But already soldiers and sorcerers turned towards Elias. He cut off his attack on the empress and wove his fingers once more.
The soldiers guarding Gerard dashed forward towards Elias. But Gerard jumped to his feet. He kicked one of them in the back. The man yelled as he stumbled. Gerard kicked him again. The man fell onto his face. Gerard came up and lifted his foot. He stomped on the man’s neck. It crunched.
He turned and knocked another soldier, slamming into him with his full body weight. The man stumbled and turned on Gerard with his spear. The man thrust the spear at Gerard. But Gerard dodged the point.
He lifted his foot, kicking the man’s gut. The man fell to the ground. Gerard kicked the man over and over until he lay motionless on the ground.
Gerard really wished he had use of his hands.
He turned to Elias. The lightning zapped in the air around him. He flung it at soldiers and sorcerers. As it hit, their bodies went rigid. Cries and screams tore from throats. Weapons dropped. People fell, still twitching, to the ground.
However, others remained standing. A group of wind sorcerers flung their fingers at Elias. Elias flew through the air with a shout. He landed with a thud against the stone. He skidded. Even before he’d gotten to his feet, Elias’s fingers wove.
But the wind sorcerers had also begun to weave their magic again, preparing a second attack. With a loud yell, Gerard ran at them, trying to get their attention away from Elias. It seemed to work, as several turned towards him instead.
And that gave Elias the time to cast again. He propelled his hands forward. Lightning exploded and crackled as it hit the wind sorcerers. Lightning zapped between them, tearing through their bodies in flashes. The scent of burned hair and skin wafted in the air as they fell.
But the lightning sorcerers were already casting. Jagged lightning flashed towards Elias.
However, Elias didn’t even look towards them. He just reached out a hand, as if he could sense the lightning. Then,with a wave, the lightning changed trajectories, looping around him.
He flung it straight at the sorcerers who’d cast it. The lightning exploded as it hit them. They screamed and shook and fell.
Breathing heavily, Elias stood in the middle of the tower, bloodied, hair tangled, clothes askew, and his hands still bound. His features set in grim determination. Gerard had never seen the composed and immaculate man so dishevelled.
Magnificent. He’s magnificent.
All Gerard could do was watch and see the power and beauty and chaos of Elias in all his wonderous glory.
The lightning answered Elias’s every command. Enemy and foe ran towards him, whilst others fled down the tower steps in terror. Those who remained Elias felled with a flick of his wrist and a twitch of his fingers.
And maybe Elias had lied. Maybe he’d betrayed Gerard. But in that moment, all Gerard could do was be awed by the lightning prince in his true ferocious brilliance.
This is who he is. This is the real lightning prince. The real Elias.
Then Empress Emmeline, who’d been lying motionless near the edge of the tower, pushed herself to her feet. She breathed heavily, gaze flicking around.
He saw the wordnoappear on her lips. On trembling legs she rose. She reached for the daggers attached to her belt. She pulled one out in her clawed fingers.
She stood directly behind Elias, out of his line of sight.
Her left fingers began to weave. The dagger and her clawed fingers glowed.
Gerard had no ideawhat she was doing. But he knew it wasn’t good. He didn’t give himself time to think. He just ran at full speed towards Empress Emmeline.
Chapter
Sixty-One
With his hands still shackled behind him, Gerard sprinted.
The empress turned away from Elias and towards Gerard. With a cry, she flung her left fingers towards him. The glowing dagger shot straight at him. He sidestepped, trying to dodge. But he wasn’t quick enough. With a whoosh of wind, the dagger sliced his arm.
He grunted. But Gerard didn’t stop; he just kept running.
Already, she reached for another dagger, the final dagger at her waist. Her other fingers wove.
But it was too late. Gerard leaned forward, lowering his shoulder, driving it into her gut.
