Chapter 43 #2
Taking command of her magic, she slices down enemies, bodies crumpling as she squashes their hearts, delicate fist crumpling men twice her size.
It’s more poetic than even the greatest of tales sung in the Black Palace. She walks with ease, dagger forgotten, but her hands are all red, as if stained with her kills. And it’s a glorious sight.
My sword slashes into one raider, quickly curving to meet a sword at my back. Shadow magic rising within me, it provides more defense as men swarm me. Max is an easy target, yet no one can reach her—but I’m the next best thing.
Jumping over the crowd, Fee slices her sword down like a hammer, crashing into the raiders like a dead weight. Men fly back the brunt of her hit, blood spraying against my face and chest as we move back to back.
She rages and my beast follows, a growl roaring from my mouth as it pulls at its chains. Eyes submerging black, hands covered red, I smile as the adrenaline of a battle sings within my veins.
This is what I was bred for. Carnage, fight, war. Here I can think and sink into the madness of swordplay and violence, no other thoughts intruding.
Scanning the ground, I see it’s completely swallowed up by thrashing bodies and clawing animals. Sounds of tearing flesh and crushed limbs ring in my ears, but I don’t let it fool me. I’ve lost sight of Max and my heart jumps into my throat, a sickening dread filling my gut.
“Do you see her?” I yell to Fee who turns with a raider, slashing into his back. He falls quickly at her feet, and she plants one foot on his head to look round.
“No. She was right here.” Another man rushes her, and she falls back, his weight toppling them both into the muck under our boots.
My shadows react, grabbing the man by the neck and I snap it without a flick of my wrist.
She stands, nodding appreciatively.
To my left, Reid parries with two raiders, dodging between their hits. I grab one with my shadows, coiling them around his middle and yank him away, as Reid slams the hilt into the other’s chin.
Stumbling, my brother uses his disorientation against him, and cuts into neck with a quick flick of his wrist. Commanding my shadows, I crack the second raid into two, dropping him to the side.
Exhaustion pulls on my limbs as I call back my magic. Using it too much is taxing. That’s why I spent years learning to fight with a weapon. But we’re overwhelmed, and there’s no way out without it.
Rushing to Reid, I look him over, grabbing his shoulder as he stumbles. “Are you good?”
He nods, patting his chest. “Fine. This is just a bit too early for me,” he jokes, as we both dodge a stray arrow, dropping low.
The madness of the battle, the frenzy isn’t lost on me. It’s chaos, quick and overpowering. They hoped to rush the gates, and take it without much finesse, just brute force.
Unfortunately, the shifters are putting up a fight. And there’s us.
“Do you see Max?” I inhale, hoping to scent her. But I can only smell blood.
Shaking his head, Reid wipes his brow. “No, but go, we’ll cover you.” His wide eyes stare at me, pleading. “You can’t let her die.”
Nodding once, I dart into the fray, more bodies squeezed together.
I only get past the first ring of raiders, locating Max in the center with a sword at her neck.
Seeing the blade press against Max’s pale neck, right above her scar, hardens my black heart. Even my beast, goes eerily calm.
But she doesn’t look afraid.
No, my kitten looks positively pissed and I grin.
My stained blade rises to her capturer’s chest, the tip pointing directly at his heart. “I’ll say this only once: step away.”
The soldier laughs as if he’s won. Maybe he thinks he has.
But I’ll set this entire world on fire before I let him have Max.
Turning his covered face to look at me, he sighs. He pities me. My blood boils at the insult. “You’ve no power here. You’re surrounded.”
I tilt my head as if pondering his words. Yet, the black submerging my eyes with the rise of rage begs to differ. “Do you not see that most of your men have fallen by the sword at your throat?”
“And do you not realize,” he snarls, turning fully to face the blood summoner, “that this village is falling to our might? You can kill me and you’re still going to lose.”
“I don’t care about the village.” I sigh, as if explaining a simple concept to a child. “I only care about her.”
Max ducks as my sword pierces his leather covered chest. There’s a wet gush, my blade fighting against bone but I push, driving it further in. I want to see the blood on my blade, know this man who thought to harm the woman I’ve claimed, is dead.
Peering up at me, face smeared with blood, she’s never looked more beautiful.
Cupping her face, I check to make sure none of the blood comes from an injury. When I know she’s whole, I glance into her eyes.
She’s trembling, her magic driving through her in heavy waves. She’s uncorked the bottle and it won’t stop until it runs out.
I can’t let her reach that point. There’s no telling what will happen to her.
“Max,” I breathe, gathering her close. “Shut it out. You need to turn the magic off.”
Shaking her head, she holds me tight as her knees rock together.
“I can’t,” she whimpers, voice cracking. “It’s too strong. It wants it. All of it.” She looks out at the sea of fighting warriors, with us trapped in a shadowed circle of brief calm.
I place my hand against her stomach, just like before when she almost killed Hastings for his crude words.
“Here. Focus here,” my words ghost over her lips. “Focus and concentrate. Pull it back like a rope. Slowly wind it back. Close your eyes, good. Focus. Wind it back, Max. You need to wind it back.”
If it’s similar to my magic, the source is in our middle, but there is so little information on magic, that I’m guessing. I’m only teaching her what I know because I need to help her.
Soon, her body sags, the power pulled back and locked away. Swords bounce off my shadows and I wince. The tiredness from exerting so much is draining what little strength I have left, but I can’t let Max go. Not until she’s safe.
Blinking, her blue eyes try to focus on my face, searching for something in the depths of my eyes.
There’s a split moment of relief, of joy at seeing me, before it’s overshadowed by the pain of betrayal.
Quickly, she steps away, grabbing her dagger.
My shadows weaken from the constant hits and I grit against the pressure. There are only five raiders hacking away, but more are starting to take notice. I won’t be able to keep them out for long.
“Can you fight?”
Nodding, she licks her lips. She looks men coming toward us, mouth frowning, but I can’t worry about it. If it was up to me, she’d be out of this mess, and free from danger.
But that’s our fate. She’ll need to fight her way through.
My shadows dissipate just as I knock two away, leaving three men surrounding us. Max darts left, then right, swifter than I thought given her clumsiness and I strike the two men behind me.
The two remaining raiders stand and I twist my sword, preparing to end them. Once these two are gone, I can help Max.
Until twin black arrows shoot through all three men, their bodies pinned to the ground.
The black arrows are dipped in silver, gleaming against the sunlight.
I sigh, relieved. Dark Fae Guards.