“And Ender will be yours.” David took a step closer, and so did my dad.
My hand shot up, using air magic to force my dad back. I pulled my hand to my chest, unsure if that had been for his protection or if it was to keep him away from David. The internal, intrusive thoughts were running rampant again.
“What. Did. You. Do. To. Me?” I ground out at David, this time taking a step toward him.
“Our training sessions proved quite beneficial, along with the dark grimoire.” He eyed Chaos.
“He’s been feeding you dark magic, Selene.” Ender’s hard voice rose across the front lawn as he and Priscilla approached. “Whenever he touched you and whenever you touched the dark grimoire, he fed you his dark magic. It’s what he did to me during our training match.”
I thought of that match and how Ender had lost control in a way that wasn’t like him.
“Almost an accurate assumption, but what I did to you was slightly different.” David raised his chin, holding Ender’s glare. “I fed you dark illusions and emotions. I only transferred my dark magic to my consort.”
“But… you helped kill the dark mage who attacked the academy?” I glared at him, confusion causing my ears to ring.
He had been a friend.
“They were from a different clan.” He shrugged. “I had just given them some guidance to find you, confident it would help advance things and remove a nemesis of our clan, and aided by addingDemonherrats into the equation.”
A bone-popping sound came from my hand and I glanced down. I had pulled my pointer finger out of the socket with my thumb. My jaw set, and I set my finger back in place with my opposing hand and spared a glance at Viv, still crouched by April’s body. Her gaze pierced David with a promise of harm.
“I’m not sure how you evaded or broke through the enchantments,” he glanced between my dad and Priscilla, “but I must say, it is not surprising in the least. You have managed to hide your family from me, John. For an inadequate level of a mage, I wouldn’t classify you as subpar.”
Now he was insulting my dad while also complimenting him.
Ender left the support of Priscilla and began heading in my direction, his gaze on David. Each step he took, I could feel mymagic drawn to him. It wasn’t the warm and fuzzy feeling I often felt when he was near, but it was a power hungry, all-consuming, visceral sensation beckoning me to consume his potent magic.
“Ender…” I shook my head at him, unable to move. “Please don’t.”
His head cocked to the side.
“No, Ender. Please do,” David sneered, his eyes lighting with excitement, as if he knew the insatiable hunger I felt. “Do you see her obsidian eyes? She’s begging you to come closer.”
My eyes were black?
Dark-cloaked figures emerged from around us,Demonherrats with glowing red eyes trailing them. I counted at least five dark mages andDemonherrats. Each dark mage wore the mark of their clan on their palm.
“This morning’s events were supposed to have run smoother, but one can never be ill-prepared.” David nodded at his small dark army. “Casualties, I see. I had felt them.” He looked at one of the advancing dark mages, who nodded in return. “It appears Miss Lee had benefited your academy after all. It brings the odds down a couple dark mages.”
“Miss Lee?” Ender glanced at Priscilla, his brows furrowing.
Priscilla gave him a short nod. “We’ll discuss it later.”
David laughed. “That discussion won’t happen.”
Then the pandemonium started.
David strode toward me as the other dark mages and rats lunged toward my family. Chaos charged at David, and a powerful burst of magic flew at the little dragon. The magic surged around Chaos as if he had an invisible shield, but his claws found purchase in David’s chest. They fell to the ground and the dagger in David’s hand tumbled to the grass.
“Selene!” Ender reached me, his hands resting on my shoulders. His face was bruised and covered in dry blood, and I had never seen his hazel eyes so entirely dark grey. “Hey,” hesaid, his voice soft. He gently brushed my cheek with his hand, and my eyes shuttered. His hand radiated with energy, and all I had to do was wrap my hand around his and his power would be mine.
Vivian screamed and my eyes shot open. ADemonherrat circled her, its dark, suction-cupped tongue retreating after a missed strike. My dad was at her side in seconds, a lighter in hand. Fire shot from his hand in a burning torrent at the rat, causing it to back away with a hiss.
Priscilla was already in combat with two dark mages, and a rat chomped at Chaos’s tail, giving David enough time to reach the dagger. The same dark mage and severalDemonherrats closed in on Ender and me.
My heart palpations rattled inside my head and the edges of my vision darkened. Prickly, searing heat radiated through my nerves and veins. I covered my head with my arms, the pulsing inside feeling like my head was going to explode. Breathing became a chore, as if my lungs couldn’t get enough air, and I was entirely too aware of Ender’s presence.
Ender. My soul-bound.
