39. Abraxas

My fae heart pounded, and my lungs burned as Tori and I sprinted through the city's streets and alleys, Tori at my side. It was like we had fought together for centuries, our movements so in sync. Our subconsciouses connected through the bond, and we moved as one. No one could stand in our way. We cut down soldier after soldier, fighting our way through the city to the garden district.

Itwas so similar to how I had run with Avlyn through the streets five hundred years ago that I could almost laugh at the irony. This time, I had my mate at my side, and instead of being filled with despair and dread, hope clung to my heart.

Steelstruck against steel. I cleaved my great sword through foe after foe as Tori split her blade into two parts and danced with a speed unmatched by any of my finest warriors. Emerald green dragonfire flowed between us, scorching obstacles or men outside our swords' reach.

Weencountered small groups of soldiers that were separated from their cohorts and a few battered citizens. Whenever we found one of our people, we sent them off towards the mist district. Not many were still alive, and the flames of anger licked at my heart.

Werounded a corner to the main street running down the market district. A large home I knew well was surrounded by a dozen enemy soldiers trying to ram down the door. It was obvious civilians had barricaded themselves inside. No words needed to be spoken between Tori and me as we descended upon them.

Dragonfire, viridian and incendiary claimed half of them. Their screams rent the air, but Tori didn't hesitate to strike down one right after the other. I followed close behind. Soon, the entire host lay shattered at our feet. Tori's brow was drenched with sweat. She used the back of her hand to wipe her hair off her face, but it only managed to leave a streak of blood behind. I'd never seen anything more beautiful.

"It's getting harder to call the mana. I have used too much calling on your dragonfire. If we're not careful, there won't be enough if you have to shift again." I nodded at her. I hadn't used this much magic in centuries. She placed her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"Luckily, someone I know took down the DragonKing with her swords alone."

Shelooked up and gave me a flirtatious smile. "I heard his skills in swordsmanship have been exaggerated, anyway." She winked at me, and I snarled, ready to show her exactly what I could do. There was a crash behind the locked manor doors. The sound was like being drenched in cold water.

"This is your king. We must evacuate to the mist district. Come out now and we can escort you." Voices sounded behind the heavy front doors. I heard crashing from the level above, and a face looked down at me from a window.

"It's really him! Open the doors." The face disappeared. Groaning sounded from behind the entrance as the occupants moved whatever they had used to barricade the doors. The minutes seemed to drag on, and Tori kept spinning around, watching the streets for our enemy. Despite the distant sounds of fighting, the market district was now eerily silent. Dead.

Finally, the door opened, and LordNalux stood before us, sweeping into a deep bow. "YourMajesty, we thought…" He shook his head. "I gathered as many as I could when the army breached the walls, but I don't think we could have held much longer. Thank you."

Ilooked over his shoulder and saw dozens of people from all races gathered in his foyer. I clamped a hand on his shoulder. "You always were a good man, Nalux. It is I who must thank you."

"Of course, YourMajesty." Nalux gave me that beautiful smile I had always adored when I felt a tug down our bond. It was very small, but it felt like… jealousy. I looked over to Tori's pointedly neutral face.

Despiteeverything that was going on, I gave a small chuckle. "Now is not the time. We must make for the mist district. We will accompany you."

Asmall shape darted out from the crowd and wrapped around my legs. I faltered as Emilia buried her face into my filthy coat. "KingA-a-abraxas, have you seen my pa?" The poor girl was sobbing so hard. I barely understood her.

Ilooked up at Tori, who was looking at the girl with tears in her eyes. We both looked over the wall near the outside of the city and saw smoke rising from the hills that would have been the farmsteads owned by Bronn. Emilia's five siblings gathered around me, the smallest clinging to Tori. LordNalux shook his head. "They came running in from the countryside when the fighting started… alone." Any humor I had found vanished.

Tori'svoice shook. "I told CommanderTalius to bring all the outlying citizens in days ago." Nalux shook his head again.

"Many did, but many did not wish to leave their homes, their livelihoods out undefended." Tears rolled down Tori's face, the guilt eating away at her.

"Save those tears for later, my love. For now, let us save who we can." She hardened her face and hoisted one of the small children on her hip. They wrapped their arms around her, burying their faces in her shoulders. She turned to Nalux.

