Page 9

CHAPTER NINE

Ryker

My blood dripped from the tip of the silver blade that had gone through my right side. It seemed like nothing vital had been hit, but it still hurt like a son of a bitch.

Twisting to face the guard who’d stabbed me, I ignored the tearing of my flesh as the sword sliced across my abdomen and ripped free. White spots exploded before my eyes and sweat slid down my temples as muscle gave way beneath the blade, but I turned enough to lash out with my sword.

It carved into the side of his neck, digging deep before I tore it free. Driven back by the blow and the amount of blood spurting from the wound, the man fell before being engulfed by the merciless crowd.

I turned back to face the other guard who’d come at me, raising my sword up in time to deflect his blow. He pushed into me, his teeth on full display as he tried to force me to my knees.

I was bigger than him, but blood ran freely down my side and pooled at my feet. I couldn’t let him take me down now.

Amsirah crashed and banged around us as their screams of agony and terror replaced their joy. Over their cries, the thunderous beat of approaching hooves vibrated the earth.

I wanted to look at the approaching contingent to gauge the next threat, but I didn’t dare shift my attention away from the guard trying to take me down.

I dug my toes into the earth and pushed back against him as one of the women, with her shoulder lowered and her head down, crashed into the guard.

The impact knocked him to the side as others poured over him like ants devouring an apple. His screams were drown out by the women’s as they tore away chunks of clothing and hair; his blood seeped across the ground, turning the churned-up earth to mud.

With the guard’s weight off my arms, my sword fell to the ground with a soft thunk. The rush of women trying to flee increased as the thud of hoofbeats and the earth’s quaking intensified.

Some of the prisoners fell beneath the crush of bodies as we were all propelled backward, away from the guards riding onto the battlefield. The crowd parted enough to reveal Gaius and Samael at the front of the contingent with their swords raised.

Once they reached the crowd, they split up, kicking their horses and spurring them to move faster. They carved their way through the crowd, hacking down anyone in their way, while from different directions, they converged on my location.

They didn’t wear armor, probably because it would be a draw for the lightning, but they carried swords. Lifting my hands, I pulled electricity from the earth and was about to unleash it on them when the crowd consumed me within its teeming mass again.

“Fuck,” I hissed as I doused my lightning.

I’d love to fry Gaius until his eyes erupted and his hair caught on fire, but I wouldn’t kill innocents to get to him. He had no qualms about that, which put me at a disadvantage because I’d never stoop to his level.

Women screamed and pushed forward to evade the horses bearing down on them. There were so many amsirah in the crowd that no matter how much they shoved against each other, they could barely move through the wall of bodies.

I scanned the area for Ellery, but she remained lost to me. Through our bond, I sensed she was still alive, but I didn’t know if that would last for either of us.

While I wouldn’t harm any of the prisoners surrounding me, I had no qualms about shoving them out of my way. It wasn’t the most gentlemanly action, but getting to her was what mattered.

Bodies bounced against me as the horses bore down on us. A fresh volley of arrows filled the air as I lifted my hand and drew lightning from the sky.