Page 165

Katana took her sister’s waiting hand and she pulled her up. Once she had a grip on her, Valeen said, “Go Night. Fly high!”

He took off into a sprint and they lifted. Atlanta and Synick seemed to shrink as they rose. From here she had a perfect view of the city. Black smoke drifted from the center. Screams still echoed from the streets. The city guard rushed toward them.

“Is Synick attacking the city?” Katana whispered.

Valeen glanced back. “He’s probably doing it to draw us there. He knows we’ll want to help the people.”

“Thane is not here to help them.” She frowned. “We have to.”

“Shield first, but we cannot place it near the waterfall anymore. They will see us, and I can’t protect it there. We must place it inside the castle.”

Night soared over the ravine that surrounded Castle Dredwich. Sprays of mist wrapped around them as they passed the waterfall. With a quick tug on the reins, Night dropped down at the base of the entrance steps.

“Where in the castle?” Katana hopped off first and dashed up the stairs.

“My room. It’s protected by wards.” Valeen was on her heels. The guards at the doors quickly pulled them open. They bounded up the next set of stairs and flew down the corridor to Valeen’s room.

Once inside, Katana searched frantically for a place to hold it. There was nothing that looked stable enough. The bed wouldn’t do, neither would a chair. It had to be something solid and near unmovable. “What do we use as an anchor?”

Valeen slammed her fist into the floor at the foot of her bed and cracked the stone. She hit it again and it opened enough to slide the blade into. “This will have to do.”

Katana shoved it in until it wouldn’t move further. “Now what?”

“Grab hold. We must give it our intention. Let your magic flow into it,” her sister said.

Katana wrapped her hands around the pommel and pushed her magic into the sword.Light and shadow mixed as both of their powers circled around them.Be a shield and protection for this city, for the elves. Draw from the sun, Lightbringer. I give you my power to do so. You are Lightbringer, give us your light.

Valeen whispered, “Connect to the moon, shield and protect the Valley of the Sun. Save us from our enemies, let no one in or out unless I or the goddess of day wills it.” A beam of white light shot straight into the ceiling. The sword began to shake, then the ground they stood on. A potted plant fell off the shelfand shattered on the floor, spilling soil. Valeen looked terrified. “I don’t know if this floor will hold.”

“It has to!” Katana kept her grip on the sword. “Finish it, Val!”

Valeen let go and ran to the windows, throwing a set of them open then raised her arms above her head. In one swift motion she dropped to her knee and touched the stone. The beam of light inside disappeared, but outside, it spread into a dome and began to shimmer into a thin veil dripping down around the city until it touched the grass below. The sword stopped shaking, giving off a subtle glow.

“We did it!” Katana clapped and jumped up and down. “It worked!”

Valeen sagged against the window’s ledge and breathed out a long sigh. “We did it.”

“Katana!” Atlanta’s voice came from outside. He had to be just below the window.

Valeen slammed the windows shut and backed away. “He can’t get in. No enemy of ours can pass the threshold.”

“I will start killing your elven friends one by one until you come out.” His voice was muffled through the glass, but she heard the threat loud and clear.

Katana peeked through the window. Atlanta held a guard by the throat, feet dangling off the ground.

“I have to go to him.”

“No!” Valeen grabbed her. “No, you can’t.”

“I won’t let him kill people for me.”

“Then I will kill him. Stay here.” Valeen was already running for the door before Katana could stop her.

“Valeen, no! You are not immortal yet. He could kill you.” Panic made her chest heavy. She would not watch her sister die because she wanted to be free. She bolted after her but once she got to the hallway, Valeen vanished in a wisp of shadow.This couldn’t be happening. She dashed back into the room and shoved open the window. “I’m coming out. Don’t hurt him.”

Atlanta tossed the guard aside. The poor elf hit the ground, coughing and sputtering for breath. Using her power, she became weightless and floated to the ground. Atlanta snatched her wrist and jerked her to his side.

Shadows preceded Valeen, swirling along the ground like a sea of her own as she appeared from around the bend of thick bushes. Black vines curled out of the ground a few feet from her and Atlanta, like serpents poised to strike. Soulender was in her grasp and murder filled her eyes. “Let her go, Atlanta.”