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“Red in the morning, sailors take warning,” Tess breathed at my shoulder, her hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist.

I glared at her. “Thank you for that, Tess.”

“I’m just saying,” she replied with a shrug, backing up with hands raised.

I raised my own hand, flame swirling easily in my palm. “Have you so easily forgotten thatIcontrol the weather now?”

“That’s right!” She patted me on the back hard enough that I took an involuntary step forward. “Powerful Stormshade and all that.”

I rolled my eyes at her. Leave it to Tess to try to lighten the mood.

Though it was quiet, the atmosphere wasn’t grim at camp. We were on the precipice of something, and the waiting was the worst part. This could go one of two ways, and the anxiety was palpable in the air. I had expected the quiet that had descended to bring with it a sense of calm, but it was the opposite. Electricity was a tangible thing, permeating everything and everyone.

As an army we bled into the forest under the cover of the rising sun. There was no way to hide our forces now. I gripped Stormslayer in my fist as the sun rose before us, reaching up into the sky to illuminate the marching resistance below.

Nik and Tess were at my side, the others fanning out behind me. An army of leather clad Shades in brown and black, willing and ready to take back what was rightfully theirs. As we approached the tree line, a feeling that we were being watched settled over me. I turned behind me to gaze at Kenna, and she wordlessly shifted into a crow and took to the sky.

She called out overhead as she swooped over the trees, towards the iron spires that rose in the distance. The Stone Palace appeared formidable from here, its black points reaching up into the morning sky. It was surrounded on the mountain by civilian homes, who would have the perfect view of the battle should they choose not to join in the melee.

Kenna came back in a whirlwind of feathers and claws, landing abruptly on my shoulder. She tilted her head to the side, one call escaping her narrow beak.

Donika was waiting for us.

I gave her a curt nod, and she pushed off my shoulder, taking flight once more.

I pulled on the magic in my core, allowing it to drift down my arms and out of my fingertips. The sky darkened with magic overhead, inky clouds swirling angrily against the pink dawn sky. It was only a matter of moments before the light was swallowed whole and we were plunged into the dark.

I moved forwards, casting the plains in darkness as I emerged from the trees, my gaze immediately latching onto Donika. She stood on the same balcony I had seen her on the last time I had been dream walking, where I had left the token as a magical tether should I ever need to come back.

Her army was fanned out beneath her, a sly smirk on her lips that I could see even from this distance. I couldn’t wait to wipe it off her face with my blade.

Thunder cracked loudly overhead, the ground beneath us shaking. Some of her forces appeared rattled, glancing between one another as I funneled more magic into the storm than I ever dared before. They had never seen storm magic at work—they had never seen a Stormshade without iron shackles, cowering in the Stormvault.

But I wasn’tanyStormshade.

I was a Stormshade of the Kotova bloodline in all her glory, bristling with power, and the storm that roared above us wasmine.

I stepped across the threshold of trees and onto the open plains of Akra, the storm raging deafeningly overhead. Lightning coursed through the sky, sending torrents of dirt flying. Rain began to pour down overhead, and I turned my facetowards the sky, a smile across my lips. I pushed the storm outward, expanding it. I could see Annelise out of the corner of my eye, her hand raised to the sky, her own magic intertwining with mine.

I narrowed my eyes at Donika from across the field, allowing lightning to streak through the sky dangerously close to her balcony. I tilted my head to the side, watching.

Waiting.

I knew Donika would make the first move, and she did. With a nod of her head dark figures shot out from the back of her army, gaining speed quickly from the left and right.

Araneoch.

She cast her gaze back down towards me for one more moment before spitting over the edge of the balcony. She turned, her black cloak wafting behind her, as she disappeared into the castle.

So predictable.

So cowardly.

I moved to follow but Nik grabbed my wrist, holding me back. Now was my time to move, and I didn’t want to lose my window. My mind was only focused on one thing right now—vengeance thrumming powerfully through my blood.

That was, until Nik shot a sensation so hot down the bond it threatened to scorch the grass I stood on. He gripped the back of my neck and brought his mouth down to mine, tasting me one last time. My lips crushed against his, my fists gripping his leather jacket with my arm that held Stormslayer crushed between us. He kissed me so fiercely,sending that heat down the bond the entire time, claiming me in front of everyone.

When he finally broke apart from me I was panting, my lips swollen and red. My skin was flushed from the magic he had marked me with… as was his. I hadn’t even realized I had been sending just as much magic back down the bond the other direction towards him.