Chapter 67
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
Theo shouted, bringing his sword down as he flew through the air.
Dawn was approaching; the battle had taken all night.
He was beyond exhaustion. For an instant he thought his vision was failing him as he witnessed the creeping shadows.
It distracted him long enough, allowing a hound to launch midair, its massive jaws connecting with his wing.
His bellow of pain blared through the mountains as he tumbled to the ground.
He let his momentum roll him until he landed on his feet, back in fighting position. He hurled his blade upward, preparing to defend himself, and realized his sun-kissed skin had returned. His wings had retracted into nothing.
His power—it was gone. How was this possible?
A growl sounded in his ear. One hound pounced on his back, biting down on his shoulder. Theo ripped the beast down with the opposite hand, splaying it before him as he stomped on its neck, keeping it pinned to the ground as he slashed through the others.
Where the hell was Callum? He looked to the tree barrier that was now smoking in cinders. No fire remained.
He wouldn’t last much longer, not without his magic.
This would be his last stand. They would weaken him here, take him east. He thought of Helaina and the night they shared. Her impossible touch that had awoken him after thousands of years.
Then he heard it.
Clambering steps in the distance, rallying cries in the mist. The shadows at his feet lashed out, blinding the demon dogs and keeping them from bombarding the fallen captain. He looked to the soot-covered trees as smoke billowed above them.
He had to be hallucinating. He thought he saw the princess of Keles emerge from the trees.
She was a vision. Even from a distance he could see those all-encompassing obsidian eyes, her soaking wet hair framing her beautiful porcelain face.
She wore an animalistic expression as she led his army.
Every single Divine soldier followed her into the fray.
They looked different, they looked mortal, but nonetheless lethal.
None of it was hallucination, it was real. She was here, she came back.
He knew now she was never meant to follow. That’s why she had fought him every day with every challenge. She was meant to lead, meant for great power—she was his match in every way.
He called upon every ounce of strength he possessed. That inner voice ringing in his ears. That impossible pull in his chest.
Get to her. Don’t go down here. Fight. Fight for her.
They were powerless, every single one of them. The hounds, the Divine. Everyone in the valley.
Helaina, with that odd shield of hers. The reason why no power could hurt her mortal body.
She was a dampener. A magic he hadn’t seen since the gods walked this realm. The gods could grant power, and his little hellion could rip it away. Valhoor had created a weapon to extinguish magic.
Theo’s chest fluttered with pride as he saw the shadows winding around her arms and legs, snaking through every inch of this graveyard. She was the reason for his reprieve as the undead syren hounds snapped at each other, blind and confused.
Callum ran with her, that smug grin plastered on his face.
He must have lost his sword in battle; he now carried his favorite daggers.
Aaron was beside him, wielding an axe in his one hand.
Breyer and Fee descended through the trees on the other side, baring their teeth as they screamed their battle cry.
His legion scattered down among the trees, racing toward the enemy—racing toward him.
Theo looked to the mountaintop. Dolion stood still. Manos remained close to him, collapsed on all fours, clearly drained of every drop of energy.
The Divine Allura made it past the barricade and collided with the disoriented syren hounds. Swords met flesh, adding to the slurry of blood.
Theo’s eyes found Helaina on the battlefield. He continued to cut down the massive beasts around him. A much easier task now that they went down with simple blows. No need for severing the spine, no need to burn. As long as those shadows touched them, they were mortal.
Helaina was carelessly walking through the carnage, allowing her shadows to shield her as she passed.
Her eyes didn’t stray from the mountaintop.
She kept them fixed on Dolion. Her glimmering shadows reformed all around her, circling the throats of any four-legged beast that stood in her way, lifting them from the ground.
She let them struggle until a violent snap cracked through the air.
She was magnificent, and she was his.
Even the stench of battle couldn’t dim her captivating presence. Her fiery soul seemed lighter as he took her in. Her power was stronger than any Divine he had helped create.
Theo ran for her. He knew where she was going, and he would be by her side when she faced it.