory. All around him, his warriors dug in deep to charge forward against the dwindling enemy.
What followed the cry of his warriors turned his blood to ice. The telltale sound of the Nepheli war horn descended on the valley.
Screams of terror beat off the mountainside as Savine’s worst fears came to life. Nepheli warriors descended through the cloud-heavy sky and flew directly to the sentinel of trees, guarding Avery.
At the front of their army was a golden-winged man with skin that shimmered gold. The man who destroyed him in a prison cell so long ago. Rylo, King of Nephel.
Chapter forty
Avery
Avery didn’t know what was more surprising—seeing Susan crest the ridge and make her way down to Avery’s side, or seeing Riggins and Po lead a charge of Bayberries to the battlefield. Hyacinth approached behind Susan, her color draining as she assessed Avery’s body.
Hyacinth clucked like a mother hen over her state before she began her verbal tirade. “Child! You look like you are suffering from burning your magic out! What nonsense is this? Did Savine let you fight? I’ll wring his careless neck!”
“I wasn’t fighting,” Avery interrupted. “I healed the forest, using the magic within Aeritis. I can’t even tell you how I conjured it up. Then I healed the wounded.” The words came out slowly, methodically, as Avery grunted with an effort to speak. Her skull felt like it was cracking in two. Her body was bone weary.
Despite her pain, she felt relieved to be surrounded by good people as she recovered. The threat of the battle was less urgent, even from above it was clear that victory was near.
Susan and Hyacinth’s eyes grew wider, and both women kneeled beside her.
“Deep magic, that’s what you drew upon,” Hyacinth said, shaking her head. “It’s dangerous stuff. No fae can reach it with their essence, although some have managed to do so by harnessing it through avessel. There’s even rumored to be an ancient set of vessels. Relics really from The Cleaving.”
Rue kneeled beside Avery. She nodded up to Weston, a silent signal that put him on double watch. Avery didn’t protest as Rue began sharing their experience. Avery was more than happy to have someone else do the speaking. “Savine used her as a vessel. I don’t think he even knew he was doing it, but he did. I watched it happen. They brought the entire valley’s trees back to life. Then somehow, I don’t really understand it, but Savine wore the gilded cedar boughs on his head. He awoke the trees, and the elk responded to his call too. Look at the valley. They’re still fighting on our side.”
“That foolish boy! He used Avery as a vessel? He could have easily killed her! When I said vessel, I meant an object that was used to harness and store the deep magic. Those vessels, now mostly stolen or lost in history, are sacred to our people. Only the witches had the skill to make them. I did not mean that a vessel is a living, breathing person!” Hyacinth began shaking her head and tutting with her tongue before carrying on, “Men. Never using their brains. I’m sure he was so power-hungry he didn’t even realize the danger he placed Avery in. However, returning the trees to life has come in handy in this battle.”
Rue pointed down the valley to the trees that continued to battle the enemies. “And these trees are guarding Avery,” Rue said, pointing to the thicket that surrounded them.
“Yes, I figured as much. We had an Abyss-damned time getting through. There’s a barrier of trees along the entire ridge. It took a mighty lot of convincing from Riggins to get past,” Hyacinth said. “But enough of all this jabbering. We have people to heal. We couldn’t leave the rebels without our care. Although, keeping up with the elk is hard to do on bare feet!” Hyacinth raised her calloused, dirty feet intothe air and wiggled her toes. Her wrinkled face lit up with an impish smirk.
Avery let out a shallow laugh. Immediately, her head hammered in a shock of agony, and the laugh died on her lips.
Her body still fought the urgent tug to be close to Savine, too. The constant tug against her bones and skin became more challenging to resist. It must have been an aftershock of the deep magic she’d funneled into him, connecting them on a physical level.
Susan reached out her hand and touched Avery’s arm. “I’m so glad you are safe. When we get back to Bayberry, we’re going straight to the library to find out about the deep pool of magic you accessed. I wonder if you can do it safely? Or maybe we can both draw that magic up if there are two witches working together.”
Of course, Susan was always ready to turn her attention to researching a mysterious branch of magic. How else could she have become such a skilled witch on her own?
“I’m curious too. But for now, I just need to sleep. I think I could sleep for days,” Avery replied. Her lightheadedness returned, and she felt the urgent need to close her eyes.
“Oh, dear child, that’s the burnout. You very well might sleep for days. Even a week isn’t unheard of. Let me get you a tea to help your head,” Hyacinth said, fussing over Avery as she dug in her many pockets. “Susan, dear, a flame please? For the kettle.”
Although Avery’s eyes were half closed, she saw Susan ignite a crackling fire a safe distance from the trees. Within ten minutes, Susan helped Avery to a sitting position. Hyacinth brought Avery a cup of murky tea, brimmed full of dubious contents.
“Drink it down! I can see you’ve got the headache to follow using such magic, and I’ll not allow you to suffer another minute,” Hyacinth said.
