Page 59

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

G runts of pain rip from Draven’s chest as we slam into the mass of branches so hard that they crack and snap underneath us. His wings block out everything around me as we shoot downwards from the force of the hit and then slam into the ground.

I gasp as the air is knocked from my lungs. But Draven’s body took the brunt of the hit, and his wings protected us from the sharp branches when we fell. He draws in a strained breath as he unfurls his wings.

Sunlight hits me in the face. It streams down through the hole in the canopy that our bodies created, the light slightly distorted from the half-translucent dome above. I blink and struggle to my feet while Draven does the same next to me.

I turn towards him.

And dread explodes in my chest.

“Draven,” I gasp out. “Your wings.”

His massive black wings are ripped and torn in several places from the crash through the sharp branches. Blood slides down from the edges of some of the jagged tears.

He clenches his jaw. “I’m fine.”

A roar comes from above.

We throw ourselves to the side right before a stream of fire pours down through the hole in the canopy. Heat washes over us and embers sail up in the air. The torrent of fire ends when the winged serpent passes out of view and is forced to turn back to reach the hole in the treetops again.

But the attack did its damage.

The forest floor has caught fire.

My mouth dries out as I jump to my feet again and stare at the fire now spreading across the grass.

The winged serpent streaks past the hole with the riders on its back again, and lightning splits the air.

It cracks into the burning grass with an explosion that makes my ears ring. White light flashes before my eyes as our enemies manage another lightning bolt before their mount has passed the edges of the hole again.

Dark storm clouds start gathering around us.

“Selena!” Draven calls over the roaring flames. “You need to take out that winged serpent!”

My heart jerks. Me? How am I supposed to take out?—

With a snarl, I cut the thought off before I can finish it.

I am not the weak link.

I can do this.

While blinking the flickering black afterimages of the lightning strike from my vision, I tilt my head back and summon my magic.

Dark clouds spread out between the trees around us as Draven pours more power into his own magic.

I drag in shallow breaths of scorching hot air as the fire rages around us.

Then the rain starts.

A furious rainstorm crashes down over the ground as Draven calls on his elements.

Wind and rain whips against my face, soaking my hair and running in rivulets down my black fighting leathers.

I block it all out as I stare up at that hole in the canopy above, waiting for the winged serpent to return.

The fire on the ground begins to sputter out, smothered by Draven’s violent rain.

I summon a massive flame of bone white fear, keeping it hovering in front of me.

My heart pounds against my ribs.

I can do this.

I am not the weak link.

I can do this.

The winged serpent streaks past the hole.

Fire streams down towards us as the lead rider hurls a massive torrent at us.

But I don’t move a single inch, trusting Draven to handle it.

Instead, I call up every ounce of power from the depths of my soul.

And then I push .

The winged serpent screams as I shove the massive flame of fear into its chest. Thrashing in the air, it almost bucks its riders from their saddles.

Pleasure crashes over me when my magic hits. But I’m more prepared for it this time. Clenching my teeth, I try to block out that intoxicating feeling while I continue to increase the creature’s fear.

The torrent of fire has almost reached us.

Draven slams a storm wind into the flames.

The fire shoots back up towards the creature and its riders above. They scream, clinging to their saddles with panicked grips.

And the winged serpent bolts.

“Run!” I scream at Draven as the winged serpent takes off across the sky, speeding away in terror.

I cut off my magic, knowing that the damage is already done. The creature will keep fleeing in mindless terror until its riders can manage to put it down. That thought sends a pang of unexpected sadness through me, but it was trying to kill us, and we needed it gone.

Draven lurches into motion as well. Our boots slap against the now soaked grass as we sprint towards the glen and the portal that is waiting on the other side. The dark rain clouds evaporate behind us as Draven releases his magic as well.

Exhaustion rolls over me.

Because the creature was so massive, much bigger than just a single person, I had to use an enormous amount of magic to create that fear in its chest.

I drag in shaky breaths, my legs already trembling, as we hurtle across the ground and towards the portal.

