Page 28 of Eluvonia (Rift of Ages #1)

KAIDA

M y eyes catch on Aeris. She’s down, surrounded by her own kind. Her lithe frame twists under the blows of their fists and boots. Blood spills from her lips, and she turns her head, her gaze locking on mine. Those eyes, filled with a silent plea, cut through me like a blade.

“Aeris!” I roar her name, my voice cracking with fury. I charge forward, claws already extending from my fingers, but for every Fae I bring down, five more take their place. They’re everywhere, swarming like locusts. Dammit, why isn’t she using her powers?

Declan is holding his own not far from me, his blade flashing with bright light as he fends off another wave. I glance at him, hoping he might reach her, but he’s pinned down just like me.

“Declan!” I shout, desperation threading through my voice. “She needs help!”

“You think I don’t see that?” he barks back, slicing through a Fae trying to get the jump on him. Blood sprays, and the Fae collapses, but another immediately takes its place.

I look back to Aeris, and my stomach twists into a knot. Her own kind . Her own fucking kind are doing this to her.

A Fae punches her across the face, the impact snapping her head to the side, her hair whipping with the force. Another kicks her in the ribs, and she stumbles, gasping for air, but she fights to stay on her feet.

More Fae close in, surrounding her like wolves closing in on prey, each blow landing with brutal precision.

She swings her fists, trying to block and fight them off, but they keep coming, relentless.

Every strike against her feels like it’s hitting me instead, my chest aching with each hit, the pain spreading like wildfire through my bones.

Anger burns hotter than the fires around us, roaring in my chest, consuming every other thought.

I let it take me.

Bones crack, and pain lances through my body, but I welcome it.

My spine lengthens, my shoulders broaden, and scales ripple across my skin, their edges sharp as steel.

My jaw elongates, teeth growing into fangs that ache with the need to bite.

The ground shakes as my legs thicken and claws sprout from my hands and feet.

A guttural roar tears free from my throat as I complete the transformation, the sound reverberating across the battlefield.

Power surges through me, intoxicating and overwhelming.

But the Fae aren’t deterred. They swarm me, scrambling up my legs, their tiny blades searching for gaps in my scales.

I twist and thrash, my tail sweeping through the crowd, sending bodies flying.

I bite down on a Fae in front of me, severing him clean in half.

His upper body dangles from my jaws, and I spit it into the crowd with a growl of disgust.

I want to breathe fire, to scorch these insects into ash, but I can’t. Not with Aeris so close. Not with my people still fighting.

Why? I snarl to myself, crushing a Fae underfoot. Why do they keep attacking us?

We never strike first. We only defend, only retaliate. The king thought that if we showed restraint, if we avoided escalation, they’d give up eventually. But no. Instead, they call themselves rebels, claiming they’re defending Eluvonia from us. It’s bullshit. All of it.

I swipe at a Fae climbing my leg, sending him hurtling into the burning remains of a building. Another group scatters as I spit a small ball of fire near their feet, their screams piercing the air as flames catch on their tattered clothes. But no matter how many I kill, more keep coming.

Finally, the crowd around me thins, and I search frantically for Aeris. She’s gone.

Panic claws at me, but I shove it down. I scan the battlefield, my gaze darting between the bodies and the chaos.

There. I spot her limp form being dragged through the broken gate by two Fae males.

Esra—the girl Aeris seemed to care about—leads them, a tall male with silver hair at her side. It’s him again.

A roar rips from my throat, shaking the ground beneath me.

I charge after them, each step sending tremors through the earth.

But before I can reach the gate, more Fae swarm me, climbing my tail and back legs.

Their daggers stab at my scales, searching for weaknesses.

I twist and thrash, trying to shake them off, but they cling like leeches.

I watch helplessly as Aeris disappears into the thick forest beyond the trade center.

Dammit! I roar, shaking another Fae loose and crushing him underfoot.

Declan appears in front of me, a bloodied sword in hand. He’s panting, his face smeared with dirt and blood, but his eyes are sharp.

“I saw her!” he shouts, stabbing a Fae attempting to climb my tail. “They took her into the forest!”

I huff, steam escaping my nostrils, but I don’t move. Declan notices and freezes, his brows furrowing in confusion.

“You’re letting her go?” he asks, disbelief coloring his voice.

A horn blows from the forest, the sound low and mournful.

The Fae around us pause, then retreat, melting back into the shadows of the trees.

I take a deep breath, letting the air fill my lungs as I shift back into my human form.

The transformation is quicker this time, though no less painful.

My bones snap and realign, scales receding into skin, claws shrinking into fingers.

I stand naked in the aftermath, the air cool against my sweat-slicked skin.

Declan stares at me, his sword still in hand. “Why aren’t we following them?”

I run a hand through my hair, now damp with sweat and blood. “Let her go for now,” I say, my voice low. “We don’t know what’s in that forest. We need to scout first, maybe get reinforcements.”

Declan exhales sharply, raking his hand through his hair. “Reinforcements? By the time we get back, she’ll be dead. Or worse.”

“She shouldn’t be my responsibility,” I snap, though the words taste bitter. “She’s Fae. Let her deal with her own kind.”

He steps closer, his expression hard. “How will the bond respond if you lose her?”

I glare at him but say nothing. He’s right, and we both know it. The bond will tear me apart if I let her slip through my fingers.

“We’ll find her,” I say finally, my voice rough. “Just not like this.”

Another horn blows, deeper this time, and the remaining Fae vanish into the forest. The battlefield falls silent, save for the crackling of flames and the groans of the wounded.

I glance at the broken gate, then at the forest beyond. Somewhere in there, they have her. And whether I’m ready to admit it or not, I’m going to get her back.