Page 52

The day passes in uneasy quiet. We remain hidden, rationing the scraps of food left in Korrin’s satchel. My magic remains dormant, giving me no fresh headaches, but I can feel a hum in my blood that warns me I’m on the edge of unleashing it if threatened. Korrin dozes fitfully, and each time his breath catches from a new wave of pain, I cradle him, whispering reassurance.

As dusk approaches, the sky dims. I sense an itch at the back of my mind—like a gathering presence. My instincts shout danger. I stiffen, carefully scanning the pine shadows. Korrin rouses, noticing my tension. “What is it?”

I hold a finger to my lips, heart pounding. Something shifts in the woods beyond, branches cracking. My worst fear realized:They found us.I motion for Korrin to stay low. He grips a dagger from his belt, though his arms shake with the effort. My own body goes taut, every sense alert.

A moment later, a small band of dark elves emerges from the gloom—three, maybe four, armed with bows or crossbows. They prowl between the pines, scanning the ground. My breath catches.They’re tracking our blood trail.Korrin curses softly under his breath, face paling.He’s in no condition to fight more than one.My magic might help, but I’m exhausted too.

I glance at Korrin, reading his despair. My chest seizes.We must do something.The elves fan out, footsteps rustling needles. They’re close, less than thirty paces away. If I wait for them to see us, we’ll be pinned. Fear merges with fury—They will not drag me away, not harm Korrin.My collar rattles as I rise to a half-crouch, ignoring his frantic whisper to wait.

One elf steps into a patch of dying light, crossbow raised. He mutters something to his companion. They see a smear of blood on the needle-carpeted ground, pointing. They’re so close. My heart hammers.I must strike first.I glance back at Korrin, giving a silent apology. Then, summoning that flicker, I release agentle wave of silver energy forward.It won’t be like the arena. I can’t manage that scale again. But a smaller force might disorient them.

The wave ripples across the pine needles, making them swirl. The elves curse, reeling as the force buffets them. One crossbow fires prematurely, the bolt lodging in a tree trunk. Another elf stumbles, arms flailing. I seize the chance, launching forward with a desperate cry. My chain tangles, but I keep my balance, sliding around a tree trunk. The elf tries to bring up his blade. I blast him with another tiny arc of silver lightning. He collapses, twitching.

Three remain, regaining their footing. One leaps at me, a short sword cleaving the air. I duck behind a pine, branches scratching my arms. The sword slices bark, showering us in splinters. My heart thuds.This is madness.But I must protect Korrin. Clenching my fists, I hurl another spark of silver at his feet, forcing him to trip. He lands hard, cursing. I attempt to follow up, but the chain snags, halting my momentum. He recovers, slashing at my leg. I cry out as the blade grazes my thigh, warm blood trickling. Panic surges.I can’t keep this up alone.

An outraged snarl echoes behind me.Korrin?He emerges from behind the rock, dagger in hand, face etched with agony but eyes blazing.He can barely stand, yet he’s coming to fight.Fear for him spikes in my chest.

One elf, noticing Korrin’s weakness, lunges at him. Korrin blocks the strike with surprising skill, but the impact jars his broken wing stumps. He cries out, knees buckling. My stomach lurches. I try to strike with magic, but the other elf slashes at me, forcing me to defend myself.We’re pinned from both sides.

“Elyria!” Korrin gasps, pinned down by furious strikes. My mind reels.We can’t handle them all if we fight separately.The collar chain rattles, reminding me I still move with difficulty.

Desperation floods me. My arms hum with that chaotic power.I must do something bigger.But my chest tightens—If I unleash the full wave again, I risk losing control. Could I kill Korrin in the crossfire?

But if I do nothing, we’re dead anyway. My eyes lock on his battered form as the elf drives him back. He tries to parry, but his strength fails. The blade nicks his side again.No, I can’t watch him bleed any more.My tears scald, heart pounding with reckless determination.

I gather what’s left of my purna spark, gripping the collar’s edges. The half-broken runes sputter. With a savage cry, I force the magic outward, ignoring the searing pain around my neck. The chain glows, metal turning white-hot. The runes crack further, failing to contain me. A swirl of silver flame erupts around my body, forming a shimmering shell of power. My skin prickles with intense heat. The elf in front of me yelps, stumbling away as arcs of light lash out.

