And Keegan was right in the middle of it.
My chest tightened.
He hadn’t looked toward me yet.
He hadn’t looked toward Rendel.
I risked a glance, and Rendel stood a few paces away, silver magic flashing along his hands each time a shadow slipped too close. Every strike was quick and clean, like he’d been doing this longer than any of us.
But he never once looked at Keegan.
Not yet.
My stomach knotted.
If Keegan turned and saw him, really saw him, everything would change in a heartbeat. The shock alone could snap his attention away from the fight.
And the shadows didn’t miss moments like that.
One of them still clung to my shoulder, half-caught in the Hedge magic I’d tried to throw up earlier. Instead of being driven off, it had worked its way through the spell, dark threadsslipping through the vines until the whole bramble wall warped and sagged in places that should have held firm.
Every pulse of the mark made my magic stumble again.
I tightened my grip on my wand and forced the hedge to rise once more.
The vines responded, but sluggishly.
They shot upward in crooked bursts instead of the solid wall I wanted.
“Maeve!” Ardetia called.
“I’ve got it!”
I did not, in fact, have it.
Another shadow dove straight toward Keegan’s back.
“Behind you!” Ardetia shouted as Caleb jumped to block the shadow.
Keegan spun, claws raking through the creature as it lunged. The shadow shredded under the strike and scattered across the ground.
An orc beside him bellowed something approving.
“Good, Wolf!”
Keegan didn’t pause before he launched himself toward another diving shape, his teeth flashing as he tore it apart.
Nova sent another wave of green flame sweeping across the clearing.
“Keep them moving!” she shouted.
Bella shifted low beside her, springing upward to intercept a shadow streaking toward the witches.
The air felt thicker now.
Colder.
The shadows weren’t attacking randomly anymore.
