Page 29

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Dagny

1 week later…

The ice beneath the welwigs is thinner than the rest of the ground, and with each careful step, the ground crackles ominously, threatening to shatter beneath my weight and send me tumbling to the void below—but I don’t let that deter me. I have something to prove.

I dig my fingertips into the ice at the base of the trunk, surprised to find how easily it parts beneath my prying touch. Closing my eyes, I push my fingers deeper into the crust, searching by touch alone for the carrot-shaped tuber that grows here, trying desperately not to think about the ground shuddering underfoot, or what would happen if it truly gave way.

I’ve learned many things about The Far Place this past week, but one of the most horrifying is the knowledge of what lies just beneath the surface of the ice—the interwoven tunnels branching and spreading deep underground, giving home to creatures that are born from nightmares. All of them converge beneath the base of the welwigs for some reason, which is why the ice is so much thinner here and why it’s so dangerous to forage for the roots I’ve been depending on for a food source.

Normally, one of my mates would do this task. But today, I insisted on doing it, needing some fresh air and a few minutes alone to clear my head. Now that my demon half has fully emerged, the frozen temperature of The Far Place actually feels semi-comfortable, and with my power, I’m fully capable of protecting myself should any creature try to make a meal of me.

At least, that was my reasoning. Now, I’m sorely regretting my decision, especially when these stupid tubers are so damn hard to find— aha!

I lean back on my heels, a grin spreading my lips as I stare at the frost-coated root dangling from my palm. I pocket the morsel and lean forward on my hands, determined to find at least two more before one of my mates comes looking for me in a huff. With treasures in hand, I stand and tiptoe away from the base of the tree like a crook in the night, holding my breath as I brush through the curtain of shimmering, dripping leaves as if the mighty creature will sense I’m stealing something that doesn’t belong to me.

As soon as I make it past the circumference of thinning ice, I let out a breath, reveling in the feel of the wind whipping against my face and the sturdiness of the ground beneath my feet. This small victory feels good.

As soon as the thought forms, I shake it away, the overwhelming sense of pride replaced with guilt in the next blink. For a moment, I forgot how treacherous things are, how close my mates and I are to being found by Slaine and slaughtered. Finding a stupid ice root means nothing when it’s been days, and I still can’t control the kleptak for longer than a few minutes.

I stand frozen in place, staring blankly at the barren landscape as memories storm to the forefront of my mind. It’s been nearly a week since I bonded with Kaebl—a week of grueling days and blissful, pleasure-filled nights—and I’d be lying if I said I’d experienced happiness like I have these past few days with all my mates. But even with all that joy, the reality of my failure has been niggling in the back of my mind, reminding me what will happen if I don’t figure out how to harness my magic fully—and soon.

“If you can fear, you can also be brave.”

My shoulders slump as a heavy sigh blows past my lips, heating the air and causing a cloud of vapor to swirl around my face. It’s so thick that it covers my line of sight for a split moment, concealing the outline of the demon lowering to the ice a few hundred feet away, his teeth bared and claws outstretched with murderous intent.

As soon as the fog dissipates, I stumble back with a choked scream, my eyes widening on the terrifying, milky-eyed creature sprinting across the ice, its steps eerily silent as it closes the distance on its prey. Panic fills my lungs, making each second stretch to minutes as I search the horizon, willing one of my mates to materialize and save me.

But it’s too late.

The demon lunges, its jaw extended and lips pulled back to reveal the jagged yellow teeth preparing to sink into my throat. It sails through the air in a blur of motion, too fast and vicious and powerful for me to dodge. Only… I no longer need to run.

My blood boils, heating the ice beneath my feet and filling my head with a thunderous roar as the wild magic of The Far Place flows into my veins, coating my vision in a glowing silver film as I draw more and more of that strange power from the earth—taking far more than I should, far more than is necessary.

As soon as the demon makes contact, it’s like two atoms colliding. One minute, the soldier is preparing to sink its claws into my chest, and the next, it’s being blown across the land, forced back by an incredible burst of energy exploding from my open palms. My magic shudders through the air and vibrates the ice beneath my feet, threatening to cleave the ground and tear the skies apart.

Brilliant silver light explodes from my open mouth, silencing my scream and causing my ears to fill with a thunderous roar as the onslaught of energy tears at the seams holding my mind together. Just before it destroys me, I force the barricade back into place, fighting with everything I have against the violent surge.

I fall to my knees, sucking in a breath that does nothing to cool the fire raging in the back of my throat as the flood of energy swells, bursting through the barrier. The thing living beneath my skin raises its head, woken by the delicious rush of power and desperate for a taste.

I blink, and suddenly I’m in the air, gazing wide-eyed at my hands wrapped around the soldier's throat. His face is swollen and purple, veins bulging and beautifully complementing the bloodied lips attempting to form the words “mercy” and “please.”