The Red Faction is still out there. And there is no way in hell that anyone could have missed our battle in the sky earlier, which means that everyone will be heading right towards this location. We need to get to the portal first.

My boots pound against the grass as I focus on putting one foot in front of the other.

Draven’s ripped wings are still bleeding, and I’m not sure if he can actually use them properly right now.

I gasp air into my lungs as we run. Every part of my body feels like it’s filled with iron.

Goddess above, I need a rest. Just a minute to let my magical energy build back up a little.

But we don’t have a minute. So I keep running.

A jolt shoots through me.

There!

Across the grass is a twisted tree with bright green leaves above and purple moss hanging from the branches. And one of those thick branches has grown out and up before twisting and growing straight down again. It forms something that looks almost like a doorway.

And right inside that doorway of branches is another doorway. A glittering blue portal. Beyond it, the sands of the arena are visible.

I can’t stop the whimper of relief that erupts from my chest.

We did it. We found the portal. We?—

The Unseelie King steps into view on the sand right on the other side of the portal.

Dread sluices through my veins.

“Oh, how hard you’ve fought to get here,” he calls through the glittering blue doorway.

His black and silver eyes glint, and there is a vicious smirk on his lips as he watches us sprint towards him.

“But are you sure you want to actually step through the portal?” He motions up towards the top of the doorway. “Read the inscription above.”

My gaze snaps to the thick branch that runs over the top of the portal. There, someone has carved two sentences with a knife.

All magic comes with a price. The cost to use this portal is the death of the one who loves you.

I screech to a halt.

And so does Draven.

Only five paces separate us from the portal now. But neither of us moves.

On the other side, the Unseelie King flashes us a cruel smile.

“Told you I would make this game interesting.” His gaze locks on me.

“If you step through, Draven will die. And if he steps through, you will die.” A hint of angry defiance flickers in his eyes for a moment, as if remembering how Isera forced him into this bargain against his will, and he spreads his arms in a taunting challenge. “How is that for a grand finale?”

Dark storm clouds gather around Draven, and lightning crackles down his arms. But all he can do is to stand there on the grass, a few strides away from victory, and flex his hand in frustration and anger.

“You son of a bitch,” I snarl at the Unseelie King. “You cheated!”

Something lethal flashes in Orion’s eyes, and he lowers his arms again. Drawing himself up to his full height, he locks a sharp stare on me, sounding more insulted than angry as he declares, “No, I did not cheat. I simply stacked the deck in my favor.”

“It’s the same thing! You?—”

“And this is why I would never risk my court to help you,” he snaps with sudden frustration, cutting me off.

Flicking his wrist with an agitated motion, he gestures at both me and Draven while contempt flits across his regal face.

“ This is why you will never win against the Icehearts. You still play by the rules. You play fair. And you expect your enemies to play fair too.”

His words, and the frustration in them, stun me so much that I just suck in a sharp breath.

“But they don’t,” Orion Nightbane continues, his voice hard.

“Bane and Jessina Iceheart are some of the most ruthless and cunning people this realm has ever seen. And you still believe in being good .” He practically spits the word at me, full of utter contempt.

His eyes are merciless as he stares me down.

“Only a villain can take down another villain. And that is something you will never be.”

I stare at him, my heart beating so loudly in my chest that I can hear the blood pounding in my ears.

“So stay here,” he presses on, flicking his wrist to indicate the forest around us.

“Stay in this new world or continent or wherever the hell Hana has put you, and build a new life. Away from them. Start over. Give up your foolish heroic notions of freeing our continent from the Iceheart Dynasty. For if you go to war against them, you go to your doom. And you are not taking my court down with you.”

And with that, he stalks away from the portal and out of view.

I stare at the empty sand, the only thing now visible on the other side of the portal. My heart slams against my ribs and my mind spins.

As much as I want to hate Orion right now, I can’t seem to be able to.

Because in his own twisted way, I get the distinct feeling that he is actually trying to help us.

That he truly believes that we will only die needlessly if we go up against the Icehearts, and that this is his way of offering us another life.