A sudden flare of hot air shimmered and coasted around Leya in a haze. With her eyes shut, she wouldn’t know what was happening as she tried to channel his power to move the cage. Her body trembled. Dammit, she was too vulnerable, too close to the edge. One mishap, and she could fall into the abyss!
“Leya, get back!” He tried to get through the wards and grab her, and he hit the fucking barrier again, the magic scorching his hands. “We’ll find another way—”
A jerk at the core of him halted his words. The haze around him took on the iridescent colors of flames. A powerful wave shot out of him.
Aerén planted his booted feet on the granite ground so he didn’t fall on his ass with the power zipping through him, then he stared in disbelief as his female rose above the ground and over the burning gorge, with nothing but his siphoned power holding her above it.
As she ascended higher and higher, bits of snow settled over her hair.
He tried to block the terror gripping him, but gods, if she let go, he would lose her forever.
Not fucking happening!
He let his shields drop completely, letting her channel his power and feel his absolute love, his sheer awe of her.
In a wave of pixelated silver and blue energy, his signature essence sparkled, merging with hues of amber and gold—hers. Her effervescent life force curled around his and shot across the divide toward the cage. It wrapped around the bars and slowly moved it across the vast chasm toward them.
By the dark stars!She did it—
A roar echoed in the distance.“You dare take what belongs to me?”
“No!” Her body bowed, and she groaned. The cage rattled and stopped.
Leya jolted and coughed, one hand clutching her throat as if it hurt.
“Leya, don’t let go of my power!” Aerén yelled, scanning for the source of the roar. The damn sorcerer! Had to be.
A fuzzy, shapeless shimmer took shape some distance from Leya, hovering in the air.“I will rip your soul from you, human!”
“C’mon, baby, take from me what you need. Let’s do this!” Aerén hoped to the heavens she could hear him—
A cacophony erupted like dozens of shrieking vermin let loose. He spun around. Rebels tumbled through a portal. Arrows rained toward him. Damn bastard!
Terror for Leya snagged him. He couldn’t afford to let his connection with her snap. It would be disastrous. He ducked behind a massive stalagmite, cursing the fuckers. He had never felt this powerless in his life except when his sister had died, and his parents vanished.
But he’d left Leya an open target.
Fuck this!
He sprang forward, leaped on one of the vermin, grabbed thecaenis’sword, and swung, slicing open his carotid. Blood sprayed. Yeah, he might not be able to use his own powers, but he sure as hell could still fucking fight and kill!
More rebels crowded him as he cleaved a bloody, gory path through them while keeping an eye on Leya. An arrow hissed past her, but another caught her in her leg, and she jerked.
No!
She growled and glanced back. Her gaze locked on his. Her one hand, visibly crackling with power, remained locked on the cage, and she flung out her other one—
Aerén leaped over the circling vultures and landed on a rock out of the way. Knew what was coming. He’d used the same ability many times.
The sizzling bolts of his elemental power left Leya, lassoing the rebels rushing them.
Shrieks exploded. They erupted into flames, turning to ash within seconds.
His heart pounded with disbelief.
She’d paid attention when he used his power?
Then she flung a bolt where the sorcerer hovered high above, scattering his molecules.