"We move now."

"We have many injured," he said.

Shedidn't hesitate to push her way into the manor and started shouting orders. She set the children to the side and started pulling down tapestries and tearing apart furniture to build transportation.

Shewas beautiful and efficient, making groups and assigning leaders. IfLordEltis had any objections to Tori tearing his house apart, he was smart enough not to voice them. I moved to join her when the tiny arms around my waist squeezed tighter.

Iknelt down to look the girl in the eye. "Emilia, as I told the princess, there will be a time later for tears. All the tears you need. But for now, I need you to be brave. Your siblings need you to be brave."

Herbreath caught in her throat. "I can't—"

"You can, Emilia. Your king is here to protect you." Her shoulders heaved a few more times as her small voice murmured, "She really is a princess, isn't she?" She looked at Tori, who waved frantically before ripping a bookshelf apart with her bare hands. "She's not what I thought a princess would be like."

"No, she certainly isn't."

Only a few minutes later, we were on the move. Our pace was glacial at best, with so many injured being dragged and the strides of so many tiny legs. Tori had one small child in each arm and a slightly larger one clinging to her back. We passed through the city, knocking on doors and pulling as many citizens along with us as we could until our entourage numbered over one hundred.

Thesound of distant fighting echoed through the streets, the clash of swords on armor rang off the stone walls. Nothing was close, at least that I could sense. I could smell the fear dripping off the humans and fae alike, and the beast inside me reveled in it.

Ishook my head, trying to clear the smell and taste of blood from my mouth. I needed to protect them. My father had failed, but I would not. I could not, with my mate by my side.

Thestreets were choked with dust, and it clung to her face. Clear tracks of sweat washed away the grime from her temples. She caught me staring and her eyes softened until the child on her back started to slip and she had to hoist him back up.

Thestreet we traversed widened, and the buildings fell away as we neared the largest bridge to the mist district. TheVitmosRiver separated the southern city from the castle. Some of the older children dashed forward at the sight. They ran up the road and across the bridge until they were swept up in the crowd that waited just beyond the last open gate.

Thesight of safety reinvigorated the crowd, and feet started shuffling faster. Tori and I were nearly knocked down, but the crowd continued to push, and the mass of bodies grew unruly as the mob took over.

Toriclutched her riders closer and started to run, trying to stay ahead of the wave of bodies. I followed by her side until a glint of gold caught the corner of my eye. I heard the release of a bow and drew my sword just in time to slash the black arrow in half before it pierced through my mate's skull. She stumbled, and shouts surrounded us. Golden-armored soldiers materialized from the shadows as if conjured by some dark spell. The sudden clang of steel rang out, a harsh counterpoint to the panicked cries around us.

"Run!" Tori screamed at the children, launching them down the road as she scrambled to pull her sword from its sheath. The surrounding mob descended into chaos as my citizens fled for the castle. I heard screams as the people on the edges fell under the swords of the nearest soldiers.

Torireleased her sword into its two halves and charged towards the nearest assailant, striking him first on the back of his knee and then his neck.

Iturned to do the same when the sky darkened as a volley of arrows rained down on us from the soldiers hidden on the nearby roofs. I threw up a curtain of fire over the entire street and watched as the arrows disintegrated into ash. There were too many for the power I had in my fae form, and I couldn't destroy them all. Horrible squelches and screams surrounded me as a few hit their marks, bursting through chests and limbs. Tori grabbed a nearby man and ducked with him under an awning just in time.

Ifought my way over to her, my sword drenched in blood. Centuries of rage flowed through me as I cut down one man after another, and nothing stood in my way until she was at my side again.

Shedid the same, her blades singing as they met those of her adversaries. Tori"s movements were precise, each strike parrying with grace before countering with lethal efficiency. Soon, we were back-to-back.

Downthe street to the south, more soldiers approached, their armor clanked menacingly as they advanced with swords and spears at the ready.

Toriand I locked eyes, and no words were needed. She placed her hand over my heart, but then her face grew tight. "Abraxas, wait…"

Therewas no time to hesitate. I pulled the mana of the earth through her, but it was not the power flow I expected. The power stuttered, and the transformation was sluggish, the energy scarce. It pulled the last of my remaining magic to shift. Scales replaced skin, and my bones reformed and expanded into the massive frame of a dragon. My roar echoed off the buildings, a sound of both triumph and desperation.

