Chapter 17

My heart leapt to my throat as we turned, my senses on high alert as I scanned the new arrivals. Ten fae guards emerged, weapons of all kinds in their hands. They wouldn"t risk turning the magic back on and letting us escape. All of them bore hair colors signaling they were royal fae and would have elemental powers when the room turned back on.

"There you are," Cas sneered, as he stepped from behind the guards. He projected arrogance, but I could see the way his chest rose and fell in subtle pants that meant he was out of breath. "Your little trick with the pagu was cute, but not fast enough. I can"t believe you thought sending a couple of birds to distract us would get you out of this."

Pagu? I darted a look to Nia and Eldrin, but they shook their heads slightly. They hadn"t sent the pagu to do anything. Those crazy bastards had gone rogue, but it had given us some much-needed time. Just not enough.

My heart sank as I realized the gravity of our situation. We were stuck in here without magic, only half of us with weapons against this group of trained fighters. And now we were outnumbered.

But we wouldn"t go down without a fight. Everyone that wasn"t a shifter had weapons, and we drew them tightly in front of us, creating a barrier in front of our two newly freed prisoners. The first wave of guards surged forward, and we met in a clash of metal and shouts. I wasn"t the best at weapon combat, but I was fast, even without the ability to use my shifter senses.

The fae directly in front of me was a tall, waif of a man, his ears sharply pointed, and his hair so blue it looked black in the inconsistent lighting. He brandished his sword with a vicious flourish, its blade singing through the air. I danced out of reach, using my speed and agility to my advantage. I darted and weaved around him until I finally managed to get behind, and with a strong thrust, managed to jam my dagger into the side of his neck, blood pouring over my hand.

This was a much quicker death than when I"d killed Lexi, and I didn"t have time to dwell on it. He"d stood between me and our freedom, and he wouldn"t have hesitated to do the same to me. Still, a piece of my heart hardened as I pulled my knife out, his body slumping to the floor with a final thump.

Suddenly, my path was blocked by Cas who stood still, regarding me with a cold, calculating gaze, his narrow features twisted into a sharp sneer. I looked around, but my friends were all engaged, even Lily and Engar, doing their best to take down the attacking fae with whatever they could. Callan had picked up a sword, steadily parrying the blows of his fae opponent. Nia stood with Lily and Engar, the three of them facing off against two fae. Oliver, Finn, and Eldrin did similarly, taking on another two fae, the first one taking a slice through the ribcage as I watched.

I was on my own.

"Cas," I breathed, my voice tight. "Move, we"re leaving." I held my dagger in front of me in a defensive move, eyes trained on the sword he held expertly in his right hand.

"Why? You and I both know I"m not letting you out of here. Not without the ring." His eyes narrowed as he looked toward my hands, frowning when he didn"t see the ring. "Where is it, sister?"

"You"ll have to take it from me," I snarked, then realized my mistake immediately as he let out a sinister grin. I"d just confirmed I had the ring with me.

Shit.

"You are a traitor, a disgrace to your people," he sneered. "I should have smothered you in your crib."

His words struck me like a physical blow, a harsh reminder of the deep-seated hatred we had for each other. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I"d hoped that maybe there was some good inside of him, some flicker of a brother who might have some sort of warm sentiment toward me, but that had been a childish thought. His eyes were empty, devoid of any love or compassion, hardened by centuries of loyalty to a cause that could ruin everything.

"I"m not the enemy here," I told him, trying to keep him talking, hoping someone might come and back me up. With my magic, I"d be confident facing off against him, but Cas had centuries to learn swordplay and I"d brought a tiny knife that paled in comparison. He would not make the same mistake of letting me get around him like the blue-haired fae I"d taken down.

He was having none of it.

The air crackled with energy as he rushed me, faster than I thought possible without any magical aid. I gripped my dagger tightly, dodging his strike, attempting to lunge at him but he countered with lightning-fast reflexes, his blade whistling through the air as he parried. The clang of metal echoed against the stone walls as his sword collided with my dagger, and I gritted my teeth as his blade slid to the hilt, slicing my hand open. Blood splashed to the floor, the pain making me cry out slightly against the sensation.

"Rowan!" Callan shouted, but I couldn"t turn my head, couldn"t take my eyes off Cas as he came in for a second strike. I dodged, my dagger flashing like a silver comet as I tried to breach his defenses. But Cas wasn"t just anyone. No, he was a hardened warrior who had used a lifetime to master his craft, and he danced out of my reach with effortless grace. His movements were a blur of motion as he deflected each of my attempts with uncanny precision, and I was just barely able to recover in time to dodge his next attack.

With each exchange, I found myself pushing closer to exhaustion, my muscles burning with the exertion of physical activity I wasn"t used to. I struggled to keep pace with his attacks, but I wouldn"t give up. I wouldn"t yield. If I died here, then so be it, but I would die fighting.

My determination fueled my resolve as I fought with all the strength and skill I could muster.

But it wasn"t enough. Sensing an opening, Cas lunged in with lightning speed, his blade slicing through the air with deadly accuracy. With one swift maneuver, he dodged around my defenses, and this time, it was him that ended up behind me, not quick enough to get out of his way. With a vicious blow, his sword sliced into my side with a wet, tearing noise as it cut through the skin and muscle.

Pain exploded through my senses, a sensation so searing I couldn"t breathe. I gasped for breath, stumbling backward, my vision swimming as I fought to stay conscious. The world spun around me, a chaotic whirlwind of shadow and pain as I struggled to regain my footing, to no avail.

