Page 30

Tari

H overing over Isa’s neck, I felt my sister’s panic in the marrow of my bones, and I knew they were under attack. I stiffened as Ash pressed against my back and tightened his hold on my waist.

I looked to Helian, who flew on Radnor on the opposite side of Triss. The hatchling flew between us, Finn and the girls on her back and the rabbits hanging from her saddle in their sack.

The dragon army flew behind us, hungry and eager to reclaim their homes.

My sister is in trouble , I projected to my mates. The demons are attacking Thebes.

Only a few more minutes , Helian answered.

I exhaled a slow breath, knowing what had to be done.

The demons are here , I projected to Isa. The children have to go.

She let out an agonized roar, nuzzling her hatchling’s neck midflight. Her weary sigh echoed in my mind. All right.

I choked back tears, getting one last glimpse of my children as they clung to the saddle, squinting against the wind, wide smiles etched into their faces while they rode on the back of their dragon. I prayed this wouldn’t be the last time I’d see them.

Finn , I projected to my mate. Time to go to Abyssus.

Okay , my love, he replied. Be safe.

My throat tightened with despair. Guard our children well.

With my life , he answered, then leaned over the children and whispered in Aurora’s ear while slipping the tau stone off her neck. In the next moment, my mate, children, and their dragon vanished from the sky, leaving a hole between us that mirrored the wide chasm in my heart.

Tears streaked my face as I held back a sob. I said I’d never part from them again, but they were gone, and my heart was shattered.

Ash squeezed my waist. Finn will keep them safe , he projected to me. I know I’m asking a lot, but put them out of your mind for now. You need to focus on defeating the demons.

He was asking a lot, but he was right. I was so lucky I had him here with me. Even if he was no longer alpha, his role in our pack was critical, for I still needed him for guidance and protection. Gritting my teeth, I did my best to put my girls out of my mind while focusing on the task at hand.

We flew over a thick forest that gave way to undulating hills. We were in the Caldarian countryside on the outskirts of Peloponese. I’d been here once before, saving a child who’d fallen from a tree and then growing a garden for her family and the rabbits I’d given her. Had the child, her family, and the rabbits survived the demon invasion? Not that I could dwell on that now. I had to focus on defeating the demons. Not long, and we’d be over Peloponese, which was only a spear’s throw away from Windhaven and then Thebes.

“Hang on, Shiri,” I whispered. “We’re almost there.”

* * *

Shiri

I WATCHED HELPLESSLY as more and more giants stumbled into the town, scratching their heads while looking around for any signs of life. They still hadn’t noticed that half of Thebes had been camouflaged, though I feared it was only a matter of time before they found us. Then what? Without Tari’s magic and Drae’s love, would I be able to defeat them?

“Shiri,” Blaze whispered, his hand upon my back. “What do you need us to do?”

I leaned against his chest, relishing his warmth. “Stay with me.”

“We’re here for you,” Nikkos said as he stood beside me, grasping my hand.

A giant stomped toward the abandoned houses lining the end of the street, removing a thatch roof and peering inside like a child playing with a dollhouse. Then several more giants followed suit, removing the tops of houses and smashing them with roars when they found them devoid of life.

I sucked in a gasp when one giant stumbled into another, tripping over his own feet and landing on the magical barrier that Tari had created. He blinked at the firemage army lined up on the beach, then raised his club. Firemages took to the air, hitting the beast with their flames and others shot at him with cannon fire. He stumbled back, falling on the other side of the wall, a cannonball lodged in his empty eye socket. Other undead giants walked up to their injured friend, squinting at the invisible barrier. Then one waved his club, watching with awe as it passed through the barrier.

He let out a deep, demonic chuckle, and I knew we were screwed.

Three horns rang out, and more firemages took to the sky, crossing the barrier and striking the giants with flaming spears. I watched helplessly as giants struck them down like bugs, stomping on their broken bodies.

I had to stop this.

I turned to Blaze, a plea in my voice. “Take me to them.”

“Shiri, where are you going?” my mother cried out, but I didn’t answer.

Blaze swept me into his arms and jumped into the sky. He flew me to the seawall on the other side of the barrier. I slipped out of his arms, and before I could raise my hands, he grasped my face, capturing my lips in a heated kiss.

He pulled back, desperately searching my eyes. I love you , he projected to me. You can do anything, Shiri. You have the magic in you. Believe in yourself.

I swallowed, so relieved I had my strong mate while remembering how he’d been my rock, my protector and supporter during my darkest moments. He’d helped me defeat Mephis. He would help me through this too.

I spun in his arms, grateful when Nikkos landed beside us, his wing draped over my shoulder while he held on to my waist. We faced the giants, who were too busy attacking the magical barrier to focus on us. I let out a slow exhale, and then I summoned my magic, imagining the inky poison leaching from my fingers as a wave of water big enough to wash over the entire wall, drowning the giants before turning them to dust. The magic flew so fast and furiously out of my hands, it burned the tips of my fingers, rolling down the seawall and fanning out across the beach, sweeping up every troll in its path.

