One was so painful that even if we survived this upcoming battle, I wasn’t sure the heartbreak would be surmountable. And the other… well, that one was straightforward. Death and pain and darkness.
Death was likely today. Of all the outcomes, it was the most predictable.
But if we died, Ithenmyr would not survive. The Four Kingdoms would crumble, and the balance would permanently be broken.
A tugging came from deep within me, and my mating mark burned. Heeding the call of my magic, I dropped the last path before releasing my power and throwing myself into my body.
Exhaling, I opened my eyes to Ryllae’s worried face. Right behind her, Xander’s dragon stood sentinel in front of our group. Aileana sat high on his back, a shield of green magic on her arm.
Queen Saena was no longer in front of her army. Instead, following the example of most people who craved power, dozens of Winged Soldiers guarded her at the other end of the valley, ready to die doing her dirty work. Others had returned to the sky, blocking the sun with their blackened wings.
“Well?” Ryllae asked, gnawing on her lip.
The bond filled with worry, and my stomach twisted. More than anything, I wished I could tell her it would be okay, but I couldn’t. I had promised myself I would never lie to my mate.
“We fight.” I tried to infuse hope into my words. “No matter what, we fight.”
“Until the end,” Ryllae said.
“Until the end,” I confirmed.
A war horn sounded, the noise reverberating through my bones.
Then there were no more words. The waiting ended and chaos erupted.
Death was Not Pretty
AILEANA
Time lost all meaning. Now there was only death and violence and fire.
Heat surrounded me on all sides. The air was hot, Xander’s scales burned under my thighs, and fire even ran within me as the heat of battle warming me from the inside out. The mating bond pulsed, infusing me with unnatural heat as we fought the endless stream of Winged Soldiers.
I did not know how much magic I had expelled, only that the well within me was getting lower and lower. It didn’t really matter, because the battle continued to rage. Being at risk of sanctions from the gods if he interfered, Kethryllian had been forced to leave. Before he did, while Daegal was Seeing what was to come, the Guardian had infused all of us with golden magic. It hummed in my veins, intermingling with my Earth Elf powers as I fought.
Green ribbons tinged in gold erupted from my palms, turning into vines that wrapped around Winged Soldiers. The moment they were incapacitated, Xander’s flames incinerated them. Their screams filled the air, an endless chorus of death.
No matter how many soldiers died, there were two more to take their place.
My dragon veered to the right, swooping past a contingent of Winged Soldiers. He blew endless bursts of fire at them, and they screamed as they burst into flames. Xander banked, flying me away from the ash carried on the wind.
How are you feeling, Aileana?he asked.
I’m… alive,I said after a moment. For now, that was all that mattered. There was so much death. So much destruction. So much blood.
I couldn’t deal with that at this moment. Just like I couldn’t deal with the truth of what my nausea meant. Not in the middle of a battle.
Later, I told myself.
If there was a later.
Xander rumbled, making a quick turn in the air. I squeezed my thighs, holding on tightly.
He said,Let’s make sure it stays that way.
A Winged Soldier yelled, flying toward us and brandishing a long-sword. I shot a tangle of green threads of magic in his direction, and they wrapped around him. Clenching my fist, I willed the soldier dead.
The threads twisted, turning into a massive, leaf-green snake.