He let all his power flow from him into them, burning them up. His legs shook as his magic flowed, until he was sure they were dead. Then he stopped. He dropped his hands. His half-siblings and the other sorcerers collapsed on the ground as the lightning exited their bodies.
Elias swallowed. He took deep, gasping breaths. He swayed and closed his eyes. He’d used so much energytonight. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep fighting.
The wind stirred around him. His eyes snapped open as he lifted his hands, ready to fight again. But it was Gerard landing beside him. He looked over Elias.
“I’m fine.” Elias was wounded, sore, and exhausted beyond belief. But he was fine. He placed a hand on Gerard’s body.
Gerard turned to his father. The king hunched, naked on the ground. Elias staggered over to him.
“Your Majesty!” Elias gripped his shoulders and helped him stand. The king wobbled. Elias led him to Gerard, who lay waiting on the ground.
“Climb up, Your Majesty.”
The king climbed into the harness, his movements shaky.
Elias got in behind him. Thankfully the harness had been designed to hold up to three people. He strapped both of them in. It did not go unnoticed to Elias that the king had yet to speak.
What was that magic that had hit him? What did it do to him? Elias had never seen that strange pale light before. Could it have belonged to those robed figures?
“We’re ready!” Elias yelled.
Gerard took to the skies. They flew straight towards the monastery. But as they flew, Elias spotted the three strange robed and masked figures amongst the trees.
It’s them.
Elias sat up. He lifted his hands and signed, dragging up the last dregs of the magic still in his body. He gritted his teeth. He screamed as he flicked his fingers down. Lightning zigzagged. It struck them.
Elias did not wish to kill them. They needed to beinterrogated. After all, he did not know who they were or what their part was in all this plotting.
But Elias and Gerard had to get the king to the monastery. Saving him was their top priority. And he did not want these people getting away or attacking anyone else.
So Elias pulled on every last drop of energy he had left. He let it all flow and watched them collapse. But still, he kept pouring out his lightning, until he felt like he would pass out, until he was certain they were dead.
We’ll collect their bodies. Hopefully we can learn something from their corpses.
Elias closed his eyes as they flew. He sagged in the harness, the exhaustion too much.
In a handful of minutes, they landed in the courtyard at the White Monastery. A crowd had gathered. Elias had never seen the courtyard so full. But the dignitaries, nobles, ambassadors, and everyone else edged back, giving Gerard space to land.
Gerard’s siblings ran towards them.
But Elias’s gaze fixed on one specific individual amongst the crowd. “Grand Healer!” Elias shouted. “The king needs your help!”
Chapter
Sixty-Three
Elias undid the straps holding him and the king in place.
“Father, what happened?” Konrad asked. When the king didn’t respond, Konrad frowned and looked at Elias.
“There was an attack.” Elias climbed down from Gerard’s back. “Your father was injured.” He held out his hand to the king.
The king took it and descended. He still did not speak.
A servant brought a robe that fit the king properly. Senta removed Elias’s ill-fitting coat and replaced it with the robe. The grand healer stepped towards King Alaric and gazed into his face.
“He was hit by … strange magic, and he fell from the sky,” Elias said.
