66. Scotlind
SIXTY-SIX
SCOTLIND
What are you doing here? Tezya seethed into my mind. He was down the hall fighting his way through four guards. I saw Peter for a split second on my way up here. He shifted back into himself to tell me not to hold back. The guards were loyal to Synder.
Apparently, during the two hours it took Kallon and I to portal all five groups into the snow-laden territory, wave one tried to reason with them. Sie said that his brother mentioned people might not be loyal to Synder, that not everyone was happy about the drastic changes they’d been making in Tennebris after they sent me to Lux. But after too many of our own men and women were killed, they resorted to plan B.
I tried not to think about how many of us were already dead, tried not to dwell on whether I knew any of them. All Peter said was that Vallie was okay before he shifted into his now-new-favorite bear form and went back into the throes of fighting.
Vallie was fine. I knew Kallon was okay because I just left her. But who wasn’t? I sagged the first moment I saw Tezya. He was fighting alongside a few people I recognized from the camp, but I didn’t know their names. Tennebrisian guards were falling to the floor beside him like moths trapped in fire. One moment, they were fine, then the next, they were gurgling as their throats were slit. I knew immediately it was Dovelyn fighting under her invisibility. Even if I couldn’t use my enhancement to feel her powers, I knew she’d never leave her brother alone.
She, like me, was terrified for Tezya. It was stupid. Her visions showed her the King staying in Lux. He was safe, for now, but seeing him fight, seeing blood splattered across his chest and onto his face and over his scar… I knew I made the right decision to come inside and fight.
I’m helping, I shot back as I dodged a sword to my chest.
You were supposed to stay with Kallon outside the castle, Tezya said a moment later. A quick glance up, and I saw he was slowly making his way toward me. She needs to create a portal because we can’t risk the time it’d take to walk back through the woods if we need to retreat.
I know. She already created the portal.
Scotlind, creating portals are more taxing for her than transporting people through them, and you’re both already tapped out. You need to focus on refueling your reserves, not using more of your powers.
No, what I’m supposed to be doing is helping. I stayed outside with Kallon and the rest of the fifth wave for ten minutes before I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to help. I couldn’t stand around while the people I loved were fighting inside. I couldn’t listen to the screams and not know if it was someone I knew.
You aren’t helping us if your reserves stay depleted.
They won’t. I hissed as a blade nicked my arm.
Do not tell me you’re fighting without abilities. I could hear the menace in his voice through my head.
I shrugged even though neither of us were looking at the other. I’ve been doing it my whole life.
I had two short swords in either hand—I used one to take out a guard in front of me as I blocked with the other. Tezya was still across the hall, trying to make his way to me, but there were too many guards.
Fire exploded in a circle as two more guards charged me. It took me a second to realize what was happening. Tezya, drop the fire. I can handle myself.
I know you can handle yourself, he said, but he still wasn’t dropping the fire. I realize I can’t talk you out of fighting inside the castle, but if you’re staying, you’re fighting with me.
I looked around, still protected by Tezya’s flames and saw too many lifeless bodies in piles on the floor. The Tennebrisian twin pink moons were embedded onto their chests—they were all guards.
Where’s the High Council? I asked him.
They’re hiding like cowards. Sie went to find them.
Sie. My chest ached thinking about him. Anyone that saw him would be out to get him, but we were spread too thin to do anything about it now.
Dovelyn’s scream brought me back to the battle. I couldn’t focus on him right now. Sie would have to protect himself. I had to stay in the moment. I had to force myself not to get distracted, to stop thinking about everything at once and only focus on this.
I trained my whole life for it. I spent years fighting, hoping to become a real guard, and now I was finally ready.
I looked up and saw the two men who’d been fighting alongside Tezya were now dead. That left just me, him, and Dovelyn with too many Tennebrisian guards to count.
Tezya, drop your fire.
Seconds passed where I was still protected — trapped—by Tezya’s wall of fire. I could hear him and Dovelyn fighting too many. I could sense he was hesitating. He didn’t want to leave me vulnerable, but I could hold my own. He knew that.
Just wait until I can get to you— he started to say.
“Tezya, drop the fire!” This time I screamed the words out loud, but he wasn’t listening. He couldn’t—four soldiers were attacking him at once. He was outnumbered…
It took me one millisecond before I realized I wasn’t going to just watch Tezya fight while he kept me protected by his flames. Even if it was only until he could get to my side.
I called to the remnants of my powers. I knew my reserves we low, despite feeling ready to fight, my body was trembling, and I was sweating out of every orifice imaginable. I focused on the call of water, pulling it out of the four guards that were attacking Tezya. I didn’t stop until all of them collapsed in front of him with a resounding thud.
Tezya’s gaze snapped to me. I was still trapped in the circle of fire he created, but I didn’t wait. I moved the water from the now-dead bodies and doused the flames surrounding me.
Remind me to tell you how fucking amazing you are, Scotlind Rumor, Tezya smirked before he turned to block the next guard that attacked him.
Don’t worry. I’ll make you tell me every night before we go to bed, I teased as I made my way toward him. And I told you I can fight.
Tezya didn’t respond. We didn’t have time to talk even if we wanted to as more and more guards came at us. We made our way to each other, fighting back to back now, with Dovelyn floating in and out between us.
I didn’t think about who I was killing in the process. I refused to look into their eyes, and it took every ounce of my control to not let my mind wonder if they were brainwashed and forced into fighting. Did they even know why they were risking their lives? Why they were now losing them?
The longer we fought, one thought kept coming to my mind—how was I going to be okay with all of this if I survived?