Banking quickly, my mate brought us closer to the others. I drew even more magic from my nearly empty well within me, readying myself against the onslaught of Winged Soldiers I was certain would follow.
Except they didn’t.
The moment we dipped towards the others, the other army drew back. They flew above us, not attacking, just… watching.
Another war horn blew, and this time, they moved…. back
The reprieve should have been our first clue. They were willing to let Xander land. We should have flown away. Fought harder. Done something. Anything.
This was the moment that could have changed everything.
But Xander did not leave. Ryllae lifted the shield long enough for us to pass through, and my dragon landed on the singed, bloody grass with a roar. The ground trembled beneath his feet and I groaned as a wave of sickness passed through me.
Kysha hurried over, offering me her hand. “Here, let me help you.”
The halfling’s gaze swept over me knowingly, and I wondered if she knew my secret.
Accepting her assistance, I slipped off Xander’s neck. My legs shook as I landed on the ground. My stomach roiled, and bile rose in my throat.
“Thank you,” I breathed.
The Light Elf nodded; her eyes pinned on my stomach. “Whatever you need.”
She knew. I wasn’t sure how, but she knew. Maybe it was her witch’s blood, or maybe it was something else, but she knew.
Xander nudged me with his snout.Are you alright, Aileana?he asked, concern in his voice.
Fine,I said, even as a cold sweat appeared on the back of my neck.Just a little wobbly.
I willed Kysha to remain silent. This was my secret to tell. And if, gods-forbid, something were to happen here today, I didn’t want Xander to carry this weight on his soul. He already bore enough burdens.
This was for me, and me alone.
I straightened, the earth sighing in relief as I connected with it once more. Everything was tinged with red as Ryllae’s shield protected our group from the outside. I felt like I could breathe for the first time in hours.
Kicking off my shoes, I dug my toes into the dirt as the land hummed beneath me. I needed to be touching it as much as it needed me. More now than ever.
A rustling of fabric came from my left, and I glanced to the side. Daegal and Ryllae moved to stand next to us. A cut ran down Daegal’s cheek, and his right arm was bleeding, but he appeared otherwise unharmed. The Death Elf looked as tired as I felt, but her hands were extended, and she maintained the shield even as she met my eyes.
I dipped my head in acknowledgment. Her power sang to mine, igniting the song in my veins.
Still in his dragon form, Xander snorted his greetings.
The breeze carried a strange buzzing to my ears. At first it was little more than the irritating hum of a mosquito, but soon it grew to an ear-splitting frequency. My power quivered, eager to respond to this odd sound, and nearby, Ryllae gasped.
The air rippled. I tensed, and my lungs were so rigid that breathing was the least of my problems. My entire body wanted to fold up on itself. The shield wavered, the crimson tinge becoming as bright as blood. A horn sounded, and then hundreds of black ribbons edged in red filled the valley like a swarm of deadly bees.
A pit formed in my stomach as Saena’s corrupted magic swirled in the air before launching at us.
Pressing my hands against my ears, I tried to make the buzzing stop. It didn’t work, and the sound worsened. My stomach twisted, and a bitter taste coated my tongue. The swarm of stained magic approached, taking the last rays of sunlight with it.
My heart thundered, and one of the elves—I thought it was Maiela—yelled, “Duck!”
I cradled my head in my hands as the tainted ribbons slammed into our last line of defense with a resounding crash.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, a crack appeared. Two. A dozen. Fissures ran through the shield, black lines that stretched above our heads.