“Get down!” I scream to Korrin, though my voice is half-choked by tears. He sees the raging aura, recognizing the final onslaught. He drops to his knees, covering his head with one arm, trusting I’ll spare him. My collar smokes, the metal scalding my neck. I grit my teeth against the agony, letting the wave expand in a ring of silver fire.

It’s smaller than in the arena, but enough to blast outward, striking the elves who close in. Two are hurled against trees, weapons clattering. The third tries to raise a crossbow, but the swirling flame knocks it aside, scorching the wood. A frantic shriek echoes as they scramble to flee or defend themselves. My chest is ablaze with pain, the collar searing into my skin, but I press the power, forcing it to intensify.I want them gone. They can’t keep doing this to us.The ground trembles underfoot, pines rustling furiously. The silver wave arcs higher, flattening branches.

The elves, seeing no chance, bolt into the darkness, stumbling over rocks. My tears blur them as they vanish.They’ll probably bring more.But for now, we’re safe. My entire frame shakes, magic flickering dangerously.I must rein it in or I’ll burn everything.Summoning the scraps of will left, I subdue the aura, letting it dissipate. The collar’s remnants crack, metal sloughing off. A final hiss escapes it, and it falls from my neck with a dull clang, scorching my collarbone. I gasp, chest heaving.It’s done.

As the silver flame fades, the quiet returns, thick with the smell of scorched pine needles. The swirl of dust settles. I stand, swaying on my feet, chain gone, the collar in pieces at my feet.I’m truly free of it.Tears trickle down my cheeks, mixing relief and agony.

Korrin kneels a few paces away, face lined with pain. He gazes at me, awe flickering in his wounded eyes. “Elyria,” he breathes, voice shaking. “You… you destroyed it.”

My entire body sags, knees buckling. He struggles to catch me, ignoring the throbbing stumps of his wings. I collapse into his arms with a sob, burying my face against his chest. “I had to,” I whisper, tears soaked into his tattered shirt. “They wouldn’t stop. I can’t let them keep hurting you.”

He trembles, arms wrapping around me, ignoring his own pain. “You saved me again.” The raw gratitude in his tone shreds my heart.We’re battered, but together.

We hold each other in that swirl of ash and pine needles, the forest silent aside from our ragged breathing. The collar lies in a melted hunk behind me, the final chain that once bound me to the fortress. My mind reels with the knowledge that I awakened destructive purna magic again.What does that mean for us? Are we unstoppable, or condemned to be hunted by all?

But for this moment, none of that matters. I press my lips to Korrin’s, tears mingling with the taste of soot. He kisses meback softly, wincing at each motion, yet pouring every ounce of devotion into that contact. My heart aches with love so fierce it feels like a fresh wound.We have survived the clan’s cruelty, the dark elves’ chains, and even our own self-doubts. We stand here, battered but undefeated.

When we part, I rest my forehead on his. “No more running from ourselves,” I whisper. “We fight back whenever they come. I won’t be caged again.”

He nods, tears catching on his lashes. “Neither will I.” His voice trembles.He lost everything—wings, clan, pride—for me, yet he stands unbroken in spirit.My chest swells with reverence.

We linger a moment, quietly clinging to each other, letting the morning wind swirl away the remnants of fear. The pine stand stands battered but not destroyed—like us. Far in the distance, I sense a hush across the foothills, as though the world waits for our next move.We can’t stay here.The elves will regroup, gargoyles might reorganize once the fortress recovers. But for a fleeting window, we have peace.

Korrin helps me stand. Our synergy is awkward, both wounded, but the intangible bond pulses strong. I cast one final glance at the melted collar pieces and the scorched patch of ground.Good riddance.

He meets my gaze, swallowing. “Where to now?” A shadow of uncertainty crosses his features. “We can’t face them all again, not in our state.”

I consider, heart hammering. “We go deeper into the mountains,” I decide. “Find a remote valley or cave where we can heal, learn to control my magic, and plan our future.” The words taste foreign but bracing. “We might never stop being hunted, but at least we can choose how to live.”

A flicker of relief brightens his eyes. “I trust you,” he repeats, voice low with love. He leans on me heavily, and I wrap an arm around his waist, mindful of his wing stumps. Each stephe takes is laced with pain, but his jaw sets in determination. I realize with a pang that he’ll never again soar on leathery wings, never again command the skies.He gave that for me.My tears threaten once more, but I bury them, focusing on hope.