Chapter 61
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
NERISSA
Dangerous spells have been lost. Something evil is underway.
– Unopened correspondence from Khato to Carina.
Nerissa – Airborne over Lotrennia
Tunnel vision encroached as my gasps came too quickly. Numbness stretched through my limbs. We landed on Aquila’s back, and seconds later, Drystan was gone again. Aquila rose quickly into the night sky as we fled over the trees surrounding Pyracantha.
You must slow your breathing, Nerissa! Aquila’s normally calm voice came in a frantic rush as he eclipsed the trees.
My mind registered the words too slowly, and my lips began to tingle. My grip loosened in his feathers, and I felt my body tip.
I will not let you fall!
Cool autumn air whipped small buds of liquid from the corners of my eyes. Bayne… He was… Bayne was…
Bayne is not lost! Aquila cut in, his voice harsh. Your brother is still in there.
Sintarrak has him… I countered, my head shaking and my vision blurry. The queen… Antares took his ring off so Sintarrak could take him… could use his body… his power…
A storm of rage spun down the bond from my caeluma, and the heat of the emotion snapped me out of shock.
Where are the others? I asked frantically. We need to find the others!
Lyvia, Raek, and Astraeus are with Tiberius. Drystan is getting Marian out— Aquila’s voice cut off, and a wave of fear raced down our connection.
What is it?
It’s Nishanth, he said, his wings flaring abruptly to the side as he banked.
My stomach jumped into my throat at the movement.
More pixies? I asked, steeling myself as I tunneled my focus into razor-sharp precision as I prepared for another fight.
Ayla is burning.
The city I was born in crumbled beneath the very fire that lived within me. Flames engulfed the tree-sung houses that bordered the central avenue. Horror sliced through my veins, and my own flames shuddered in response to the destruction their kin wreaked upon our homeland.
There had to be a skydrake nearby.
We banked over the river, and Isla’s petite frame came into view beside Khato.
The ancient master of spells looked small and frail beneath his soaked robes.
The two of them worked tirelessly, sending streams of water from the river into the unyielding inferno.
I searched for the remaining mystics and mages, catching sight of none.
Had that many perished in the pixie attack?
Crystal blue light sparkled before us, and we raced over a blood-soaked Selvina, kneeling over the body of an elven child.
Her light enveloped the young elf, healing the burns.
Selvina stood, moving to the next, not looking up as I sent a wave of awareness toward her.
Her shoulders sagged in exhaustion as she poured her energy and her power into healing as many as she could.
Her crystal blue light disappeared as we raced over the city, searching for the source of flames.
A group of soldiers and War Slayers raced through the streets, grabbing civilians and pulling them into smoky alleys, away from the flames. A warrior broke free, and my heart lurched as Vulcan leaped over a pyre and into a burning house. Aquila spotted him the same moment and dove.
I jumped off Aquila’s back, ducking into a hard roll against the hot stones of the road, before hopping to my feet. Vulcan’s blistering face appeared in the doorway a moment later with his arm wrapped around a young woman. His eyes were wide as they met mine.
“Two more!” he hacked through the smoke.
I surged into the flames. The Soleia power ignited as I stepped into the burning home, lining my skin with its own protection as I searched. Smoke snaked up my nostrils, but the familiar burn simply melted into my own flames.
Two young women, sisters by their looks, lay unmoving on the floor. My heart ached at the sight, and I scooped the two of them up. Their nightdresses were singed, and blisters covered their arms.
I sprang out of the house to find Lyvia’s brother waiting for me with wide eyes. Aeriden took one of the sisters, and we flew through the burning streets.
“Where do we take them?” he shouted through the chaos. A large burn blistered across his chest, the fabric of his shirt torn and singed. Blood matted against his black hair. My blood pounded as I scanned the city.
Our buildings were all crafted with stone and living trees. The vines and branches cracked as the fire ripped through them, sending the stones and boulders tumbling to the ground, crushing anyone within.
