A storm of rage spun down the bond from my caeluma, and the heat of the emotion snapped me out of shock.
Where are the others?I asked frantically.We need to find the others!
Lyvia, Raek, and Astraeus are with Tiberius.Drystan is getting Marian out—Aquila’s voice cut off, and a wave of fear raced down our connection.
What is it?
It’s Nishanth, he said, his wings flaring abruptly to the side as he banked.
My stomach jumped into my throat at the movement.
More pixies?I asked, steeling myself as I tunneled my focus into razor-sharp precision as I prepared for another fight.
Ayla is burning.
The cityI was born in crumbled beneath the very fire that lived within me. Flames engulfed the tree-sung houses that bordered the central avenue. Horror sliced through my veins, and my own flames shuddered in response to the destruction their kin wreaked upon our homeland.
There had to be a skydrake nearby.
We banked over the river, and Isla’s petite frame came into view beside Khato. The ancient master of spells looked small and frail beneath his soaked robes. The two of them worked tirelessly, sending streams of water from the river into theunyielding inferno. I searched for the remaining mystics and mages, catching sight of none. Had that many perished in the pixie attack?
Crystal blue light sparkled before us, and we raced over a blood-soaked Selvina, kneeling over the body of an elven child. Her light enveloped the young elf, healing the burns. Selvina stood, moving to the next, not looking up as I sent a wave of awareness toward her. Her shoulders sagged in exhaustion as she poured her energy and her power into healing as many as she could. Her crystal blue light disappeared as we raced over the city, searching for the source of flames.
A group of soldiers and War Slayers raced through the streets, grabbing civilians and pulling them into smoky alleys, away from the flames. A warrior broke free, and my heart lurched as Vulcan leaped over a pyre and into a burning house. Aquila spotted him the same moment and dove.
I jumped off Aquila’s back, ducking into a hard roll against the hot stones of the road, before hopping to my feet. Vulcan’s blistering face appeared in the doorway a moment later with his arm wrapped around a young woman. His eyes were wide as they met mine.
“Two more!” he hacked through the smoke.
I surged into the flames. The Soleia power ignited as I stepped into the burning home, lining my skin with its own protection as I searched. Smoke snaked up my nostrils, but the familiar burn simply melted into my own flames.
Two young women, sisters by their looks, lay unmoving on the floor. My heart ached at the sight, and I scooped the two of them up. Their nightdresses were singed, and blisters covered their arms.
I sprang out of the house to find Lyvia’s brother waiting for me with wide eyes. Aeriden took one of the sisters, and we flew through the burning streets.
“Where do we take them?” he shouted through the chaos. A large burn blistered across his chest, the fabric of his shirt torn and singed. Blood matted against his black hair. My blood pounded as I scanned the city.
Our buildings were all crafted with stone and living trees. The vines and branches cracked as the fire ripped through them, sending the stones and boulders tumbling to the ground, crushing anyone within.
“Out of the city,” I breathed as we ran. An unsettling wave of guilt hit me as we raced through the streets. The flames licking through the city were too close to my own, and I couldn’t do anything to stop them.
I leaped over a charred elven body. The stench of burning flesh rose in a coppery, acrid musk. My eyes lingered on the corpse a moment too long, and I nearly slammed into Aeriden as we rounded the corner.
The unconscious elf remained in his arms, but his shoulders had sagged as he stared up. White flames reflected in his eyes as his mouth hung open. I followed his gaze, and my heart stopped as it landed on the Living Library.
A soft sob choked up my throat as brilliant white flames spiraled around the outside of the massive tree. Its long branches swiped helplessly in defense, the fire catching on its beautiful, iridescent leaves.
Devastation hollowed out my chest, and my knees wobbled. The flames in my veins winked out as I realized there was no skydrake here. These were our flames…my flames. Soleia power spun around the massive tree, its bark blackening as those sparkling leaves turned to ash one by one.
Aeriden shouted my name, but I was lost—lost in the horror wrought by the powers we inherited.
A fiery branch broke free as the Living Library failed to swat the flames away, and a body slammed into mine as it crasheddown from above. The unconscious elf flew from my arms, and my head slammed to the ground.
Kresida growled my name as she hauled me to my feet, pointing past the flaming library and to where Aeriden ran ahead of us. She scooped up the young elf, looking back at me once more before she hurried after Aeriden into the shadows beyond.
I stared at them, blinking as two golden orbs materialized in the shadows of the trees. A moment later, another set appeared, and I got to my feet.
The Living Library was…dying. I cast to Aquila, and a shared wave of pain drenched the tiny spark that remained.
