Page 86 of Rising Out of the Darkness (Divine Guardians Duology #1)

Elena

A blanket of embers and ash covered the entire town. Screams and shouts rang through the air as wind gusted around where we landed.

Shame curled inside my stomach for taking a few hours’ rest before making our way here, but I knew without it Declan and I would have drained our dynamis completely. Then we wouldn’t have been able to help anyway.

Without words, we ran into the streets, launching our dynamis at every Nightshade and enemy guard who leapt into our path.

As the fighting still erupted all around us, my eyes roved over the bodies that lay lifeless on the ground.

Some faces unfamiliar, others I knew like the back of my hand.

Fear surged inside me, as I prayed to the gods that the next face I stumbled upon would not be my father’s.

As we rounded the corner towards my home, a cloaked Nightshade stepped in front of us and launched a stream of fire towards Declan. Dec dove out of the way just as I conjured a wave of water towards the hooded man.

With the man stunned, Declan took the opportunity to use our combined dynamis and interlocked his hand with mine. The man flew back into the stone wall of the temple behind him and his neck twisted with a snap.

It was hard to not see it as some kind of divine justice. Death by temple wall.

“ELENA!”

A voice that hadn’t graced my ears in over a month echoed from down the street. Standing in the road, covered in blood and face blackened in ash, was my father.

Releasing Declan’s hand, I sprinted towards him. He met me halfway, and we collapsed to our knees in the dirt beneath us.

“Father,” I sobbed.

Tears streamed into his chest where I buried my face. He stroked my hair and pressed a kiss to my temple.

“Sunshine, you’re alive.” His voice rasped and I squeezed him tighter. “Bless the gods.”

Wood crackled and split apart behind us, followed by a thud, the sounds of our town falling apart all around us. I held my father’s head between my hands. “Are there still people inside their homes?”

He nodded, and I pulled him to his feet. “We’ve gotten most to safety, but I was on my way to Ophelia’s.”

“Let’s go.”

Declan followed behind us as we fought our way through each corner until we were outside of Ophelia’s home. Her two small children were crying outside when we arrived, and Declan scooped them up and moved them further away to safety.

“She must have got the babes out and gone back in for Thomas,” my father said.

The crack of wood splintered through the air. We didn’t have much time before this entire cabin caved in. Without one more thought I ran into the house, my father and Declan on my heels.

Flames roared inside, and the smoke filled my lungs with an acrid burn.

Trapped beneath a fallen beam, Ophelia’s body was sprawled out over the floor, arms still wrapped around her husband.

The memory of my father holding my mother’s lifeless body flashed before my eyes.

My dynamis surged within me as I released it straight onto the flames.

I would not allow Ophelia and her husband to meet the same fate as my mother.

While I doused the flames with a wave of water, Father’s mouth gaped wide. He recovered quickly and gathered a swirling cloud, snuffing out the rest of the fire inside the small cabin.

Declan lifted the beam off Ophelia as fire continued to rage outside. Father scooped her into his arms, and Declan placed Thomas over his shoulder. I followed behind them just as the cabin shuddered and the floorboard underneath my foot caved.

“Gods!” I gasped, clawing at the doorframe, trying to tug my leg free.

A snap crackled above as the entire ceiling began to cave in. Panic invaded my body. I pulled one more time and my leg finally broke free. I tumbled right into Declan’s open arms as he zephyred us away just in time to hear the entire building collapse behind us.

“All five gods.” Ophelia’s raspy voice came from the dirt below me. Dark brown eyes met mine, full of remorse and shame as she mouthed silently, “Thank you.”

Two words that meant so much to me. A forgiveness I’d never thought that I would receive.

Grabbing the children, we ran towards the safe haven my father had shouted directions for. The town was silent except for the crackling of embers and wood. Relief trickled through my bones at the knowledge that we wouldn’t have to fight anyone else.

That was until a familiar guard stepped onto the road in front of us.

Blood stained the cruel face of the guard who had harassed me the day of the Ascension. When he caught sight of me, his lips curled into a sneer and his hands began to fill with frost.

I let down the children and shoved them behind my father, and Declan lowered Thomas to the ground. Rushing to my side, he interlaced his fingers with mine and a rush of dynamis flooded through me, stealing my breath.

A violet glow shimmered over us, and I could feel the shadows come alive around me. Even when he released my palm, the surge of power still radiated within me.

“One more time, love?”

“ One more time.”

Our dynamis flew through the air, meeting the guard’s icicles and incinerating them into icy dust. He attempted it several more times, but each one was met with failure. The man frantically looked from left to right, searching for backup, but no one was coming.

His panic made the shadows around me swirl and a smirk grow on my face. One look at my face and he bolted. Coward.

“He’s running, Wildfire.” Declan chuckled darkly.

“Not for long, my love.”

We launched our dynamis once more, and the guard fell to the ground with a deafening thud.

W e carried Ophelia and her family to where the rest of the survivors had huddled together in a makeshift camp. When they were settled, a small group of us went back and used our dynamis to help put out the fires.

Overwhelmed with exhaustion, Declan and I found a quiet spot back at the camp and passed out until my father roused me awake the next day.

“Time to go, Sunshine.” His tone was sweet, but he glared at the man beside me.

“Good morning, Warren.” Sleep clung to Declan’s words, his tone low and graveled.

“Declan.” My father’s curt tone made me roll my eyes.

With a deep sigh, I rose from the hard ground, stretching the bones in my back into place with a crack.

Some of the horses had been wrangled, as well as a few carts. We would use those to carry those who couldn’t walk as we made our way to Oria today. Apparently, Oria had been our neighbor for quite some time.

Hidden within the mountains behind our small town was the Rebellion City.

The sun beat down overhead as we made our way up the winding path between the mountains. Rushing water flooded into my senses, and I peered over the edge of the rocky path to see a creek down below.

At first my father argued to keep going, but then he looked at the sweaty, fatigued faces behind me and conceded. I tended to a few cuts and bruises with the few supplies we had, and Declan used some of his dynamis to heal where he could.

Overcome with thirst, I grabbed my waterskin and made my way down to the creek to fill it. As I approached, a familiar blonde threw open her arms and tackled me to the ground.

“Good to see you too, Bri.” My giggle strained under the weight of the priestess.

“Oh, my.” She laughed, rolling off me and then helping me up. “My apologies, for not rushing to you earlier, Lena. I’ve used up my dynamis during the battle, and was passed out in the back of the wagon. I’m so happy to see you safe.”

She squeezed me once more as a deep voice cleared their throat behind us.

“Elena, can we talk?” My father looked filled with unease. He threaded one palm through his dark hair while the other fumbled inside his pocket.

“Yes, I think it’s time you both told me the truth.”

Exchanging a glance with each other, they nodded in unison.