“Out of the city,” I breathed as we ran. An unsettling wave of guilt hit me as we raced through the streets. The flames licking through the city were too close to my own, and I couldn’t do anything to stop them.
I leaped over a charred elven body. The stench of burning flesh rose in a coppery, acrid musk. My eyes lingered on the corpse a moment too long, and I nearly slammed into Aeriden as we rounded the corner.
The unconscious elf remained in his arms, but his shoulders had sagged as he stared up. White flames reflected in his eyes as his mouth hung open. I followed his gaze, and my heart stopped as it landed on the Living Library.
A soft sob choked up my throat as brilliant white flames spiraled around the outside of the massive tree. Its long branches swiped helplessly in defense, the fire catching on its beautiful, iridescent leaves.
Devastation hollowed out my chest, and my knees wobbled. The flames in my veins winked out as I realized there was no skydrake here. These were our flames… my flames. Soleia power spun around the massive tree, its bark blackening as those sparkling leaves turned to ash one by one.
Aeriden shouted my name, but I was lost—lost in the horror wrought by the powers we inherited.
A fiery branch broke free as the Living Library failed to swat the flames away, and a body slammed into mine as it crashed down from above. The unconscious elf flew from my arms, and my head slammed to the ground.
Kresida growled my name as she hauled me to my feet, pointing past the flaming library and to where Aeriden ran ahead of us. She scooped up the young elf, looking back at me once more before she hurried after Aeriden into the shadows beyond.
I stared at them, blinking as two golden orbs materialized in the shadows of the trees. A moment later, another set appeared, and I got to my feet.
The Living Library was… dying. I cast to Aquila, and a shared wave of pain drenched the tiny spark that remained.
I sprinted, knowing what I needed to do… knowing and accepting that it would kill me to do it…
Together, Aquila’s ancient voice mourned into my mind. I’m coming.
An electrifying strike of deep blue power blazed across the sky on the other side of the burning tree, followed by a blast of golden light and shimmering shadows.
Nishanth’s snowy white wings flapped once before Selvina’s caeluma ducked behind a tree for cover as a blast of white light chased after her.
Bayne.
My arms pumped as I ran, and a distant patter sounded from behind me.
I risked a glance back, catching a glimpse of a furry tail before it ducked into the shadows.
I skidded to a stop as a loud crack echoed from across the clearing.
Drystan appeared hand-in-hand with Lord Astraeus.
The pirate lord launched over a boulder in the distance.
Lyvia’s face popped over the edge. Her eyes were wide, scanning the wreckage as Astraeus clasped his hand briefly on hers.
Drystan reached for his hand, and the two of them disappeared once more. They were powering us up.
Flames tore another limb from the Living Library, and the branch fell from the sky, blowing apart as it crashed to the ground in the distance. My eyes shot to the next blast of white light, and my stomach sank as my gaze landed on Bayne.
My brother stood on top of the stone bridge arching over the river leading from the Gilded Fortress to the Eye of the Wood.
A silvery sheen emanated from his body, and my breath clogged in my throat.
Bits of flames and sparks of different colors rippled off his form as if he couldn’t contain the power within himself.
My knees hit the ground as a wave of grief washed over me. Sintarrak had stolen power from his kin, and he now possessed my brother’s body, forcing the might of seven gods into one. A god had taken my brother. How soon would his powers burn through his mortal body?
Bayne’s brows narrowed in concentration.
The silver presence of Sintarrak gleamed in his eyes as he held his hands before him, sending strike after strike of white flames reaching for the massive tree.
His lips curled over his teeth in a snarl, and I followed his gaze to where the Living Library had forced the budding of new leaves on one of the few remaining branches.
Rage rode the piercing roar that ripped through Bayne’s lips, and he sent another blast of flames spearing toward the tree. The leaves.
Oh my gods…
The queen had told Sintarrak about the leaves of the Living Library… That they were needed for the creation of the múritinne rings… Our one protection against him. I twisted the ring on my own finger.
