Chapter Fifty-Eight

C HAPTER F IFTY-EIGHT

The ground beneath my boots quivers as we approach the looming silhouettes of the scorched lands, surrounded by Helland volcanoes. The Rivernorth lake lies at our side, and the air is thick with the scent of must and sulphur. To my right march shifters and mortals with full-fledged dragons by their sides, and to the left, my two remaining brothers, my friends and Darius come to a stop. All of them wear silver armour, in contrast to the armour I have on.

The gold and black breastplate I wear belonged to Aurelia. Its intricate pattern resembles dragons, while the shoulder pauldrons sweep back in regal arcs that remind me of wings. They are tipped with gold, just like the gilded gauntlets that extend over my forearms, flexible yet unyielding.

With the looming battle on our hands, we only had days to prepare. Mere days of plotting and planning while we waited for the Thalorians to arrive.

Speaking of Thalorians, behind my friends is Kirian with his troops, all on horseback and wearing dark gear that features their emblem of a star.

Darius dons armour like Kirian’s, save for the helmet which Kirian has placed over his head.

My hair flows freely behind me as the first sign of Aurum’s approach comes from the volcanoes. There’s a shift in the air, where his dragons soar across the sky.

I tighten my grip on my sword – a weapon I carved and forged with Idris’s tools. My pulse quickens at each shriek and the drumming of hooves from where the Undarions appear with their legion. Hedris is at the forefront of his army, malice dripping from his gaze. To his right are the Aerians and their leaders.

My eyes go to Lorcan, but he remains stoic while staring at his aunts. Col and Ara hold on to staffs imbued with ancient rubies that match their fighting gear.

‘Nara, Darius.’ Aurum approaches us. His eye, cold and devoid of mercy, finds mine across the battlefield, his usual gold eyepatch covering the other eye that I took from him. Shadows bask in his glory as he grins at the people by my side. ‘I see you chose correctly.’

I step forward, my stance unyielding. ‘You killed my brother.’ Even now, I can’t contain the rage festering deep in my veins.

He shrugs, his lips twisting into a mocking smile. ‘He got in the way.’

That is all it takes.

As soon as he utters those words, my anger erupts and I raise my sword and let out a cry that echoes throughout the skies. Darius charges and shifts midair, followed by everyone else as they cut through the enemy ranks. I run at them with a ferocity that blooms within me.

Clashes of steel and magic rage on as my power weaves through soldiers like an animal capturing its prey. Light pierces through their armour, and I enjoy each gurgle and cry that emits from their lips.

‘Mrs Nara!’

I whirl to the sound of Tibith’s voice.

He comes forth with a dozen of Silaria’s Tibithians behind him, all parading in their own kind of battle gear with leaves and paint smeared on their fur.

I grin.

‘Where do you want us, Mrs Nara?’ he shouts, right as one of Hedris’s men comes for me, and I shoot my hand out to blast him.

‘Safe!’ I shout back, my gaze searching for Freya, who now has her hand raised. She fires a ball of purple-dusted magic at someone while leading a batallion of Venators. ‘Head to Freya! And stay by her side!’

Tibith nods at my order as I run in search of Aurum. I call for Fernah and the ground trembles as the opposing sides each use their powers. She comes by swiftly and scoops me up into the air and I scan the terrain. Kirian and his troops have dominated the Undarions, shadows and blood becoming one.

Through the haze of ash and ember, I spot Aurum by the river, watching the battle unfold.

‘Fernah, down!’ I order, her roar unleashing fire across the ground. I hold on to her, my gaze locked on Aurum as she dives for him.

Fernah’s wings beat with a rhythm that matches my racing heart. As we spiral downwards, a shockwave of her fierce cry sends ripples through the air. But then, at that moment, a sudden warmth pierces through the dust and ash.

A phoenix rises from the ground, its cry a clarion call that makes me wince as Fernah veers away from it. I cling tighter to her, feeling the searing wind that trails in the phoenix’s wake. It circles above Aurum as if guarding him, and I let out a guttural growl of anger.

Fernah lands back on the ground, and I leap off with my sword in my hand. I strike, dodge and slice across throats as I pass through enemies.

Up ahead, Darius is unleashing his flames upon Aurum’s dragons. He looks ethereal in the sky, raining terror on them all. Shadows and water drawn from the rivers fill the air around him, and I wish to be up there by his side.

But my focus quickly catches sight of Link, outnumbered and struggling, the glint of his armour dimming beneath the swarm of Hedris’s soldiers. The noise that bursts from my throat is frightening. I sprint towards him, propelling myself to where Link parries and dodges a soldier’s attack.

