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“No!” I scream.

It comes to me then that—he was right. I can’t do this again. He will win. I have no choice but to go face him in Hell. Destroyhim, as I was always meant to. But to do that, I have to survive this battle.

I claw desperately for my magic, but now it’s me who is ablaze.

I’m on fire. Burning for my sins? I don’t know but then the flames die abruptly, and everything goes black.

Chapter 39

Khaos

“Amber!”

For one second, her eyes flash with crimson flames. Then the flames die away, and she crashes to the ground.

“No.”

I leap across the short distance between us and fall to my knees at her side. Her skin is pale, her eyes closed, but there are no wounds that I can see. I reach out slowly, fear holding me back. I’m terrified of what I might find. That I’ve lost her.

Until I met Amber, I didn’t know what fear was. Fear only exists when you have something to lose. And I had fuck-all that I cared about.

Now the thought of a world without her is tearing me up, ripping me to bloody little shreds. Inside me, Fury whines and claws. I can’t let him free right now, and I shut him down. All I can think of is Amber.

Her skin is icy cold, as though all the warmth has leached from her body, but when I touch my fingertips lightly to her throat, I can feel a thready pulse.

She’s alive. If barely.

My despair fades to be replaced by determination.

She won’t die. I won’t fucking let her.

I lightly squeeze her shoulder. “Amber, wake up.”

There’s no response. What the fuck am I supposed to do? I’ve treated many wounds on the battlefield, but how can I treat her when there’s no obvious injury?

I sit back on my heels and look around at the devastation. There are small pockets of fighting here and there. Thanouq and Zayne are still circling overhead, but it’s clear the battle is over.

We won.

Amber won.

It was her magic that triumphed here. Though I’m not sure triumph is the right word. Most of the enemy have been reduced to nothing more than piles of ash and the stench of smoke and burning flesh coats my nostrils and clogs my throat. I spit.

Maybe I’ve lost my taste for battle.

I stroke the hair from her forehead, but she’s out cold. I need to get her to the healers.

Nightfall is lying by her side, and I pick the sword up and slide the blade inside my belt—she would hate to lose it. Then I scoop her up in my arms and straighten. She’s no weight at all, and I press her against my chest, then head toward the city. Halfwayto the mountain track, I come across a riderless horse. She shies as she catches my scent, but I manage to grab hold of the reins with one hand, and she settles. Horses don’t like me—or more likely, it’s Fury they sense. I lead her to a rock and manage to mount. I settle Amber across the saddle, still cradled against my chest. Then I kick the mare into a gallop. We race across the ground, leaping obstacles that block our path. The mare shies at a body, rearing up, but I tighten my legs around her and push her on. People dive out of our way, and it takes only minutes to reach the entrance to the track that leads to the city gates.

It’s guarded by Thanouq’s soldiers, but they must recognize us as they part their ranks and let us through. I have to slow a little as we ride up the track. It’s busy with people carrying the wounded from the battlefield. And I clutch Amber’s still unconscious body against mine. I won’t let her die. She’s mine.

As the road widens and the gateway approaches, we speed up again and race into the city and through the street. Finally, I pull up in the courtyard in front of the palace and slide from the mare’s back, still holding Amber. A groom approaches.

“Look after her,” I say, handing him the mare’s reins. She carried us well.

Doors open in front of me as I carry Amber into the building, going directly to the healers. It’s busy with the wounded but they take one look at Amber and lead me to a room at the rear, with a single bed. I lay her down.

“She won’t wake up,” I snarl.