Page 27 of Eluvonia (Rift of Ages #1)

AERIS

T he moment we round the corner, it feels like stepping into the maw of a storm.

The world erupts in chaos. The large wooden gates to the city hang twisted and broken, flung open like the jaws of a beast as hundreds of Fae warriors pour through, their movements unnervingly fluid and calculated.

Their eyes reflect the fires consuming the buildings around them, casting eerie shadows on the carnage below.

Screams pierce the air, each one clawing at my chest. Dragons and Fae clash violently, their bodies tangling in a mess of blood, fire, and raw fury.

The ground is slick with crimson, the once clean dirt street now uneven with debris and corpses.

Flames lick at the edges of shattered buildings, the heat searing my skin even from a distance.

Smoke claws at my throat, burning with every breath.

Kaida doesn’t hesitate. His shadows lash out like living creatures, coiling around a Fae warrior and yanking them off their feet before snapping their neck with a sickening crack.

Another Fae charges him, but Kaida sidesteps with predatory grace, his shadows seizing the attacker’s sword mid-swing and driving it back into their chest. The battlefield is chaos, but Kaida moves through it like a storm, every motion calculated, every strike lethal.

My eyes lock on him as he charges forward, fire and shadows swirling around him, cutting a path toward a child crumpled on the ground. The boy can’t be more than seven, his cries shrill and heart-wrenching as a Fae looms over him, dagger raised.

Kaida roars, his voice a thunderclap. He barrels into the Fae, his body a battering ram of muscle and fury.

The impact sends the attacker flying, their weapon clattering to the ground.

Without missing a beat, Kaida’s claws tear through the Fae’s chest, blood splattering his face, but he doesn’t flinch.

“Stay down,” he commands the child, his voice rough but steady as he crouches to push the boy behind a chunk of rubble. His hands linger for a fraction of a second, ensuring the child is safe before he spins back into the fray.

Behind me, Esra struggles against Declan, her blonde hair wild and streaked with grime. She twists and thrashes, her voice sharp with desperation. “Let me go!”

Declan’s jaw tightens, his arms like iron around her. “You’re going to get yourself killed,” he growls, but she squirms free with a sharp jab of her elbow, sending him staggering.

She bolts toward the chaos, her hands waving frantically. “They’ll protect me!” she screams.

“Esra, no!” My voice is raw as I chase after her, the ground slick with blood beneath my boots.

I glance back in time to see Declan curse and fend off a Fae with brutal efficiency, his blade slicing clean through his opponent.

I don’t have time to watch. My focus is on Esra as she stops in front of a tall male Fae, his silver hair catching the light of the flames.

“Please,” she pleads, clutching at his arm. “That Fae chasing me—she’s a Dragon sympathizer. She kidnapped me and tried to make me her slave!”

The male’s dark eyes meet mine, his expression hardening. “Stay back, traitor,” he snaps, his voice like ice.

“I’m not!” I shout, throwing up my hands in desperation. “I swear, I was taken prisoner! I’m not with them!”

Esra turns, her face pale and streaked with dirt, but her eyes burn with hatred. “Liar,” she spits.

“Capture her,” the male commands.

Panic surges as Fae warriors close in. I lunge forward, my fist connecting with the nearest one’s jaw. The crunch of bone is satisfying but fleeting. Another grabs me from behind, their arm locking around my throat. I twist and slam my elbow into their ribs, breaking free, but there are too many.

A blade slashes across my arm, hot pain searing through me. I stagger, only to be kicked in the stomach, sending me sprawling. I try to push myself up, but a boot connects with my ribs, and I collapse again.

Blows rain down, each one stealing more of my strength. Blood fills my mouth, the metallic tang sharp against my tongue. I try to summon my magic, but it refuses to answer, leaving me defenseless. My vision blurs, the edges darkening as the beating continues.

Through the haze, a roar cuts through the chaos, shaking the very ground. “Aeris!” Kaida’s voice is raw, desperate. I lift my head weakly, catching a glimpse of him tearing through the crowd, his shadows lashing out like vengeful serpents.

Declan fights his way toward me, his face tight with fury as he slams his fist into another Fae. He’s shouting something, but the words are drowned out by the dull thud of my heartbeat.

The world narrows, the light fading until there’s nothing but darkness.