Page 40 of Magic & Secrets (Twisted Magic #1)
CALLA’S DREAM FILTERED into my mind, revealing just enough for me to understand we were in danger. She leapt out of bed and searched for her clothes and weapons.
“The sun is already here,” Calla warned as she dressed. “The New Armgard warriors are only a few hours away. Maybe closer. Gregory has always underestimated us.”
Once Calla strapped her last weapon to her gear, I lifted her into my arms and pressed my lips against hers.
“You are a powerful warrior,” I murmured. “I can trust you to fight.”
Understanding my fear, Calla cradled my jaw in her tender fingers and whispered, “And you are a fearsome weapon. I don’t need to fear for your safety.”
Kissing her again, I forced myself to rest her on her feet. Despite our hurry to escape, Calla paused to paint her face with an incantation of Solme Divige.
“The hallways are a tight fit,” Calla said as she glanced at the door. “You’ll be at a disadvantage in a small space.”
“I can shift into tiny beings.”
Calla grinned. “How small?”
“I once became a housecat to make my way into a location undetected.”
Calla laughed joyfully. “When we reach your mountain, you can shift into that size and cuddle in my lap.”
Sharing her grin, I imagined us at Mt. Elysium. If Simnia had kept his word about providing air transport, we might have arrived at my home in a day. Now, the mountain felt nearly out of reach.
“We’ll need to leave through the window,” Calla said. “The bathroom ones are too small for me since I can’t turn into a cat.”
Grinning, I walked over to the single window and looked down. We were a half dozen stories up. Jumping down wasn’t the issue. The Tower of Reason was located in the heart of Elatalora. We couldn’t slip out unseen even at night. This city had eyes everywhere.
“We’ll drop down and run until something gets in our way,” I said as Calla tied her hair back.
“What if they attempt to negotiate?”
“We’ll pretend to consider their offer while counting our targets. Once we’re ready, we’ll fight our way out of the city.”
Calla rested her hand on my forearm as I prepared to jump. My gaze met hers.
“We can’t be here when the New Armgard warriors arrive,” she said, fearing the challenge of battling her kind.
“We’ll be long gone by the time they arrive.”
Smiling at my certainty, Calla watched me drop from the window. I landed on the stone road, startling a few Elven guards. I gave them a head nod as if my arrival was completely normal. Based on how they merely scowled, I assumed the Elves were becoming accustomed to my odd behavior.
Calla landed next to me, softly like a feather floating to the ground rather than a boulder like I’d been. I smiled at how different we were. Her gaze held such affection. Nothing could stand in our way when we fed the magic bond between us.
A street over from the Tower of Reason, Simnia cut off our escape. Two dozen of his guards blocked the road, swords at the ready, while the elder Elf stepped forward.
“We’re leaving. If you stop us, we will move you out of the way,” I insisted and caught sight of Mali watching us from a balcony in a nearby building.
“Roque, new information has come to our attention regarding your apprentice. We need to discuss the situation before you will be permitted to leave. Please, consider our thoughts on this matter.”
“You’re choosing the wrong side, Simnia.”
“I have chosen the same side as yours,” he explained as his silver eyes flashed with warmth. “What is good for the Elven Empire is also good for the Bane Shifters. This creature at your side is a temptress.”
“She is my mate,” I announced and stroked Calla’s head. “You know what that means for a normal Shifter. Now, imagine the violence a Bane Shifter will unleash to protect his mate.”
Stepping closer, Simnia lifted his hands outward in a sign of submission and peace. He wasn’t the one I worried over. A plotting Mali watched us smugly as he was joined by a female Elf.
“Let’s discuss this matter a bit more. You planned to leave later in the day.
We will sit down with the Silver Elves Council and learn what we can about your mate.
Once everyone is satisfied in regards to her intentions, I will personally accompany you to your destination to ensure you aren’t dropped anywhere else. ”
Simnia was an honorable Elf. Though I would be saddened to remove his head from his shoulders, he chose to listen to my enemy.
“This is good, Roque,” Calla said, glancing up at me and wearing the overly steady expression of a liar. “We can explain my origin to the Elves. If the Gathering hopes to rule Lavinia, that would also make them the masters of this land.”
