Chapter Forty-Two #2
Rion gritted his teeth and fought harder. A few tendrils of his magic managed to escape. Rion looked up, ready to spear those tendrils through the male’s heart, but Vairik scowled at him, then invisible magic hit Rion like a boulder.
Rion’s arms gave out. His face collided with the hard stone. Rivulets of dark blood ran across the ground, smearing against his cheek. He gagged from the smell. Rotted, as if the Dark Fae were nothing more than week-old carcasses.
His ear pressed painfully against the earth.
Rion pulled at his magic again, struggling for control.
He could hear everything. Feel it all, too.
The footsteps. The magic moving under him.
Those from his home country still snatching bodies and dragging them to a cold grave.
A light set of boots flying across the field.
Rion lifted his gaze, staring into the crowd. He couldn’t see Talon or Raevina. Too many of the Dark Fae were spitting flames, trying to burn their warriors alive.
The light footfalls twisted, moving from one place to another, then back. Zigzagging as if trying to remain undetected despite their speed. Another set followed.
Voices echoed through his head. From his past, from Vairik, from his nightmares, but those footsteps rooted him to reality. As if they were a beacon.
They were close now. So close. Too close.
No. Rion tried to push himself up again, gritting his teeth against the massive force pinning him to the ground. They were heading straight for Vairik. They’d fail. They’d die.
Rion screamed, roared, let every ounce of pain he’d ever experienced pulse through his body, his muscles, the very fiber of his being.
He shoved the voices out, shoved the memories away, too.
They weren’t important right now. One chance.
He just needed one chance. If he killed Vairik, this would all be over.
At least you’re persistent, Vairik’s voice echoed in his head. The male stalked forward, smirking again as Rion finally managed to get to his hands and knees. Rion’s head was pounding. His skin was stretched too thin, threatening to tear from his bones any minute.
Rion tried to surge to his feet. He just needed to escape the pressure bearing down on him, but he only managed to scoot his hand forward an inch. Rion tried again, fighting with everything in his body to keep the male distracted. That was all those featherlight footsteps needed. A distraction.
A shadow emerged from the left. Rion didn’t dare look at them. Then that shadow slammed into Vairik’s side with enough force to knock the male to the ground.
One dagger sank into the tender flesh of Vairik’s stomach.
The next into Vairik’s side.
The pressure bearing down on Rion vanished and Rion exploded up, darting straight for the male on the ground.
Vairik rolled and yanked the first dagger out. Two more flew at him. Then four. Rion caught her scent. His heart stuttered. She darted to the side.
Ellie.
Gods, Ellie was here.
Ellie threw two more blades, both made of iron. Vairik yanked the other one from his side. Ice exploded against an invisible wall right next to Vairik’s head. Then Vairik lifted his arms and a wave of air shoved both Ellie and Rion back again.
Rion skidded across the ground, panting, struggling to keep his shaking body upright.
Ellie crouched, ready to lunge for Vairik again.
She didn’t even bother looking at Rion. She was a warrior with a singular goal.
The hatred in her eyes told Rion enough.
She’d eliminate the one who had taken everything from her.
He’d gladly help Ellie get her vengeance.
Rion lunged, but Vairik blocked him easily, as if Rion’s magic and movements were something he’d committed to memory. But not Ellie’s. No, the female jumped out of reach and darted to Vairik’s other side, fast as lightning.
She lunged, fearless, determined. She’d already drawn her twin blades.
Ice ripped from her weapons, but Vairik blocked her and stepped aside.
He cursed when the future High Lady’s magic sliced into his forearm.
Then another gust blew her back, the tendril so violent it tore the leather armor covering her chest.
Ellie didn’t seem to notice. Or didn’t care. She was locked on, ready to take Vairik down, even if it meant giving up her own life in the process.
And that was exactly what made Ellie so dangerous. She didn’t care. It was just as Talon and Rion had feared. She had no plans to walk off this battlefield.