Inthis form, I could channel the mana, and I saw why Tori had hesitated. I felt a disturbing void. The earth beneath my feet, once a vibrant source of my power, now seemed drained, as if the magic had been leached from the soil.

Thereis barely any mana left. How did this happen?

Fightnow. Discuss later.

Torinodded and spun, her swords clashing with those of a man nearly twice her size.

Whathad been chaos in the streets before was now pure panic. The sight of a dragon in the midst of the city sowed chaos among Hadeon"s soldiers. Some fled, while others regrouped and attacked with renewed vigor.

Aroar amplified in my chest and a fiery bout of flame erupted from my jaws, sweeping across the advancing troops. The air blistered with heat; the screams of our enemies briefly overpowered the din of battle.

Morecontinued to come, and I needed to conserve what little mana was left, especially if I wanted to be able to change back. Luckily, I still had my fangs.

Icrashed through the approaching cohort, knocking bodies to the ground and trampling them as they tried to strike me. Most of their blows bounced off, but every now and then, pain would lance through my legs as a blade found its mark and a scale was pried loose. But each soon met his death as my jaws clamped around them and ripped them to shreds. The taste of blood was leaching into my very soul, and I could feel the madness of violence rising. I had to be careful. I spun quickly, making men fly and buildings crumble as my tail smashed everything in its path.

"Abraxas!" Tori called. She had gotten most of the citizens who were still alive to the bridge, but another barrage of arrows had been sent skyward toward where they ran unprotected.

Tome.

Sheran to me without hesitation. I flapped my wings once, and the wind threw the nearest soldiers back as she launched herself off a nearby toppled market stand and onto my back. She clung to me as I beat my wings again and we took off into the sky.

Together.

Inthis form, I could channel mana, just like her. We both drew from the limited pool that was left. I called it into my heart, and she wrapped it around herself as she pulled dragonfire from me. My wings beat as we rose into the air after the volley of arrows. Together, we shot fire over the bridge and incinerated all of them before they could fall. Together, we were enough, and not a single arrow escaped. I watched as the last of the civilians ran through the mist district gate.

Ourfoes were prepared, and I was now a much larger target. A volley of dark-tipped arrows arced through the sky again, and we had no mana left to give. They flew true, striking my vulnerable wings. The pain was wicked, and I lost control, crashing against a nearby building, which crumbled under my weight.

Tori, are you alright?

Shehad already thrown herself off me and darted forward, slashing at a soldier who aimed a spear at my bowed head. Her blade met his with a shower of sparks, and with a quick twist, she disarmed him, driving her sword through his armor.

Morewere coming. The archers from the ruined building were pushing out of the rubble, and like this, I was too big of a target. I pushed myself up, my wings dragging as crimson blood soaked the streets and ruined buildings around me.

Wecan't stay here, Abraxas.

Anotherset of arrows flew and ripped through my wings. I let out another bellow that shook the stones in the street. My long tongue snaked out and wrapped around Tori's waist. She gave a surprised yelp but didn't fight as I barreled forward, knocking down another building as I made my way towards the bridge. I had cleared it halfway when another set of arrows flew, but I would not let the pain slow me.

AsI crested the center of the bridge, shouts met me from the gate. I saw Avlyn and Jun waving frantically at us. I leaped; my ruined wings were barely able to help me glide the remaining distance as more arrows rained down. The gate wasn't large enough for me, and I needed to change forms to prevent taking the entire thing down with me.

Luckily, changing back into my fae form took significantly less power than the other way, and I pulled the last of what the earth had to give, letting myself shrink. I pulled my wings in around Tori and I as we flew through the gate. We landed with a smack on the stones just inside the threshold. My horns and wings disappeared as I dripped blood all over my mate.

"Abraxas!" Her warm hands were on my face as she rolled me over. I could feel the wounds on my arms and legs struggling to heal, the wounds that had once been on my wings.

Ilooked up into her eyes and she was covered in blood, but it was mine.

"Looks like we'll live just a little bit longer."