Page 23

22

WREN

Kingston instantly began barking orders at the rest of the guys, but my focus was entirely on the dark mages. Their magic was just as their name suggested, pulling from the shadows. It had a cost—the kind that meant loss of life.

It was in complete opposition to my caster half. Casters got their power from nature and the world around them. The elements and life fed us.

I’d learned all I could about my mother’s side, but there was only so much I could gather without learning from another caster. And that was too risky.

Still, I ducked my head and whispered an incantation as one of the robed figures raised their hand, a ball of smoky evil in their palm. Sweat broke out on my brow. Holding my shields in place and trying to cast a protection spell was almost more than my body could handle .

“Wren,” Kingston clipped. “Get back in the gym.”

“Are you out of your mind?” I shot back. “There are more than twelve of them and only five of you.”

“You don’t know what you’re up against, Little Warrior.”

My back teeth ground together. “Maybe not, but I can still help.” The maybe was the only thing that kept my words from being an outright lie.

“Birdie, get your cute ass in the gym,” Puck called, pulling two guns from his duffel.

The dark mage laughed and threw his ball of smoke in Puck’s direction. Puck ducked, but the smoke hit my protection ward and stopped there. All the guys stared.

“What. The. Hell. Was. That?” Ender snarled.

I glanced at him, taking in the fact that he now held what looked like a bow and arrow. I frowned, confused, but quickly turned as the dark mage snarled in fury.

“Your magic is no match for mine.” The dark mage’s hood slipped back as he raised his hand, revealing skin so pale it was almost translucent and eyes that were pure white.

The hand raise was an order, and all the mages charged.

“Ender. Roof,” Kingston yelled.

Ender shot something toward the roof that pulled him with it. Before long, he was slinging arrows at the mages. I had to give it to them, they were fast. They dodged and wove, blocking with blades and magic.

That’s when I saw them. It wasn’t a dozen-plus dark mages—it was at least twice that many. Holy hell. They moved on us in a wave.

Puck took shot after shot, but the bullets simply bounced off the creatures like nothing. He cursed. “They have a protection spell in place. It has to be hand-to-hand. A blade to the throat or the heart.”

Brix tossed a duffel into the center of the parking lot, and I dashed forward, taking a dagger. I’d done a fair amount of weapons training, but blades weren’t exactly my forte. I shot Brix a look. “Just like a Boy Scout. Always be prepared.”

I swore I saw the hint of a smile on his lips right before Locke shouted, “Wren, behind you.”

I whirled, the blade raised. I blocked the blow the dark mage leveled on me, his eyes glowing in fury. My knee came up between his legs, and he howled in pain. I didn’t miss my chance. While he was distracted, I slid my blade across his throat.

The gurgling sound had bile churning in my stomach, but it wasn’t red blood that appeared. It was a sticky black substance. The kind that showed just how evil the mage was. The more lives they took, the darker their blood became.

I shoved the mage back with a kick, sending him crashing into another. Movement caught my eye as Ender sailed down into the fray. He moved with effortless grace, executing a spin that cost three mages their heads. It should’ve been the furthest thing from beauty, but it somehow wasn’t. It was art in its own right.

A snarl sounded to my left, and I lifted my dagger in defense. The mage’s head cocked. “Wrong,” he whispered, his voice almost garbled.

My skin bristled as I felt something pressing against my shields. The dark mage was trying to get into my mind. Oh, hell no.

My body twisted, and I put all my strength into a side kick, sending the mage stumbling back a few steps. He cocked his head again. “Strong,” he rasped.

There was almost a grudging respect in the word as he lifted his sword. “What. Are. You?”

I was suddenly grateful that the guys were too busy to hear the mage’s words. Locke was taking on two robed figures, moving in a way that told me he was no stranger to fighting, even if he did spend most of his time behind a computer screen. Kingston fought three mages using a combination of blade and fists. Two lay dead at his feet.

Puck had what looked like a katana sword, and as he spun, he took one of the mage’s heads clean off. Brix fought silently, a blade in each hand, wielding them as if they were an extension of his fingers. And Ender had found a way to use his bow again. He shot an arrow point-blank into a mage’s heart, sending him crumpling to the ground.

My adversary prowled forward, his mental attack back in full force. I nearly stumbled as an invisible ice pick jammed into my head. I shoved it back with all my might, charging forward.

My blade sliced at the mage. He let out a piercing scream of pain but didn’t let it stop him. He lashed out with a blow to my temple, stunning me. Then, a kick sent my blade flying.

The mage raised his sword, and I braced for the pain. But an arrow came from out of nowhere, piercing the mage’s shoulder. He yowled, whispered an incantation, and then disappeared into a puff of black smoke.

I didn’t have time to thank Ender or wonder why the hell he was watching my back when I was pretty sure he’d rather see me dead. I dove toward my blade just as Kingston shouted.

“Puck! Behind you!”

It was as if it happened in slow-motion snapshots. I took in Puck and the two mages he was fighting in front of him, then the mage approaching from the back, sword at the ready. I didn’t think, I simply lunged between the mage and Puck.

I tried to block the blow, but I wasn’t quite fast enough. The sword pierced my side, sending white-hot pain coursing through me. Spots danced in front of my vision. So much pain.

I heard a shout, and then Brix’s furious face filled my vision. His knife sliced across the mage’s throat, but it was too late. I was already fading. My eyesight tunneling. And then, I was falling.