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Wait, what?

He casts me a disappointed look. “Do you really think I’ll hand you over? Just moments ago, you agreed to trust me.”

“We’ll talk about this later.”

“You bet your pert little arse we will.”

Kyldare snaps something, and the regiment attacks.

My heart jumps into my throat, but I don’t have time to linger on my terror. Because Calysian grabs my hand andpulls.

I instinctively pull back, but it’s not my body he’s pulling. It’s the dark power within me. The power that has been rising to the surface over the past two days.

I gasp, attempting to free my hand, but Calysian holds tighter. His eyes darken, turning black, his expression suddenly remote.

Another yank at the power within me, and my own power jumps to my other hand, reacting to the threat. Calysian steps forward, pulling me with him. His lips curl in a humorless smile as he strides toward Kyldare’s men, and a chill ripples through me. Power lashes from him, and black smoke pours down the throats of the closest soldiers, until they’re clawing at their necks, choking and seizing. They slump to their knees, and I flick my own power toward them.

My flame is so hot, it’sblue. When I pull my power back, the soldiers are gone. Only ashes remain.

Calysian laughs.

With a wave of his hand, he sweeps out with more of that black smoke. Several arrows slice through the air toward us, and Calysian’s ward surrounds us.

It’s no longer silver.

No, now it’s obsidian, speckled with silver filaments.

My heart kicks in my chest as more bolts hit the ward.

Ifeelthe fae iron, but there’s also something new. Something dangerous. Something that slices into me. Still, they don’t break through Calysian’s ward. This time, it protects us, the bolts dropping harmlessly to the ground.

Several soldiers turn and run, but Kyldare cuts them down before turning his attention back to us.

“This might hurt,” Calysian muses absently. His voice is distant, and he doesn’t look at me. For the first time, I’m truly afraid. Of him.

He’s himself…but not. His head tilts in a way that’s not even remotely human, his blackened eyes are narrowed as if considering whether he will squash the bugs moving toward us. He’s cold, predatory…amused.

It does hurt.

He pulls more power. Dizziness swamps me and I use my other hand to claw at his forearm. Still, he ignores my struggles. Dark smoke pours from him, a haze that fills my vision until it’s all I can see.

Screams. Terrible, agonizing screams.

My limbs tremble, my knees buckling, and I tug harder, but his grip is unyielding.

“Calysian!”

I shove my own power at him, and this time, my flames dance up his arm, burning his tunic. It’s a warning, and he slowly turns his head, his eyes pinning me in place.

“Don’t make me hurt you,” I rasp.

My heart stutters once. Twice.

Calysian’s brow furrows, as if he hears the missed beats. Horror flickers over his face, and he releases my hand. The smoke disappears.

The soldiers are gone. Nothing but weapons remaining.

Occasional piles of ash mark the places where a few of them once stood.