Page 103 of Lady of the Drowned Empire

The first akadim grinned, fangs cutting its lips as it lurched toward Meera, a fresh wave rushing at its dirty feet.

“Don’t!” I cried, moving in front of her, trying to shield Meera’s body with my own. “Don’t touch her!”

Jace stretched out his arm, his only limb that was not broken, and pulled his shattered body across the sand, his eyes wildly scanning the ground. He was searching for a vadati stone.

Akillus was still unconscious, slumped in a pile of his arms and legs, his soturion cloak bunched around his neck, the edges blowing in the wind.

I reached out with my thoughts again, trying to find him, even trying to find the chayatim. Imprisoned by the Emperor was better than dead—better than becoming akadim.

But my mind remained silent. No one knew we were here. We were going to die, be turned, stripped of our souls, made into akadim. Just like in Meera’s vision. Tears fell down my cheeks.

“Mageno aniam!” I shouted, my stave burning in my palm from the force of the spell. I watched expectantly, willing the magic to come, to move faster, to work.

I shouted the spell again, sweat beading behind my neck. Shield us! Shield us! Fucking shield us! White light domed from my stave, splashing out around me and Meera.

The akadim held its clawed hand to its face, covering its eyes and grimacing in pain.

“Mageno aniam!” Meera cried, and another brighter dome of light reinforced mine, creating a barrier between us.

The red-haired demon screeched in pain.

A blue light flashed in the sand. Jace’s vadati. He was calling for help.

Gods, we might be okay. My eyes focused so closely on the small blue light, I could barely breathe.

By the Gods, we were holding them off. We just needed a soturion to sound the alarm, and we’d be saved. A legion lay nearby. They’d come in seconds. We just needed to hold on, to keep our shield. We’d be alright. We’d be alright.

Then the two akadim stood side by side, roaring and gnashing their teeth, their claws ripping through our shield like it was made of water. The heat of my stave rolled back from the tip into my palm like the spell had reversed itself and burned me.

I threw myself again in front of Meera, facing the akadim. “Don’t! Don’t!” I yelled.

“Morgs!”

“Swim,” I ordered her. “Swim until help comes.”

“I’m not leaving you!” she cried.

Clawed hands grabbed my arms, hauling me into the air. With a screech, Meera was lifted next and tossed over the shoulder of the red-haired akadim. Mine held me in its arms like I was a baby, its smell so disgusting I thought I’d be sick or pass out.

“Morgana!” Jace cried. “Meera!”

“Soturion?” the vadati glowed as the head of our escort team spoke to Jace.

“Akadim!” he cried. “On the beach. Two! Come! Now! Akillus down!”

The beast cut me with its claws as it lifted me higher. I squeezed my eyes shut, my body shaking with terror. Just please kill me first. If this is my fate—let me die first. Let me die before…the rest happens.

“No harm,” growled my akadim. It was an order to the beast carrying Meera.

Even as its putrid lips curled into a sneer, Meera’s captor nodded, shaking her body over its shoulder. It opened the carriage door on its seraphim, so tall it didn’t need to climb up. “Go!” it shouted, violently throwing Meera inside.

“Meera!” I yelled. There was a thud inside her carriage.

Her akadim laughed, delighted with what it’d done.

“No harm! Master’s orders!” my akadim said again.

Meera’s akadim stuck its neck out, its red hair standing on end as it growled and snapped its teeth. “I know!” it roared. Its eyes flicked to Jace. “Wanted to eat.”