Chapter 2
Raine followed Maeryn through the forest, attempting to ignore his worry over Ava rescuing Casimir by herself. Though he knew she could handle it, if something happened to her too, he’d never forgive himself.
But he wouldn’t allow Casimir to lose Aro. While a companion’s death wouldn’t physically harm their bonded fae, the grief was almost unbearable. He’d only seen it once, many years ago, and he would ensure it never happened to his friend.
Raising a hand, Maeryn halted them at the treeline, pointing to a large metal cage. The giant black bear paced inside.
“That poor bear,” she whispered.
“Tell Aro that Maeryn and I are about to free him.”
He knows, Sabriel said in her soothing voice, padding up beside him and giving him a nudge with her silvery snout. He’s urging you to hurry because he’s quite bored and eager to devour some daemons.
“I can’t imagine they taste good.”
You would be correct. But Aro will eat nearly anything.
“Of course he will.”
“What’s your plan?” Raine asked Maeryn.
Though not as tall as Casimir, Raine still towered over her, especially because she was shorter than Ava and even Quinn. Dressed in all black leathers, she was armed to the teeth with daggers, her twin gold swords resting on her back.
Her lemon-yellow eyes were bright in the moonlight. “I can melt the cage with my magic. I need you to cover me.”
“That, I can do. Ready?”
“Yes. Follow my lead.”
Not far off, the others still fought the enemy.
Tents were ablaze, soldiers scrambling to put them out as dark smoke smothered the view of the stars above.
Though Raine couldn’t see much beyond the fires, he caught a glimpse of Quinn flicking a dagger, impaling a daemon through its eye, before she disappeared again.
Breaking through the cover of the forest, Raine followed Maeryn, crouching low and hiding behind the structures until they were beside Aro’s cage.
“Can you tell him to move to the other side?”
“He heard you,” Raine said, gesturing to Aro who had pressed himself against the bars opposite where they stood.
“He did?”
“They can hear anyone speaking. It’s only their bonded who they speak back to.”
“Ah. Fascinating. I do not know much about your kingdom, I’m afraid.”
“When we get out of this mess, I’ll teach you whatever you want to know. As long as you teach me about yours.”
She looked at him thoughtfully, then nodded. “Stand back.”
Raine took a step away, scanning for any enemies who might spot them. It didn’t take long for a soldier to notice their presence and rush forward, but Raine had already drawn his bow and released an arrow through his throat before he made it more than a few steps.
“Keep going,” Raine said. “I’ll handle anyone who discovers us.”
Maeryn gripped the metal with her hands. An orange light glowed as small streams of lava snaked their way along the bars of the enclosure. Hotter and hotter, it turned a bright red. A bead of sweat dripped down Raine’s face, the heat so great he could feel it from where he stood several feet away.
Aro says he does not like this heat and to please hurry.
“She won’t burn him. Tell him to be patient.”
Aro growled at Raine. “She’s almost done,” Raine soothed.
He chuffed in response.
Three more soldiers appeared from behind a nearby tent. “They’re trying to free the beast!”
Raising a hand, Raine wrapped vines around one of their throats, cutting off his air supply.
Yanking a dagger from his belt, he flicked it toward the second, puncturing his skull in the middle of his forehead, and sent him crumpling to the ground.
As the third soldier was almost upon him, Raine unsheathed his sword to block the blow aimed for his neck.
Their blades clashed, and with a swift duck, he spun around to the daemon’s back.
“You missed,” he said, slitting the enemy’s throat.
Though he swiftly finished off the three daemons, more charged as they discovered what Maeryn and Raine were up to, shouting for backup.
“Hurry, Maeryn,” he urged, now locked in battle with another as he tried bringing several more down with vines. Sabriel lunged at one of them, ripping out his throat with a loud snarl.
“There,” Maeryn said, backing away.
Half the cage was melted. Aro ambled out and joined Sabriel in mauling the soldiers, a swipe of his massive paw eviscerating them. Maeryn unsheathed her own swords and threw herself into battle alongside Raine. He couldn’t help but pause, awestruck as he watched her fight.
She was smooth and quick, ducking and slicing each enemy with fluid grace. A daemon came up behind her and Raine shouted a warning, wrapping him in dark roots. Maeryn spun around and leaped forward, moving her weapons in tandem as she sliced the blades through the air and beheaded him.
Maeryn wheeled around, now facing Raine. “Duck, captain!”
He bent over as she ran toward him. Jumping, she used Raine’s back to launch herself at the daemon behind him, kicking him in the chest and sending him to the ground. Raine rose and finished him off with his sword.
Shouts echoed around them. A small force of soldiers appeared through the smoke-filled air as they charged. Raine released arrow after arrow, taking them down one by one as Maeryn spun with her swords, spearing the others in between the plates of their ebony armor.
But more daemons came, at last organizing themselves among the chaos. Raine raised a barrier of vines to hold them off, shouting at Maeryn who was locked in battle with two enemy soldiers, “We must retreat!”
He lunged, killing one with his sword as Maeryn melted the other with her lava, then turned to the rest, preparing to take them down.
Raine yanked her arm. “There are too many. We’ve completed our task. Let’s go!”
With a curt nod, Maeryn set fire to the vines, creating a barrier of flame, before sprinting into the woods. Raine took off after her, Sabriel and Aro close behind.