Hot wrath ignited the flames within me, and I sent a wave of emotion surging to where Lyvia crouched behind the boulder in the distance. Bayne was distracted. We had to move now.
Tiberius and Nishanth are ready, Aquila relayed into my mind. Now!
Flames licked up my spine as my gaze turned white hot. Bayne’s flames could not hurt us. I stood, balls of blazing white light spiraling into my palms as I strode to the center of the clearing.
Sintarrak flickered Bayne’s gaze to mine, and he sent one last blast of fire ripping up the side of the dying library.
Lyvia’s body leaped over the boulder as three forms rose to the skies behind Bayne.
She launched a spear of shadows at him at the exact moment the three caelumas attacked from above.
I forced my arms up, pressing my palms to face my brother as every instinct in me urged them down, to not do this…
Fire gathered within me, and I screamed my horror out as I let the flames fly.
A loud crack echoed to my side as Drystan arrived with Selvina, adding their power to the attack.
The force of four Bellators and three caelumas clashed against an unbreakable shield. The blast echoed through the clearing, hollowing out my ears. Sintarrak threw Bayne’s head back and laughed. The silver in his eyes disappeared as he closed them.
My stomach plunged. We could not defeat him.
Sintarrak whipped his gaze to the caelumas, watching as they circled overhead.
He sent a streak of lightning-like power cracking through the sky after Tiberius.
Lyvia screamed as she let her powers loose, waves of shadows reaching for the Embodied.
Tiberius disappeared into the sky, and Sintarrak sent a blast of his own blue and white power back at Lyvia.
She ducked and rolled behind a boulder as her shield reformed.
His head lifted once again to the sky, chasing off Nishanth, before turning his attention to Aquila.
The ancient hawk met his gaze. His keen eyes were hard as he beat his strong wings, as if trying to break through to Bayne. Sintarrak curled Bayne’s lips over his teeth, stretching his face into a sinister smile, before he dropped his hands to his sides.
A chorus of howls rose from behind me as Bayne’s palms flipped toward the massive airborne hawk. A dozen dark forms lurched forward from behind me, one stopping just before me.
My mouth fell open as a pack of Lotrennian wolves speared toward Bayne. Sintarrak’s eyes were still pinned on Aquila in the sky when a small tornado of flames ignited in his hands.
AQUILA, FLY! I screamed, a sudden panic seizing me, recognizing my brother’s tell from decades of fighting by his side.
His flames cannot hurt me— Aquila’s voice was cut short.
My heart stopped as the vines from below where he hovered ripped through the tops of the trees. My caeluma’s eyes widened as realization hit him, and he pumped his wings once before the snaking vines cut through the night air and wrapped around his massive form.
Fire ignited in my palms, and I threw a blast of white flames through the air to where the vines constricted around the flailing hawk. Icy fear and a panicked regret raced down my bond with Aquila, our emotions colliding in an uncontrollable storm of smoke and ash.
My power reached the vines just as a devastating pop cracked through the air.
Aquila’s struggling body stilled as his neck broke, my flames burning through the vines too late, and an explosion of power blasted through the air.
The detonation rippled through the ground, and my knees buckled below the agony of loss that followed.
Time slowed as my soul unraveled from the perfectly tangled web it had created with the ancient hawk.
A web spun thousands of years before my birth, created with the bonding of my great-great-great-grandfather, reformed in that near-death moment below the ice in the Death Dunes.
Two centuries of shared emotions, of companionship, of a bond so deep, the essence of who we were melded together. It slipped, its end nearing nothing as his white Soleia power floated through the air. My body hollowed out as the force of the magic punched me backward.
Sound disappeared, but my mouth was open.
I could feel the scream ripping through my chest. My soul slipped as my body hurled away from it, just as a sparkling net of gold and black wrapped around the power.
My back cracked against the ground as the net slammed the power into the furry form that chased after me.