“You’ve been deceived,” I told Simnia. “So, your words can hold no power. The enemy in your midst needs to keep us here until the afternoon.”
“Why?” Simnia asked, gesturing for his guards to lower their weapons as a sign of good faith.
Calla answered, “Mali and Limbrica are waiting for the New Armgard to arrive to dispose of me.”
The word “Armgard” sparked a wave of fear and disgust through the Elven warriors and curious onlookers. Simnia’s breathing increased as he thought of this new threat traveling to his city.
“What happens now?” Simnia asked.
“Is that question for me or them?” I asked and gestured at Mali and the female Elf.
Simnia studied Calla and then his gaze sharpened on me. I felt him piecing together his options.
“I won’t be a part of this madness!” Simnia announced and gestured for his guards to clear the way for Calla and me.
A murmur fell over the crowd. I suspected other Elven warriors were moving into place to prevent us from escaping.
As we hurried down the road, Calla looked up at me and smiled. “I can’t wait to see Mt. Elysium.”
“I’m curious how brightly your hair will shine at the mountain’s peak.”
“Well, I’m curious about how much of a commotion we can make.”
Chuckling, I glanced at the warriors moving into formation up ahead. “I’ve barely been able to kill anyone and reveal my talents to you. Today, we can both unleash what we’ve been holding back.”
We shared a kiss as the warriors created a meat wall between us and our escape. Admiring Calla’s smiling face, I witnessed no fear in her gaze. Like me, she ached to unchain her power.
Calla grudgingly removed her gaze from me and focused on the Elven warriors before us.
“I have no malice in my heart for any of you. I only hope to leave in peace with Roque and travel to Mt. Elysium,” Calla stated in a raised voice before tapping her sword to her shield.
“With that said, I am the spawn of Solme Divige. The ancient one seeks a bloodbath in her honor. Stand in our way and we will give my master what she desires.”
The Elves lifted their shields and leveled their swords. I witnessed no fear in their expressions. Many of these warriors had never seen my kind in action, while the Armgard were considered mere boogeymen to be destroyed.
These Elven warriors had chosen death rather than allowing us to leave in peace, meaning Solme Divige would enjoy her bloodbath.
My instincts took over, sending me leaping into the crowd of warriors. Shifting between human and beast, I lashed out at their throats. Stumbling over their fallen, the Elves scurried to move out of my way.
A sword lunged into my chest, striking my heart. I seized the Elf by his head and lifted him from the ground. My other hand slid the blade from my already healing body. I used his sword to remove his head from the rest of his body. Launching the head at Mali, I smiled at his horror.
As I tore through another group of Elven warriors, my gaze flashed to Calla making her way along a different path toward the bridge. Separating from her made my heart clench painfully. Strategically, breaking the hundreds of Elven warriors into smaller, more controllable numbers made sense.
Calla moved like she had in Pandorium Forest with the Serpent Shifters.
Her feet barely touched the ground. She glided under swords and sailed past arrows.
Despite her soft footwork, Calla didn’t hold back with her strikes.
I watched with pride at how she slammed her shield into a group of Elves and sent them flying.
Yet, I noticed how she only injured rather than killed her opponents.
We made our way, block by block, through hordes of sword-wielding Elven warriors. The elite force tried their best to stop us. Arrows rained from the sky. Swords sliced into my flesh repeatedly, never able to break my bones or slow me down.
Panic swept through the city as the death count climbed. Any sensible species would have allowed us to leave. The Elven Empire could regroup and fight another day, yet their honor and poor leadership pushed them to battle a force they couldn’t possibly defeat.
The Elven warriors finally fell back as we neared the Omni Bridge. I didn’t sense they had given up, as much as changed tactics.
The energy cannon was old news back when I was with the Murade. The Elven Empire had always been reluctant to use human-made weapons. Now, they rolled out the cannon and aimed it in my direction.
Mali hollered for them to fire the weapon despite knowing it could only annoy me.
His real plan was to keep Calla and me busy long enough for the New Armgard to arrive. I never wanted my mate to face her kind. Killing them would destroy a part of her heart.
Omni Bridge was within reach. Once we crossed it, Calla and I would have only a short run to the safety of Pandorium Forest.