A stream of water shoots from one of Hedris’s men’s palms, but I block it with my power before it can hit Link. The light from my hand blinds the soldiers for a moment, giving me time to slam into the closest assailant.

I swing my sword around, severing heads and coating myself in their blood. I yell out my rage, jamming the tip of the blade into one of the men’s chests. He gags and splutters before I draw it out, and a dozen dead bodies lie in a circle around me.

Turning to look at Link, I march up to him and grab his shoulders while searching him to see if the blood that is on him is his.

‘It’s not mine,’ he says, and relief blooms inside my chest.

I scan the terrain as the battle rages on, with phoenixes circling the air. ‘Where are Iker and Illias?’

Link swallows, his hair damp with sweat. ‘They were with Rydan, near the volcanoes.’

My hands fall from his shoulders as I lift the sword, with the blood of Hedris’s men still dripping from it. ‘Here, take this.’

Link frowns, shaking his head as I place the blade’s hilt in his hands. ‘But it’s yours.’

‘I don’t need it!’ I tell him as I back away and turn to run off in the opposite direction.

I begin to shed off my gauntlets, fury burning in my gaze as I focus on the rivers. Kirian is on the other side, looking unfazed as he unleashes dark tendrils of shadow magic to repel the oncoming warriors.

The air cracks with the collision of magic and weapons as I push my feet to the maximum strength.

A woman clad in royal blue armour intercepts me, releasing a harrowing cry as she brings her blade down on me. I roll onto the ground, twisting my head as the dagger slams into the dirt beside me. I release a blast of light from my palm, sending her to the ground. As I rise, her pale face screws into anger and she tries to lift herself back up, but I don’t let her. My expression is cold and relentless as I throw another burst of my power her way.

She screams and all I can think about is how much I screamed when Idris died.

I think about the bite and how bright red and bruised it was.

I think about how pale he looked and how much pain he was in.

I think . . . I think about how this person can be on the side of someone whose only desire is to destroy every piece of land on this earth.

I lift my hand, beckoning magic to my fingertips, but someone stops me as they capture my wrist. I can’t seem to calm myself as fire burns through my nostrils and I turn my head to where Darius is now by my side.

He doesn’t yield his hold on me. A storm swirls in the gold rims of his eyes. ‘Nara, stand down.’

I can’t believe he is saying that. ‘Darius—’

‘He wants you to be drained of every power you have inside you right now.’

I can only stare at him, realising the truth behind his words.

‘Think about it!’ He shakes my arm, which seems to steady me back on track. ‘What has he done up until now?’

Nothing. He has done nothing but watch.

Just as he did back at the arena, letting me waste all my energy so that he could overpower me.

My gaze softens as Darius stops trying to open my clenched fingers, and our shared fury is momentarily quieted. The woman on the ground scuttles back, the contempt in her gaze palpable as she watches us turn our attention to her.

‘Well, isn’t this a wonderful sight.’

My spine turns to steel at the voice coming from behind us. I can feel an undercurrent of rage brimming beneath Darius as we turn to find Hedris with a group of soldiers backing him.

Hedris’s gaze slices between Darius and me. ‘The thief telling his bitch to calm down.’ His words are a deliberate provocation, and it works as I try to run at him.

Darius stretches his hand out to stop me, his jaw tightening as the muscles on his neck go taut. The pause that follows feels like the beginning of a thunderstorm. ‘Say that again,’ he dares, his voice low and hinting at the temper that lies just beneath his surface – the temper I have witnessed a hundred times before.

Hedris sneers. ‘Your. Wife . Is a—’

‘Sire.’

Hedris halts at the voice of one of his men. Every head then turns, sees the soldier’s hands trembling as he grips his weapon, a terrified look on his face.

Then one by one, Hedris’s soldiers all begin to turn their swords on themselves.

Hedris looks on in horror at his men as each one slits their own throat against their will. Darius watches the scene unfold with a smirk on his face, his Merati powers snaking their way through the soldiers’ minds.

A growl rumbles deep from within Hedris’s chest as he whirls to us, his eyes practically bulging with unrestrained anger. He extends his palm out at us, a swirl of dark water aimed right at us.

‘You—’

One minute, he is snarling at us; the next, his head is rolling onto the floor as his body stays standing. Then his knees buckle, and he collapses.

My eyes stretch wide, disbelief etched into my every feature as a figure appears, her blade dripping with the remnants of Hedris’s blood.

Nonchalantly, she cleans her blade on her leather garb. ‘I never truly liked him.’

‘Sarilyn,’ I whisper.