Daegan doesn’t waste any time.
With everyone else to our right, he has a clear path to set the two monsters ablaze. Along with Gaethri, who’s dying a slow and painful death already.
I look away at the last second. I can’t do it.
I feel the heat of Daegan’s fire, and it shocks me back into motion. I glance over at Meela, Rhydra, and Raef, who are all working together to take one last monster down.
It turns away from them as if about to run, then pauses, locking its large, unnerving yellow eyes on me.
And then it pounces.
With a battle cry tearing out of me, I summon every last bit of magic and strength I have into a jagged ice spear and hurl it into its chest, screaming like I never have before.
The monster freezes on the spot. Black, gooey blood leaks out of the wound as Raef runs up behind it and stabs it a few more times.
I release my grip on the spear and it drops with the dead monster.
Whipping my head to my left, I check on Daegan. He’s done what was requested of him, but a fire is catching in the trees ahead of him.
I spray water at them with both hands extended and shaking, but I can’t summon enough. My hands fall, and I let out a small whimper, head dropping in defeat.
And then I feel his arms around me.
He scoops me up and yells, “Let’s go,” and then I’m jostled around as he runs, carrying me like a baby in his arms.
The horses are only a few paces away, still tied up against nearby trees. They’re spooked, though. He sets me atop mine and moves to get on, but I snap out of it long enough to shake my head. “I’ve got it! Don’t leave yours behind.”
“She’ll follow,” he says, ignoring my request. “Let’s get the fuck out of here before more come.”
As soon as he says it, we hear growling coming from deeper in the trees. Everyone takes off at the same time, moving as fast as the horses will allow.
Delirium must be setting in, because when I glance back, I don’t see any of the beasts we heard. But I do see a golden, sparkling trail weaving through the trees before the world turns dark.
~
We reach the inn long before nightfall. It’s the first break we’ve taken since we fled that alcove, and I feel numb. I climb off with Daegan’s help, and then I stagger toward a corner in a daze and vomit.
His hand is on my back in an instant, rubbing it soothingly. It helps a little.
No one says much as we make our way inside. We pay for a few rooms, then find a table for the five of us.
Not six.
Sure, I would like nothing more than to curl up in bed right now, away from this raucous room, but it seems there’s an unspoken sentiment amongst everyone that it wouldn’t be right to separate and not talk about it. Plus, some of us haven’t eaten most of the day. Not that I personally feel like eating right now.
Before we sit, Daegan falls back, studying my eyes. Searching for confirmation that I’m okay, maybe?
I’m not.
“We can go to the room if you’re not up for it…”
I shake my head. “No. It’s okay.”
He pulls me in tightly, wrapping his arms around me in the middle of the room. For a moment, as I lean my head against his chest, it drowns everything else out.
But we can’t drown it out forever. Much like my powers, the moment must run out eventually, forcing us to face reality.
“Are you okay?” I ask him. Remembering what he had to do. How Gaethri had pleaded with him to end his suffering.
