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Vynthar appeared, sprinting along with the hybrids. One after the other, more Drakoryx joined him.

What was he…

Rivenlor fell. Regner’s soldiers began slamming their power into the ward that was protecting the hybrids as they ran toward the entrance to the tunnel––our people suddenly visible to the Eprothans once more. But our left flank held the line, giving everything they had for our most vulnerable.

And when the Eprothans power slipped through our wards, the Drakoryx leaped to shield the hybrids. Protecting them with their bodies.

I’d used my power against Vynthar once, and it hadn’t impacted him at all.

Now, they shook off most attacks. But they’d been fighting for hours too.

And when one of the Drakoryx went down, it didn’t get back up.

Neither did the next.

I raised my hands. Asinia caught them, slowly shaking her head. Tears streamed down her face.

One by one, the Drakoryx fell, until there were justseven left.

The final hybrid—a woman who limped as she ran— was hauled into the tunnel.

The elders lay near the tunnel entrance, their hands still clasped, their bodies unmoving. The final sacrifice to bring our people home.

As one, Vicer, the remaining soldiers, and all of the remaining Drakoryx sprinted back toward the battle, aiming for those who would dare attempt to kill our most innocent.

“Your Majesty.”

Blynth strode toward me, a trowth stone in his hand. “Something has happened,” he said. “Regner’s soldiers— especially his generals—they’re clutching their stomachs and falling to their knees.”

I stared at him.

“And immediately losing their heads,” he clarified. “Our people are taking full advantage of the situation.”

“Poison?”

“I don’t know, but it seems likely. Perhaps your friend Natan was able to do more than we’d thought.”

Sorrow threatened to drown me at the thought of Natan. “They’re the safest behind Regner’s wards,” Blynth continued hurriedly. “With them dying, it’s creating chaos behind their lines. This is it, Nelayra. This has to be the final push.”

LORIAN

Prisca fought like a warrior.

If we lived through this, I would commission a portrait of her, teeth bared, eyes glowing gold as she killed savagely for her kingdom.

Nearby, Conreth’s brutal power froze and shattered groups of soldiers each time. To our right, Conreth’s wardens had broken through the front lines, fighting deep within Regner’s ranked soldiers. Rekja used his own power to explode the towers the humans had built for their archers.

And that wasBrevanfighting next to Rythos. I shook my head, dazed. If there was one sight I’d never expected to see, it was the Arslan brothers fighting together on the same side.

Someone had managed an insidious attack behind Regner’s lines. Every few minutes, one of Regner’s generals would stumble, eyes glassy. Occasionally, they would fall to the ground, already dead. Most of the time, our people would take advantage of their weakness.

I noted each death.

And each time, I found one thing in common.

Those generals were drinking from their waterskins before they died.

They had time to do so since most of them weren’t fighting at the front.