Against my will, my power surges, rushing from my palms and into the demon’s flesh, the wild tendrils of magic pushing past his barriers and delving through his innermost thoughts, memories, and desires. I go to pull back when a wall of power slams into me, locking me in place and flooding my mind with a myriad of devastating images and pictures of things to come.

The screaming. The bodies. The rivers and oceans of red staining the land as far as the eye can see. A thousand screeching, bloodthirsty soldiers soaring over the horizon, called to this spot by a simple mistake. A moment wasted.

I frown, my grip wavering as I try to understand it all—just enough for the demon in my hands to suck in a breath. Before I register what he’s doing, an ear-piercing screech echoes through the air, exploding from the demon’s throat like it’s the last sound he’ll ever get to make.

My eyes widen as horror fills my veins, realizing too late exactly what the mistake was. He’s calling them. He’s telling Slaine where we are.

A rage-filled scream explodes from deep within the pit of my stomach, rivaling the pitch and desperation of the nameless demon and filling the sky with a violent, whipping wind. My vision is cast in silver as I draw more and more power from the air, forcing it all to the tips of my fingers and the bottoms of my palms—every last thread of focus concentrated on severing the head from its shoulders.

My muscles strain, shuddering with the sheer amount of effort as my magic tears through flesh and tendon, separating the vertebrae and sending rivers of dark fluid coursing to the ground in a fascinating display of carnage.

I gaze down at the headless body, blinking slowly as I take in the blood squirting from the hole in the center, staining my hands and forearms with warm, slippery life. I release the remains as the wind dies down, letting them crash to the earth as my wings beat the still morning air, the sound alone reminding me that I’m alive and somehow made it out of that encounter unscathed.

“Oh my gods… bunny? ”

I turn my eyes downward, my lips parting in shock as I take in Cyprien’s smiling face, utterly joyful despite the bloody, headless body he’s standing over. “Cyprien?”

“That was so fucking badass,” he says, his grin threatening to split his face. “I’ve never been more aroused than I am right now.”

“You absolute cretin .” Lir appears at his side, smacking him upside the head with his signature scowl. “Can you think of nothing else but the status of your cock?” He turns his head to the sky, his gaze softening as he realizes I’m unharmed. “Dagny… I’m so happy you’re okay. When we felt your fear down the bond, we came right away, but it seems we were too late.”

I lower to the ground as Roark, Fenryr, Kaebl, and Malice step into view, their faces twisted in worry as they race toward me.

“Dagny!” Malice sweeps me up in his arms, coating himself in the blood staining my skin as he presses me flush against his chest. “Gods, I thought… I thought…” He pulls back, his breath trembling as he looks deep into my eyes. “I’ve never been so thankful for your power. You’re magnificent, my wildfire.”

Fenryr circles my back, his arms folding around Malice and me as Roark, Lir, and Cyprien join the embrace, their hands running over my body and touching me in any way they can. I get lost in the moment, the pleasure of being reunited with my mates after such a frightening ordeal—but it’s only for a moment.

“Guys… I have something to tell you,” I whisper, my eyes shuttering as I recall my encounter with the soldier. “That demon… just before I killed him, he?—”

“It’s okay,” Malice murmurs, brushing his hand gently over my forehead. “We know.”

We heard his call, Kaebl explains, his expression hardening into one of anger. Rotten bastard. If we knew they were scouting this far north, we would have never let you go out alone.

“It’s a good thing bunny can take care of herself,” Cyprien says, his eyes swimming with pride. “We’ll have no problem taking out Slaine.”

I shake my head, that hollow pit of dread settling into the pit of my stomach. “You don’t understand… I saw into that demon’s head… I saw the army, and Slaine, and all the bloodshed.” I close my eyes, my throat like sandpaper as I swallow. “None of us makes it out of this alive. Not unless you use me to bring Abaddon back.”

Malice’s arms tense around me, and when I’m finally brave enough to open my eyes, I find he’s been staring, unblinking, a myriad of thoughts swirling behind his eyes. “I will never allow that to happen.”

This is exactly what I was fearful of, Kaebl says, his eyes creasing in despair. You cannot sacrifice yourself, Dagny. None of us could live with that option.

“Then what?” I demand. “Countless demons and creatures will lose their lives if I don’t. My father’s death will be in vain. All the sacrifices you’ve made will be for nothing. My life is meaningless if Slaine is allowed to continue infecting this world with his evil.”

It is never meaningless! Kaebl’s eyes flare with rage as his muscles shudder, desperately trying to control the anger the words bring. Your life means everything, little one. More than the stars, than the earth, than this whole universe.

“Then what are we supposed to do?” I whisper. “We have to do something. ”

Malice turns his head toward the forest, his eyes piercing through the thick shadows. “First, we go back to the lair and regroup.” He sighs, his eyes filling with a deep, unending sadness—but I have no idea why. “And then we figure out if there’s a way we can survive this.”