I blocked his strike. The assassin leaned in. Torchlight from the hall illuminated the lower half of his face.
And his wicked grin.
A glint of light shone behind me as a radiant blade formed from the torch’s fire.
I broke from the assassin and spun around—too late. The blade would strike my chest before I could block it.
Wind tore around me, knocking the radiant sword off course. Lightning coursed through the breeze as it circled me, and emerald light shone in its wisps.
The head of a dragon formed in the storm—just like in my dream.
Ferris. His hand was extended toward me, eyes blazing with light.
Soldiers thundered through the door, knocking it off its hinges. Soldiers—not assassins. They wore the uniform of the Nazumi guard.
The storm dragon surged around me, protecting me. Through the pulsing lightning, I saw one of the soldiers charge Ferris.
And heard a gasp of pain.
The dragon erupted, throwing everyone in the room back. Shielding my eyes from the chaotic wind, I counted my enemies.
Five soldiers, two more in the hall. The assassin at the window. Ferris, back pressed to the wall, hand clasped over his side.
Blood streamed between his fingers.
We were outnumbered, locked in tight quarters. The odds were stacked against us.
Normally, my mind honed in on a single target. An enemy to attack, a target to destroy.
This time, it focused on Ferris—and my desire to protect him.
As Akemi had protected me. I felt my catalyst answer my call—the blood folded between my blade.
Sliding toward the prince, I summoned Siotha to my hand. Two spears charged at my back. I drew the ice from my bow.
A wave surged from the bow and wrapped around us. Ice streaked through the water, hardening into a shield.
Cracks splintered through the ice as the spears struck it. Standing before Ferris, I raised my blade—prepared to meet my foes when they broke through.
The room shook. My shield shattered—but not from the soldiers' assault.
A pillar of stone ruptured the floor and slammed into the ceiling. Vines broke from the cracks in its rocky surface and snared around my two attackers’ necks. They choked, gasping for air as the vines yanked them back, slamming them against the pillar.
Agendra burst through the door, halberd mid-swing. An eagle constructed of earth flew from his weapon and crashed into a third guard, knocking him into the wall.
Steadying my grip on my blade, I turned toward the assassin—and saw him leap through the window.
Without thinking, I threw myself after him.
Cold air washed over me as I leaped through the window and landed on the balcony. Darkness swallowed everything aroundme—I could barely make out the branches of the trees, the multi-tiered roof of the palace, and the assassin racing across it.
My boots slammed on the roof tiles as I gave chase. Sheathing my blade, I summoned my daggers to my hands and threw them at the assassin’s back.
He spun at the last moment and managed to deflect one. The other scraped across his wrist, drawing blood.
The daggers blinked back to my hand, and I drove them forward. They sang against his blade.
The force of my attack knocked the assassin back, throwing off his hood.
