A daemon flung a dagger directly at Ava. Sword in hand, she deflected it with a clang, still astonished by the speed of her fae reflexes. She rose vines from the earth and wrapped them around the enemy’s legs, squeezing as she broke them. He screamed and crumpled to the ground, his shouts silenced when Luna appeared and tore into his throat.
“Be careful!”
I may be small, but I’m quick. I’m fighting this time.
Ava wiped the sweat and blood from her brow with her forearm while Pax dueled with an ice wielder. The fae released a frozen mist, the orc unable to move out of the way. But Ava raised a flower in its path, the ice freezing the petals instead of her friend.
She tried to catch her breath before she was attacked again, but there was no time to recover. Two daemons charged, a woman with a sword, and a man with a dagger. Ava dodged the swipe with the sword but wasn’t quick enough to avoid the sting of pain as the dagger sliced her arm.
Luna snarled, sinking her teeth into the back of the dagger-wielding enemy’s knee, distracting him enough for Ava to grow a flower around the other. But before she’d completed the flower, the daemon woman cut through and sprinted forward. Ava met her sword with a shout.
Behind you!Luna warned.
Ava shoved the woman back and darted out of the way, narrowly avoiding another jab by the dagger wielder. Trying desperately to gain ground as she fought two daemons, an ice fae appeared.
Now it was three against one.
The ice wielder directed his magic at Ava. Throwing herself on the ground, she barely avoided the frozen spear, but luck was on her side when it impaled the daemon woman she’d been battling. She fell to the ground as Ava stood and shot vines at the ice wielder, tripping him while Pax plunged his sword into his chest. Another daemon came at the orc, now locked in his own battle and unable to help Ava any further.
A powerful force from behind shoved her to the ground, her knees buckling and her sword falling from her grip. Someone grabbed a hold of her braid and yanked her head back, a cry leaving her lips as her scalp burned with pain. A dagger appeared at her throat—the remaining daemon she’dbeen fighting earlier now standing over her, a wicked smile on his face.
Ava raised her hand to fight back with her magic, but before she got the chance, the enemy was wrapped in someone else’s vines, his arms pinned to his sides. Casimir appeared, unbridled rage on his face as he gripped the man’s throat and shoved him to the ground.
“How dare you touch her,” Casimir growled, plunging his blade into his belly.
Ava rose, retrieving her sword as another group advanced.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I’m fine!”
They stood side-by-side, swords raised. Ava’s stomach dropped as a dozen daemons sprinted forward. Two against twelve. Shoving away the terror, Ava wrapped a vine around several, pulling them down as she dodged blows from the others, Casimir locked in his own battle.
“Cas!” she yelled as a daemon came up behind him.
Dropping her sword, Ava snatched her bow and released an arrow through the soldier’s eye. Casimir shot a ball of starlight at the others, catching them aflame. But more enemies kept coming, no matter how many Ava and Casimir defeated.
Soldiers taunted them, swinging their weapons and dodging the attacks. These soldiers were stronger, smarter than those Ava had fought at the camp. Every time she attempted to use her vines to overtake them, their swords cut through with ease. Casimir attempted to burn them with his astral powers again, but his starlight was met with ice from a fae enemy, thwarting every attempt.
A daemon flicked a dagger at Ava. Casimir jumped in front of her, shouting as the blade impaled his thigh, blood dripping down his leg. They were cornered—their friends, allies and companions all caught in their own skirmishes.
“We know who you are,” one of the daemons told Ava. “Our queen is looking for you.”
Casimir moved further in front of her, raising his sword.
“Come with us and the general will be spared,” another said.
“She will be going nowhere,” Casimir growled, protective fury hovering around him like a tangible thing.
Ava lifted her trembling hand as she stepped out from behind Casimir, digging deep within herself. As petals emerged from the ground, the earth beneath her feet buckled and she was thrown off balance, both her and Casimir falling backwards into the snow.
The daemons charged.
Casimir tried to rise in time to fight them off, but he was thrown back again as rocks erupted from the ground right in front of them, blocking the advancing unit.
Saxumdale had arrived.
13
