“No!” He coughed, eyes flashing to my bow. “The fire—can you put it out?”
“How would I do that?”
“You’re the damn Paragon of Muirashi!” He grabbed my wrist, but avoided touching my skin. “When we touch—the endless sea. Can you make it?”
I’d never thought to use my magic for anything but war. Lifting my eyes to the sky, I reached for the heavens, feeling the dull hum of Siotha and the steel of my blade.
I remembered standing on our balcony, watching rain pour off the tiered roofs like miniature waterfalls, before cascading to the ground.
‘You change when it rains.’ Akemi had said.
‘I do?’
‘Yes. You always seem so sad, sister. But when it rains? You look peaceful, if only for a while.’
The blood bound in the blade sang. Siotha poured its power into me. Clouds gathered in the black sky, concealing the red scales streaking across the black.
Rain poured onto the twisted landscape, turning embers to mist and dousing the lesser fires. The magma hardened beneath its touch.
I heard a gasp and looked to my right. A young woman in the back row gathered a child in her arms, watching the wall of flame surrounding her die. She darted through, and I lost sight of her.
This was a Paragon’s purpose. Not to fight for their place, not to cut men down.
But to save them.
Chapter 60
Mare
Golden blades soared through the air like a hail of arrows, tearing through the flaming phoenix's wings. Holes appeared in the fire, but they quickly reformed.
Reese raised his arm as the phoenix swooped down at him, quicker than I could blink.
Fire consumed them.
A streak of red shot back into the sky as the phoenix retreated. Reese lowered his sword, sweat beading on his brow—the blade still glowed red.
"Don't hurt it!" I called.
Reese spun around, eyes wild.
"It's Brighid!" I shouted.
His mouth twitched, grip wavering on his blade.
Divine plumes spread across the sky as the phoenix reared back and released a mournful cry. The red scales bisecting the black firmament shifted, moving like a slithering serpent. A snake head appeared on the horizon, colossal maw opening.
Saints! What was that thing?
A dreadful wail shook from its mouth and tore down on us. Fire spewed from its jaws and plummeted to the ground.
Reese grabbed me, pulling me to his chest. Grimacing in effort, he reached toward the flaming rain. It shot off course, falling around us, pounding a circle of ash into the ground.
Saints, there was no end to the chaos. I turned my head and saw the ruby dragon scrambling away from Diar to lunge at us.
Reese threw me out of its path. Wounded and crazed, the dragon charged into the crumbling stage and whirled around. Its tail slashed across my back. I stumbled forward, crying out in pain.
Mouth bleeding, the dragon whirled around and prepared to charge me again. It lunged, but snapped back, as though stuck.
