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The world shifts again, the silver mist collapsing into a void—

And I’m back in my body. Back on the battlefield. Back in the fight.

But everything is different.

The wind has dropped. My eyes blink open. I whisper the words of a healing spell, and my wound seals as if it never existed. My fingers pulse with celestial fire and the ground beneath me hums with magic.

A tremor runs through the earth and everyone around me freezes in place as they realize something has changed.

Boy, has it changed. The old Amber—the girl who doubted, who hesitated, who feared what she could become—died in the darkness.

And now, something new lives in her place.

It’s time for them to meet badass Amber!

Chapter 33

Khaos

No!

The wind drops as quickly as it rose and through the bloody chaos, I can see her body, lying still in a pool of crimson. Despair claws at me.

Too late.

I crash to my knees, raise my head, and scream to the sky.

She can’t be dead. I won’t allow it.

But I saw the blade go in.

All around, the fighting continues. Most don’t realize that it’s over. I just kneel, waiting for someone to notice me and put an end to my pain. I failed her. It was the one task I gave myself to do. Just one thing—to keep her safe. And I failed.

Inside me, Fury whimpers. I feel his pain as an echo of my own. Ripping us apart.

Then something changes. A tremor runs through the earth. I press my palms to the ground and a shudder of magic prickles against my skin.

My gaze shoots to Amber.

She’s still on the ground but a faint glow emanates from her body and a tension runs through her.

My mind is blank, I’m beyond hope, but I push myself to my feet and stagger over to her.

Her eyes are open, glowing like jewels.

“Amber?”

A smile curves her lips. She’s alive. I can’t take the change in emotions; my mind is reeling.

She rises to her knees, then to her feet and stands staring at me, one eyebrow raised, hands on her hips. I search her body. I can see the rip in her shirt where the sword went in, but the skin beneath is unmarred.

I’m lost. The shift from despair to elation is overwhelming. I want to cry. I don’t cry. Not ever.

She glances away, searching the battlefield. There’s a knot of men still fighting. I catch a glimpse of Zayne and Thanouq at the center. Amber bends down and picks up a sword. I look around the battlefield for one of my own…because I will be in front of her every step of the way.

But she raises the sword into the sky and whispers the words of a spell, then points it toward the cluster of fighters. Crimson flame shoots from the sword and slams into the group. Screamsfill the air and within moments all lie dead, except for Zayne and Thanouq, who stand alone in the center.

She turns in a circle. All around us men are falling to their knees, dropping their weapons, arms raised in surrender. It’s as if she doesn’t see—the flame whips out, and the men crash to the ground.