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I blinked against the onslaught of orange light to my vision but she was already sprinting for the back door again and I broke into a run to follow.

“We make for the river,” she barked. “If we can leap into the water unseen I can conceal us while it sweeps us downstream and out of the city. If my memory of the maps I studied serves true, then it should be able to wash us half the way to Cinder Vale and we can take to the forests again before heading for Stormfell once more.”

“It’s below freezing, you do recall that piece of information, right?” I demanded, not because I couldn’t handle the cold water – my Dragon fire would heat me through but she had no such protection against the elements.

“Beggers can’t be choosers.” She flung the door wide and sprinted out into the alleyway.

I charged after her, racing into the night once more and she called on the shadows to conceal us with her magic while we ran.

It wasn’t perfect, the moving patch of darkness would definitely be seen if we passed too close to any of those flaming torches which lined every street corner but it was better than us staying out in the open.

The streets were loud with the sound of Fae hunting us, guards and bounty hunters alike causing chaos and starting a riot as they called out into the night and swore oaths to capture the Sky Witch.

Perhaps her arrogance over her reputation hadn’t been too boastful after all. But it certainly didn’t serve us well now.

We sped between alleys and busier streets, ducking behind rows of houses and through a market which was closed for the evening, its wooden carts making it possible for us to scurry between them.

“There,” she gasped between laboured breaths and I looked beyond her, spying the stone pillars which marked a wide bridge ahead of us. But blocking our path to it was a busy thoroughfare brightly lit with flaming torches and full of the Fae who were hunting us.

“This way.” I pointed out an alley to our right, the close-knit buildings running along the path of the river and hopefully leading us nearer to it without bringing us to that busy road.

She didn’t reply, only ran the way I’d indicated, a dagger in hand and that look of violence tattooed over her expression.

The sound of water called us on but before we could make it to the low wall at the end of the alley which surely marked the edge of the river, a group of Fae burst from a door just ahead of us.

Flames sprung from the hands of one of the biggest among them and the entire alley was bathed in light. Every piece of it, aside from the large clump of shadow which marked the concealment my spectre had cast.

Her eyes met mine, acceptance flashing in her gaze even as the Fae all began yelling in excitement, calling more Flamebringers to them and announcing what they’d found.

“We have a pact, Dragon,” she said fiercely. “You’re bound to help me escape Pyros.”

“What does that have to do with-”

“That’s the thing about notoriety – these assholes won’t kill me here. They’ll want to make a spectacle of me and their Matriarch will want to do it herself. So you’d better act faster than her if you don’t want the stars to curse you for the next seven years.”

“What are you saying?” I snarled but I understood a heartbeat later as she tore the concealment from her body and tossed the cloak she wore from her shoulders, revealing herself to the crowd of Fae rushing forward to investigate the unnatural shadows.

“Squeak, squeak,” she said, grinning maniacally as half of them fell to their knees, praising her face, her body, her toes and the rest stumbled, struck by the power of what she was, blinking stupidly as their minds fogged at the sight of her.

It wouldn’t buy us much time but she was already moving to take advantage of it, hurling her dagger into the eye of the closest bastard and drawing her sword fluidly.

I drew mine too, the shadows still clinging to me but she threw out a hand as I advanced and air magic tore from her in a rush, slamming into both the Flamebringers and me.

I cursed as I realised what her plan was a beat too late and before I could do anything to stop her, she’d hurled me right over the heads of the Flamebringers and launched me into the river alongside them.

I plunged beneath the freezing water, almost losing my grip on my sword as I kicked for the surface once more.

When I emerged, the night was alive with the screams of those fighting my spectre. I could barely make her out over the wall which lined the riverbank but the flashes of fire magic illuminated the blood splattering the walls around where she’d been standing.

The Flamebringers who had plunged into the river alongside me were all desperately swimming for the bank but as I fought to follow them, I found a barrier of her air magic barring my way back.

I cursed as the river swept me away, yelling out to her in a violent roar which only went answered by the screams of her victims. Her magic didn’t shatter beneath the pounding of my fists and by the time it finally did, I was a mile downriver, beyond the outer reaches of Leergaith’s walls and far too late to do anything to change her fate.