Sheer, unbridled rage spread throughout my body, and I was barely able to recognize through the haze that it wasn"t mine.

Cas approached me, his sword dripping with my blood as he leered over me. Without warning, Callan emerged from the darkness that plagued my vision, his dark hair tousled and his eyes blazing with fury. With a primal roar, he launched himself at Cas, looking completely at home with the sword he held in his hand as he knocked Cas back, away from me. A silver-haired bullet darted past where I lay on the ground, Finn joining the fray with Callan to push Cas on the defensive.

Nia rushed over to my side, doing her best to staunch the wound, but from the frantic look on her face, I could tell she wasn"t making much progress. Weakness took over my body, my heart pounding in my chest as my skin went clammy. I hope they killed those other fae, or else two of us are going to die, I thought to myself loopily, dizziness setting in with any movement I tried to make. I gave up quickly, not having the energy to do anything at all.

I stared at a strand of blue hair that was hovering over my face where I lay on the ground, the pain fading into a blissful numbness as I marveled at each individual strand.

"Pretty," I mumbled, wincing as the act of speaking sent a stinging pain through my side.

"I can't fix this without my magic," her panicked voice sounded far above me. Soft murmurs and deep voices rumbled around me, but they were distant, echoing in the vast cavern that was my mind. The pain in my side blazed, throbbing relentlessly, each beat of my heart sending a lance of agony through my body. I tried to focus, to push through the haze clouding my mind, but it was like swimming against the current in a raging river.

Something burned against my chest, and I gasped against the pain, regretting it immediately as my side began to spasm. But through the haze, something finally pierced through.

"Nia, the ring," I whispered hoarsely, my voice barely audible. I opened the eyes I hadn"t realized I"d closed, and Nia"s eyes widened in realization. Without hesitation, she reached under my shirt, grasping the ring tightly in her hand, her fingers trembling with urgency as she undid the clasp of the necklace and slid the ring off. As she brought the ring closer, its radiant energy seemed to pulse, and I could almost swear I felt some life return to my body.

With a trembling hand, Nia reached out and gently slipped the ring onto my finger. Her hands were slick with my blood, and it slid on easily. The moment it made contact with my skin, I burned, starting from the top of my head all the way to my toes. A blinding light exploded outward, engulfing me in its brilliant glow. It was as if I"d been consumed by a vortex of raw energy, every fiber of my being buzzing with electrifying force.

For a brief moment, I was lost in a whirlwind of sensation, my senses overwhelmed by the sheer power coursing through me. My wounds healed instantly, the bleeding stopping with astonishing speed, and I found myself able to get to my feet with ease, my body glowing in a crimson haze that matched the ring exactly.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the light faded, the magic still coursing under my skin, waiting for it to tell me what I wanted it to do. It was hungry, starving for me to give it something to consume.

"You"re alive," Nia breathed, her voice filled with wonder. "It worked."

Gratitude washed over me as I realized how close I had come to the brink of death. I"d been irresponsible, taking on a fight I knew I wasn"t ready for. Oliver"s flames flared to life in his hand, a dark look passing over his face. "My magic works again."

"Get ready to portal," I told him. A quick glance around the room told me they had finished off the rest of the fae guard, only Cas still standing. With renewed vigor coursing through my veins, I turned my attention back to him, who was now locked in a fierce battle with Callan and Finn.

They fought like wild beasts, their swords clashing against his in a symphony of steel as they exchanged blows. But Cas was no ordinary foe, his skill with the blade unmatched.

I took a step forward, my hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of the dagger that was no longer there, now somewhere scattered across the floor. But I had the ring around my finger, magic in my very veins. Cas didn"t seem to realize the magic was turned back on now, some sort of short circuit from the strength of the ring, and I wouldn"t waste that advantage.

He was deadly enough with a sword; I did not want him to realize he could also use his lightning.

The ring pulsed around my finger, sensing my intention and responding to me eagerly. I closed my eyes, focusing on the sensation, allowing the magic to flow through me like a raging torrent.

When I opened my eyes again, I felt a surge of energy unlike anything I had ever experienced. As if the very air around me crackled with electricity, the power of the ring humming in my veins. With a deep breath, I raised my hand, palm outstretched toward Cas. His eyes connected with mine, widening as he realized what I was doing.

But it was too late.

A bolt of lightning erupted from my fingertips, streaking through the air with blinding speed. It was coated in a haze of red and struck Cas square in his chest, sending him reeling backward with a cry of pain. He stumbled, his sword slipping from his grasp as he lost his footing.

Seizing the opportunity, Callan and Finn pressed their advantage, launching a coordinated assault against the now-vulnerable Cas. They rained blows upon him with relentless fury, driving him back with each strike.

With a final, desperate lunge, Callan delivered a devastating blow that sent Cas crashing to the ground, his sword clattering to the stone floor beside him. He lay there, defeated and defenseless, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths.

I approached him slowly, my gaze fixed upon his prone form. Despite everything he had done, part of me couldn"t help but feel a shard of pity for him. But it was short-lived as I remembered how close I"d just come to dying.

Our eyes locked as I stared at him, conflicting emotions churning within me like a tempest. All I could see was the face of the man who had brought so much suffering to those that I loved. With steely resolve, I raised my hand once more, the ring pulsating with power as it responded to my will. The magic within me surged forward, eager to wreak havoc upon the world.

Cas groaned weakly, his eyes fluttering open as he gazed up at me with a mixture of defiance and fear. He wanted me to spare him, I could see it in the depths of his eyes, but he was too proud to ask. He knew where it would end, could see it in my face.

He didn"t deserve my mercy.