“Ellie,” Rion roared above the chaos. She couldn’t keep running at Vairik with blind rage. She needed a plan, not brute strength. If she kept going like this—Rion stepped, but Vairik’s magic shoved him back to his knees. He fought. Raged. No one knew she was here. If she fell—
“Ellie,” Rion cried out again.
The clouds above crashed together, lightning flashed, then a torrential downpour soaked them in seconds.
Ice and water swirled together in a storm just as furious as the ones Rion had witnessed Avalon summon.
A flash of lightning, then Ellie was gone, disappearing through drops suspended in the air.
Vairik growled at the young female, swinging his blade in a wide arc. She crossed her blades to block. It sent Ellie flying backward. She flipped to her feet and lunged again.
Again.
Again.
Rion’s heart lodged in his throat. He was helpless as he watched Ellie, his friend, this once bright, happy, young female who’d had her world ripped apart. She’d given him so much encouragement. She’d been a soul untainted by their harsh world, able to look above and beyond any slight.
Today she was nothing but wrath and pain.
It was impossible to tell whether Vairik was just toying with her, or if Ellie was actually putting the male on edge. He was injured. Vairik was injured. Rion could smell his blood all over the field.
They had a chance.
Ellie roared again, her magic rising in a wave.
Blood leaked from the corner of her mouth.
She stood, panting, the armor over her torso barely hanging by a thread.
She tore it from her chest, letting it slosh in the mud at her feet.
She didn’t balk from the pain of her injuries, though nothing likely compared to what she had already suffered inside her own head.
Ellie lunged again.
Vairik’s expression shifted the moment Ellie’s blade caught him on the side of the face, leaving behind a single trail of red.
Fear surged through Rion’s body and he yanked at his invisible restraints again, desperation clawing through him.
He couldn’t watch Ellie fall. He couldn’t bear to see the light fade from her eyes.
She had so many more years ahead. So many moments left to heal from her grief and grow into a strong leader.
Arianna needed her.
He needed her.
Ellie rolled through the mud again. Her body was slowing, even if her mind didn’t want to accept it. A gust of wind spiraled rapidly around Vairik’s sword.
Ellie growled, meeting Vairik’s fury with her own.
“Such a waste.”
Rion yanked at his restraints again. Ellie lunged. Vairik sliced his blade through the air, sending that blast of magic speeding straight for the future High Lady of Móirín.
His muscles threatened to tear. He was trapped. Rion screamed something unintelligible, then a body slammed into Ellie’s, shoving her to the side so violently that her head snapped to one side.
Magic pulsed from the male responsible.
Too late.
Vairik’s magic struck.
The male screamed as that magic sliced into his upper arm and severed the entire limb from his body.
The arm slammed into the mud, then that male stood. Stood, despite blood pouring from the area where an entire limb was now missing. He positioned himself before Ellie, anger coating his features in a way Rion had never seen.
Vairik snarled, and Gavin, the normally docile male that Rion had rarely even seen fight, snarled right back.
Vairik began laughing, slowly at first until it became a hysterical roar that had chills rolling down Rion’s back.
“The bond is what it took to finally make you grow a backbone? If I’d known that, I might have used her for such purposes sooner.
How poetic that my own flesh and blood would choose the enemy over family. ”
“You’re no family of mine.”
Vairik’s smile faded. “You’re right. For your betrayal, I ensured your mother and siblings were no longer family either.
” Gavin’s mouth fell open. “She begged, just thought you should know. Your mother was on her knees begging me to spare you and your sister. When I didn’t, she begged for the infant’s life, but what use is a youngling except for fodder? ”
“You lie,” Gavin hissed.
“Why would I?” Vairik laughed again and held his arms out wide. “I’ve already won. There’s no more need for lies.”
Gavin winced and grabbed for his gaping wound, as if just now realizing the severity of it. He dropped to one knee, then gasped.
Vairik inclined his head toward Ellie and smiled. Rion’s blood chilled. “You pierced me with iron, dear Evelyn. I hope you’re prepared for the consequences.” Vairik looked at Rion next. “Try not to die. We have plans later.”
The ground shook beneath their feet. “Have fun.” The weight of Vairik’s magic lifted, then he disappeared into shadow.