Chapter Twenty-Seven
The Caged
My arms can’t move fast enough, the sounds of their armor racing behind me. My heart is pounding, ready to break through my chest.
I’m not going to make it. There is no way I can outrun them. Tears prick at my eyes as realization that my death truly is upon me, hits me like a horse.
And then I see it.
I see him.
Them .
Two figures step out of the darkened stables. Both with black hair, but their eyes glow different colors in the fading light. Amethyst and emerald. Calling for me.
The green eyes widen in panic. Enzo.
He’s real .
They are both yelling, the other one ripping off his weapons. Enzo’s hands are waving, his mouth moving but no words reach me. I push faster, I can feel the guards right behind me, ready to grab me. Ready to take me back to him. I won’t go back alive. They’ll have to ki—
“Get down!” The words break through the blood pumping in my ears. “Get down!” Enzo screams again and I throw myself to the grass.
Lilac light explodes, filling the courtyard before a roar deafens my ears. I squeeze my eyes shut, slamming my hands over my ears. A scream tears through my throat as I feel my heart stutter.
Heat lances my back as another roar shudders through my bones. A sound so deep, so animalistic , it infiltrates my very soul. Fire erupts around us, burning my skin. Screams echo around me. I part my eyelids slightly and look up. Another scream tears through my throat and I scramble to my knees.
Black scales of an underbelly tower over me, a light purple fire exploding out of the beast’s mouth as he decimates the men who were behind me, turning them into nothing but ash.
My throat grows hoarse, and another stutter of my heart causes my breath to catch. I try to crawl away, my hands going numb as they grip at the grass before I lose feeling completely.
The wet ground caresses my bare skin as I collapse, a contrast to the heat around me. I vaguely see a tan arm reaching for me, but it doesn’t matter.
Nothing matters anymore.
My eyes relax, staring at the fire catching as I take one last breath.