I abruptly released the barrier and ran up the shore, splashing through the shallow water as I tried to come up with an idea.
The monster crashed after me, carelessly slapping the water with its tail.
It lunged for me, and I created another ward.
“Leila!” Lord Linus shouted.
Skye and Chrysanthe had apparently stopped and gotten off farther down the shore. Indigo, Rigel, Chase, Lord Linus, and—most annoyingly of all—Fell were with them. Eclipse and a few of the other night mares swarmed around the crowd, but the idiots had all apparently decided to risk their necks and stay behind.
“Give it up, Night Queen!” Fell shouted. “Drop it in the human realm!”
Sweat trickled down my back as I held the barrier up. “Words can’t describe how much I’d like it if the Autumn King would be temporarily disposed of,” I snarled.
“Got it,” Indigo shouted.
“What? No—get back!” Fell shouted.
There was a skittering of pebbles, then a metallic clang, followed by a thump.
“Okay, he’s out of it!” Indigo said.
“Perfect—!” I broke off in a shout of surprise when the monster shoved me knee deep into the lake water.
“Solis is on his way!” Chase shouted. “You just need to hold it off until he gets out to his sun stallions and ports in!”
“Yes, that’s great, except I don’t know that light is going to work like we hoped.” I leaned into the ward, the muscles in my arm straining as I clutched the unwieldy staff in my other hand.
It was soannoying! With all of this power at my disposal, you’d think I’d have a fighting chance!
Skye said it amplifies magic, and I should use whatever I’m most confident in.The thought drifted through my brain.Besides wards, what magic am I most confident in?
I gritted my teeth and poured more magic into my ward, making the barrier triple in size.
It smacked into the monster, catching it off guard and pushing it back a few steps.
I dropped the ward, planted the staff in the mucky lake bottom, and reached for the magic I was most confident in—my connection with animals.
Please—help!
Chapter Twenty-Two
Leila
My magic rushed across the Night Realm like a cresting wave as I reached out, searching for anything that could help me.
Please, please, please!I begged my magic.Find someone to help!
HELP WITH WHAT?
I felt the question in my soul rather than heard it with my ears, but the question was said in a rusty, echoing voice that reverberated around my head.
Help me protect them!
Desperate, I glanced at my friends who had gathered on the lake shore.
Whatever I was talking to, I felt its heartbeat—slow, but achinglyloud.
Help me protect everyone!
