Page 42 of City of Promise and Light (Mates of Gods and Fae #1)

The air in the town turned deadly, the villagers waiting for us to make our move, each of them palming knives and farming tools as makeshift weapons.

Arianna’s eyes were still on the girl, her head now tilting like she was forming a wicked plan. A group of villagers on the left shifted, their movements catching the attention of Ezra and the soldiers. But my eyes focused on what they were trying to hide.

A man, short and stocky, eased through the crowd, weaving to get closer to the girl. I pulled on Ezra’s sleeve, getting his attention. “On the right,” I whispered, my heart pounding frantically. “She will see it as an attack if she catches him.”

Ezra nodded, pushing us back. Arianna slid her gaze to us, narrowing her eyes at Ezra as if she could see him working up a plan to deescalate the growing tension. She smiled at him then, and my blood went cold. She wanted this to happen, wanted there to be conflict, a fight.

“Fuck,” Ezra growled, the muscle in his jaw flexing. “There’s no other way out of this. Get to the girl while I distract Arianna. Do not engage with any of the villagers. They won’t take it as anything other than an affront.”

I nodded as Ezra drew his sword, stepping up to Arianna to block her path to the girl .

“You’re making the wrong choice here, Ezra,” Arianna hissed, the fire in her veins spidering along her hands.

“No, I don’t think I am,” Ezra said, more to himself than to her, as he lifted his sword in front of him.

I breathed, slow and steady, before inching my way to the girl, keeping an eye on the man as he edged closer to her. Ezra continued his demands for Arianna to back off when he grunted. He yelled my name, and I whirled, finding Arianna charging me.

Cursing, I jumped out of the way, pain lacing down my arm. Too afraid to take my eyes off Arianna, I brought my hand over the pain, feeling the slick wetness of blood from where her sword nicked my arm. The smell of iron stung my nose as my heart hammered against my chest.

The sounds of swords clashing made me flinch, and I stole a glance to the sound where Ezra was now fighting against a few of Arianna’s lackeys. The rest of the soldiers joined the villagers, watching with wide eyes, not knowing which leader to follow.

Noticing my distraction, Arianna lunged at me, her sword raised high. My legs felt heavy, but I stumbled out of the way, her sword narrowly missing me.

“Stop this, Arianna,” I yelled. The pain in my arm grew hot and my chest heaved from the magic pulsing through my veins.

I could feel it, the panic setting in. This was different from our fight in the training ground.

There were innocent people—children—around us now.

Their angry shouts and their unrest reeling around me.

It grated on my ears, screeching in my head.

It was too loud—everything was too loud.

If I lost control now, how many people would get hurt from this?

Would their injuries be the same? Would it be worse?

My magic felt like sharp talons clawing through my skin into my mind, begging for release, but I couldn’t give in to it.

I needed to push it down. I needed the world to stop moving so fast.

Arianna rushed at me, but I couldn’t move.

My body felt disconnected, unwilling to listen to the commands of my mind.

As if on instinct, I raised my dagger just in time, meeting Arianna’s blow.

I cried out, pain radiating through me from the force of her attack.

Using all her strength, Arianna pushed down on her sword, forcing me to my knees.

I grunted, my arms barking under the weight.

Angling my blade, Arianna’s sword slid off, making her stumble.

I gasped, pushing off the ground to run when Arianna tackled me into the dirt.

She twisted me, forcing me onto my back before straddling me.

I struggled against her, bucking my hips to push her off when a fist met my cheek, pain lacing across my face giving her the time she needed to wrap her slender hands around my throat, cutting off my air.

Choking, I fought like a wild cat, thrashing against her hold, blindly hitting her where I could while my vision grew dark around the edges.

My mind spiraled into chaos and I lifted my hips into the air before kicking out my legs, finally making Arianna lose her grip on me.

I crawled away, but my movements were slow as I tried to gulp down the dusty air.

Someone called out my name, but the voice sounded far away and the world around me spun.

I looked up, finding another soldier running to me, his sword lifting, readying to strike me.

My magic pulsed against my skin painfully, ignoring my attempts to temper its wrath.

I screamed into the ground, my body feeling like it was being ripped apart as a bright light erupted from me.

Screams of pain, of fear, of panic swelled, joining my own as my body burned like a raging fire.