He turned his back to me, forming a portal on their magicked prison. It was the last thing I saw before a sharp pain lanced through my body. I clawed at my ear, my throat. Pain blinded me. I collapsed, my body seizing in response. A scream tore through my lungs, emptying me of all thought.
Then everything faded to soothing black.
Chapter Seventeen
THE GENERAL
The unmistakable remnants of death magic lingered on the bark. I peered closer. The residue gave the impression of obsidian granules, as if someone took the black stone and ground it in a mortar and pestle.
I cracked my neck.
I continued searching for any other signs of the scaled demons—drekis. Our turned spies alerted us to most of their missions, particularly those involving movement in our realm. I didn’t expect to find any lurking about today, but evidence of char left me on alert.
The reptiles reeked of death magic—broken magic that leaches life. The kind of magic birthed from their dark king and bestowed to his dreki—his convoluted attempt at creating his version of Primes. TheGoodKing. I scoffed to myself, and a puff of shadow expelled from my knuckles.
We were amassing a plan that would take him out, but I hadn’t figured out a way to make it to the Nereids. I sighed. Deep down, I really felt the only way to rid the world of King Nolan was to find a cure, but the Nereids were the next logical step. Another problem for another day.
There would be an end to death magic, according to the oracles, but I had no way of knowing if it would be in my lifetime. Regardless, it didn’t stop me from planning and plotting, doing everything in my power to preserve Aphellion, and the greater realms.
I may not currently be powerful enough to destroy death magic completely, but I knew well how to disrupt plans and, at the very least, be a pain in Nolan’s ass. I chuckled at the thought. If that were to be my legacy, it wouldn’t be the worst thing.
I resumed scanning my surroundings, my senses heightened, as I sent my magic out in waves to explore and assess.
My horse grunted, the ground shaking much more aggressively than normal for having a land wielder nearby. A faint scream sliced through the trees. Everything sharpened. I bolted toward the source of the sound.
A gentle ripple tugged against my shadows. Internally, I heard the distress call. Xuri. Had she encountered a dreki? My blood simmered in my veins, a slumbering viper awakening, poised to unleash.
I raced through the dimly lit woods on my horse, narrowly avoiding the whip of low hanging branches. Xuri’s call grew louder as I zeroed in on her location.
Beyond the trees, I glimpsed their group in a deceivingly peaceful meadow. Wildflowers swayed indolently in the breeze, even as the land yielded destruction. Dust suspended in a silently hovering cloud around them. Broken earth, jutting rocks, and a chasm that surrounded a small plot of dismembered land, left the field in disarray. Char appeared to float on the swirling breeze, yet no threat presented itself.
I swiftly dismounted, then ran toward Xuri. She held a petite woman covered in blood. Her chest rose and fell in shallow pants. The ground around them darkened as if a bucket of water had been poured out.
I regarded the woman, who was impossibly too familiar, her white hair almost lavender near the roots in the shade of the meadow. Her limp body retained an aura of strength despite her obviously unconscious state.
I stalled at the realization that Xuri held Ruin. My memory of our interactions painted her in bold colors. Seeing her like this, weakened and vulnerable, unnerved me. Her wavy hair fanned out along the wadded-up cloak her head rested upon, soaking up rivulets of blood. Her delicate face contorted in pain, the column of her neck slick with crimson.
My shadows swirled around me in restless agitation. They waited to defend or destroy, calculating, gathering minute details to make sense of the scene before me.
My gaze shifted to Xuri. Urgency lashed from her sharp caramel gaze as she held the woman in her lap.
Xuri’s students stood by, awaiting direction from either myself or their revered teacher. Ruin bled copiously, the metallic smell filling my nostrils. As I absorbed the scene, I sensed the remnants of dark magic seeping out of her. Char flowed alongside her lifeblood.
My stomach clenched, unsettled. I had never seen that before. I furrowed my brow as I peered at Xuri. She shook her head as if to answer my unspoken question. She didn’t know what was happening either. She spoke softly into my mind as only a Prime Oracle could,“Death Magic.”Alarm flared.
Sonora squatted nearby. She embraced a stricken Korin. “Her name is Rue,” she offered. “Korin had invited her to join us this morning. She fended off two dreki attempting to attack us.” Her voice faltered with her final report. “They seemed intent on getting to Korin. Rue used water magic to protect us.” Her countenance hardened as she relayed the chain of events. She darkened further recounting the dreki’s interest in Korin. My metal rings flared.
“You must take her to the healer immediately. She will die soon if we don’t.” Xuri extended her arms, barely lifting Rue’s torso.
I hesitated. She had been hunting Korin and lured the dreki to our realm. Saving her seemed like the clearest form of stupidity. But Ruin had also protected Korin. I couldn’t make sense of it.
Korin trembled, her voice squeaking through her shock. “We have to help her.”
My lips pursed in a thin line. I better not regret this. I extended my arms toward Rue.
Her lips parted in a feeble groan, and I swiftly channeled my magic to staunch the flow of blood around her face. My shadows skimmed across her waxen skin to find any other wounds. The simple ministrations wouldn’t be enough if she was to survive. I could clot some of it, but it was like her body was trying to forcefully expel the death magic’s toxin, hindering my efforts.
With Xuri’s help, we lifted her onto my horse. After settling her in my lap, we sped through the city of Lyrae toward the rebellion’s warded camp. I gently clutched Rue’s limp and fading body, hoping she would survive this nightmare. Not only for her sake, but I hadmanyquestions.
