“I don’t have time for you,” she snarled, but I launched myself at her again. Gyiu’rak fended me off easily, grabbing my wrists. I thought she might crack my bones, but what she did was far worse. She sank her nails into my amulet.
The sharpest pain pierced my chest. My heart was being squeezed, crushed. I couldn’t breathe. My mind went gray, and I choked, my lungs hacking. I pummeled Gyiu’rak, trying to fight her off.
She only smiled, and dug her nails deeper into my amulet. Thick black blood oozed from my lips, filling my mouth with the taste of charcoal.
As I screamed, she yanked on the amulet’s chain. I’d learned from Bandur not to let her have it. If she possessed my amulet, she could control me.
Let yourself go!the demon growing inside me commanded.
I didn’t understand. My dress was flickering and careening in a panicked tempest. I couldn’t control it. The pain was too much. All of me was on fire.
What happened next was a blur of blinding heat and whirling darkness. The demon Maia overwhelmed me, brutally shutting off my senses. For a numbingly long moment, I was nothing. I saw, I heard, I felt—nothing.
When the world came rushing back at me, Gyiu’rak no longer held my amulet. Her white fur was scorched, and she growled, hoisted me high, and hurled me into the river.
The world flashed deliriously behind me as I flew backward. My body was too light, like a leaf caught in the wind. Yet my head was heavy. It pounded; I could feel my demon grappling for control over my mind. She knew I was weakened, that I wouldn’t be able to resist her for much longer.
I don’t need much time,I told her.Just give me a few more minutes, then you can have me.
I sailed across the battlefield, thrashing against the wind until my dress overpowered the demon in me. Its skirts flared, and I caught myself in midair. Once I regained my balance, I searched for Gyiu’rak.
There she was—a blur of white fur, pounding across the frosted battlefield toward a tall figure on horseback.
Terror stung me back to life, and I tore after Gyiu’rak.
Edan!I shouted, smoke leaking from my lips as I tried to communicate with him.
He did not hear me. His walnut staff was raised, summoning a storm of birds that soared above him before diving into the battle to attack the shansen’s soldiers.
“To the walls!” Edan yelled at our men, waving them to push toward the city as more of the shansen’s men fell. Then he powered his way toward the warlord.
Watch out!I sent a desperate warning hurtling toward Edan.Gyiu’rak is coming for you.
Edan turned as if he heard me. Alarm registered on his face when he saw the demon closing on him, but he didn’t change course. He urged his horse forward, racing against the tiger and charging at the shansen.
Gyiu’rak sprang for Edan, but he made a sharp turn left, ramming his horse into the shansen. The warlord tumbled off his mount, and Edan advanced, swinging his staff. The shansen feinted with ease, punching Edan on the side and unseating him from his horse.
Before the shansen could finish him off, Lady Sarnai furiously struck at her father’s neck, his torso, his knees. But no matter how she attacked, her sword could not breach his armor.
Gyiu’rak’s fur began to blur, and in a haze of white, she swooped toward the shansen’s amulet. If she returned inside, she would endow him with her full demon strength, including the ability to shape-shift.
“The dagger!” Sarnai yelled at the enchanter. “Give me the dagger.”
Edan pitched the weapon to her, the meteorite-and-iron blade dancing in an arc that curved blue in the air. The hilt landed neatly in Lady Sarnai’s grasp, and she spun the blade to slice her father’s amulet off his neck. Enraged, he slashed at her.
She ducked, and his sword sliced her horse’s neck instead. Her steed screamed and reared, then collapsed on its knees, letting out a last, terrible groan. Lady Sarnai leapt from the saddle, and ran.
Gyiu’rak launched after her, but Edan tackled the demon. I could either save him—or take the amulet from Lady Sarnai. Snow stung my eyes, and I bit my lip until it bled. Only one choice would end the war.
Making a sharp turn to intercept the shansen’s daughter, I leapt so she would see me. “Give me the amulet!” I shouted. “I’ll destroy it!”
She didn’t hesitate. The shansen’s horse was hard at her heels, and she flung the amulet at me.
I dove for it, my nails piercing its glossy black surface as I clasped it tight in my fist.
The amulet sizzled in my palm, smoke simmering from the carved tiger on its surface. I could feel Gyiu’rak’s wrath as she threw Edan to the side and pounced on me. The shansen’s entire army turned on me.
The clash of swords, the swoop of arrows. At the warlord’s command, hundreds of arrows assaulted me. Sharp edges pierced my skin, grazing my calves and elbows, puncturing my back. I didn’t feel any of it.
