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Brynne nodded. “How much time do we have?”

Footsteps sounded from around the bend in the castle. Moments later, Breckett appeared, moving so fast as he turned a corner that he slid and nearly fell. But he managed to remain upright as he ran toward them.

“Ogres!” he called. “Dozens of them just beyond the ward.”

Arabella tilted her head back, closing her eyes as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

She, Jessamine, Cora, and Brynne were some of the strongest warriors in all of Shadowbank, but they’d be no match fordozensof ogres—especially if they were a similar size to the monstrosity several dozen feet away, which landed another blow on the rapidly thinning section of the ward.

“Can you repair the ward?” Arabella gestured to the rippling dome. “Or strengthen it?”

Breckett eyed her incredulously. “Even if I had an amplifier, I can’t wield essence. Only Elias can.”

Not all erox had special abilities. For those who did, their gifts were as unique as each demon. Breckett could turn himself and anyone he touched invisible, which came in handy when trying to escape an adversary without being detected…

A thought struck her.

“Have the goblins returned?” she asked.

At best, they had minutes until the ogres broke through. She thought she heard more pounding in the distance, and she wondered if other ogres were trying to break through different sections of the ward.

“No,” Breckett said simply. “They’re gone, and they’re not coming back.”

Mind racing, she thought through their options.

They couldn’t portal out of the castle grounds without the goblins’ help.

There were only five of them; so, they didn’t stand a chance of battling more than a few ogres head-on. They could try to sneak through the forest and hope that Magnus’ army didn’t catch them. That hadn’t worked so well for her last time.

They couldn’t travel by horse while utilizing Breckett’s invisibility, and travel would be slow if they were on foot. If they were forced to run through the forest, they’d be far more vulnerable to not just being discovered by any creatures Magnus sent after them but to any demon with the ability to sense life around them.

Neither Breckett nor the enchantresses were as strong as Elias in sheer magical ability. Thus, their mere presence wouldn’t deter the demons from approaching. The moment they stopped to rest, they’d be fucked.

Even as her mind raced, something blossomed in her senses. Glancing around, there was nothing there. Though perhaps the shadows were somewhat… darker. Belatedly, it struck her that it felt like the presence from her dream.

“What’s your call?” Jessamine asked, her eyes never leaving the ogre nearest them as another boom rippled through the clearing and the ward bent dangerously inward.

“We run,” Arabella said, turning to Breckett. “Can you shield all of us?”

Slowly, he nodded. “I’ve never shielded so many at once. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to hold it.” After a moment, he added, “There will be a price, of course.”

Arabella waved a hand. They didn’t have time to argue over the syphen now. “Keep us hidden long enough to get past the?—”

Before she could finish the sentence, there was a tearing sound before a monstrous bellow shook the air.

Her shadows hissed, forming into thorny vines as black as midnight.

The darkness was eager to fight.

An ogre the size of the House of Obscurities pushed through a tear in the ward near the lake a few hundred yards away. One of the tusks extending from its too-wide mouth was broken off. It glanced around, taking in the castle and clearing. Then its gaze swiveled toward them. A single eye narrowed as its lips peeled back, revealing several rows of razor-sharp teeth. Then a roar rent the air, and it charged toward them. As it moved, the ground shook. Loose pebbles bounced along the path near them.

“Breckett, get them out of here,” Arabella said as she loosed several bolts of her earthen weaves at the ogre with the precision of a crossbow. “I’ll buy you time.”

“Fuck that,” Jessamine snapped as she loosed her own golden weaves, which punched through one of the ogre’s shoulders. The creature stumbled to the ground, dark blood leaking onto the earth.

Too quickly, it got back onto its feet, running toward them once more—uncaring of the blood trailing down its body.

“There isn’t time to argue,” Arabella shouted. “Get out of here now!”