“What’s happening? What is it?” My voice is borderline hysterical. Gods, Ifeelborderline hysterical. His screams come to a rapid halt, and his eyes widen as veins bulge on his forehead and throat. He tugs at my shirt, struggling to breathe, looking at me to help him. But I don’t know what’s wrong. I don’t know how to stop his struggle—the pain.
Panicked, I look for help, but Rynthea, Kelrean, and the guards are fighting off assassins. However, standing in the middle of the sloping mountain trail is Maliek with an arm raised and his hand balled into a fist. He squeezes his fist so tight his knuckles are the color of snow.
Algar wheezes, grabbing at his throat. Zephra squeaks as she lands next to Algar’s head with big eyes full of worry.
That blue-eyed fucker is doing this.
“Stop it!” I shout. I hate how useless I feel.
Thane appears at the top of the mountain, stumbling as he takes in the scene. Someone materializes behind him, swinging a sword. He twists around and cuts them down before charging down the mountain and tackling Maliek.
The grip on Algar breaks, and he sucks in a sharp breath, clinging to his neck.
“Algar? Oh my gods. Are you okay?”
“Fuck. No,” he croaks between several coughs. He rolls onto his side to drag in a few more breaths.
“Can you still teleport us over?” I ask, helping him stand up.
He swipes a hand over his nose. “I—I don’t think I can. He nearly crushed my insides.”
“Damn it.”
Anxiety swells in my chest as three more assassins appear at the top of the mountain. Thane and Maliek have tumbled down to where Rynthea and the others are battling. Maliek is on top of Thane, punching him repeatedly with wisps of black shadows surrounding his fists. Thane shoots a hand up and blasts him toward the wall of the mountain. Maliek’s back slams into the jagged rock face before he falls on his stomach.
Struggling to a stand, Thane throws up a hand and sends a wave of gold flames up the mountain. It engulfs the three assassins running toward him. I hear their wails of agony all the way from the bridge.
Thane ispissed.
I can see it on his face, the deep furrow in his brow, the bright flare of his eyes, his tightly clenched fist. All hallmarks of a very angry and very deadly Thane.
Another assassin darts for him, but he twists around, and in one swift motion, he slices all the way up until he’s nearly split them in half.
Two more are fighting Kelrean, who’s now lost both his guards. Kelrean swings his ax and chops one of them clear in half, while Rynthea gives her scythesword a twist and takes the other one’s head off.
All of them are down, Maliek included. Thane is on his way to Maliek again, his sword ready, but he flies backward out of nowhere, flopping on the ground…and that’s when I see more assassins at the top of the mountain. There has to be at least a dozen more of them.
Shit.Maliek came prepared this time.
They storm down the mountain, dodging Thane’s flames and leaping over bulky rocks.
“Zaira! Get across the bridge!” Thane shouts, climbing to his feet.
His voice finally pulls me back to the present. I assist Algar, throwing his arm over my shoulder so we can get moving.
The first step causes the whole bridge to tilt and sway. My heart drops into my stomach. The wood feels brittle beneath my feet. There is no way this thing is going to hold us.
“How fast can you move?” I ask Algar.
“Probably a bit faster.”
“Good.” I pick up the pace.
Algar groans but keeps himself steady. About halfway, I feel the bridge shift like someone else has come on board.
Of course, it’s fucking Maliek.
He grips one side of the rope railing with one hand and uses his other to send a blue beam of light toward us.