Giants ran when they saw the black fog coming, many of them stumbling back through the crevice in the wall or over the invisible barrier, but my magic was able to sweep away at least half of them.

My eyes flew open as fatigue swamped me. I fell against Blaze, and he flew me back to the castle. I looked over Blaze’s shoulder to see Nikkos flying farther and farther behind us, his wings just a blur as Blaze dodged the giants that had made it through the barrier.

Slow down , I projected to Blaze.

Not until you’re safe , he answered, barely missing a burst of cannon fire as war raged around us.

Though Malvolia and I had turned many trolls to dust, our magic had also sent about a dozen of them beyond the barrier, and they were now wreaking havoc on the city, tearing down towers like children knocking down blocks as they made their way toward the castle walls. I worried I’d only made things worse, but I was too fatigued to destroy them. Firemages hit them with cannon fire and spears, and Enso and Freya dropped flaming branches on their heads. Malvolia’s black smoke launched from the castle walls and spiraled through the air, striking the giants’ eyes. They let out agonized roars, but even blinded, they didn’t stop advancing on the city.

Blaze landed on the battlements, and I slipped from his arms, clutching the wall while searching for any signs of Nikkos. I spotted him in the distance, flying erratically, one side of his feathers smoking.

I jutted a finger toward him, my heart feeling like it had fallen out of my chest. “Nikkos!” I turned to Blaze with a cry. “Save him!”

Blaze jumped into the air with a curse, streaking across the sky in a blur and intercepting his brother. My hands flew to my mouth when they both caught fire, spiraling onto a cobblestone road in the center of the town like falling embers.

No, no, no!

I had no way of getting to them. Drae! I called to my mate through thought. Drae, we need you! Where was he? Why wasn’t he helping us? Have you forgotten us? Have you no love for us at all?!

Blaze rolled Nikkos around on the ground until the flames had extinguished from their wings. They both stumbled to their feet, and I could tell by the blood on their backs that they wouldn’t be able to fly to me.

Time slowed to a crawl as the tile roof of the building above them slid to the road. They ducked, scrambling away when a giant’s club barely missed them. I had to get to them, but how?

Then the giant crashed through the stone building, lifting his club once more, and I knew my mates were out of time.

No!!!

I flung out my hands, black smoke flying from my fingers when the monster raised his club again, but my smoke slowed moments before the beast’s club came down. I blinked, and the giant turned to ash, his club rolling down the sloped, cobblestone road.

My chest tightened, and I couldn’t catch my breath. Where were Blaze and Nikkos? Had I been too late?

I gasped when I turned around, and Drae was sitting on the stone floor, appearing stunned and fatigued, with Nikkos and Blaze groaning at his feet. What had happened? The only explanation was Drae had slowed down time to save his brothers, which I knew took a lot of his energy. My legs nearly gave way as I stumbled toward my mates, my veins turning to icy sludge when I saw the amount of blood on Nikkos’s and Blaze’s backs and wings.

“I need a green witch!” I hollered as mages and witches ran around us, but nobody stopped as they raced around the battlements like headless gnomes.

A tremor rolled through the castle, the stones rattling beneath me. Fear set fire to my veins. The giants had reached us! I crawled on the ground, pulling myself up to peer over the side of the wall. There had to have been at least three dozen giants striking the side of the castle, making me realize I’d barely made a dent in their numbers. My head rattled as the entire castle trembled with each blow.

Malvolia stood on the highest turret above the battlements, hitting the monsters with her smoke, and Arabella stood beside her, blowing them back with her wind. But I knew it wouldn’t be enough.

“Look there!” A mage pointed toward the sky. Thousands of winged shadows flew toward us from Peloponese, and I prayed they were Tari and the dragons and not more demons.

“It’s the dragons!” another mage hollered.

Relief washed over me, and my legs finally gave way. I slid to the ground with a sob, crying into my hands.

When Nikkos let out an agonized groan, I quickly swiped away my tears and grabbed a cool bucket of water, pouring it down his back, hoping it soothed him. I hadn’t expected skin and feathers to fall away from his back. It took all my willpower not to vomit.

I stroked Nikkos’s face as he blinked up at me with glossy eyes. “Hang on, darling. Help is coming.”

I haven’t forgotten you. Drae’s voice rang in my mind. I do love you. There’s a chasm in my soul now, and I don’t want my darkness to extinguish your light.

My heart caught in my throat as I looked into my mate’s mahogany eyes, swirling with longing and love, as he sat beside me. I swiped tears from my eyes, a maelstrom of emotions warring within me.

He still loved me! He still loved us!

I fought the urge to fling myself into his arms. I promise, it won’t. Just give me a chance, and let my light chase away your darkness.

He nodded, and I found myself sitting on the floor, his hand in mine, Nikkos and Blaze resting beside us. As tired as I’d been just moments earlier, magic buzzed through my veins, infusing me with renewed energy. All thanks to Drae’s love. My shoulders slumped in relief when thousands of shadows blotted out the sun above us, and the dragons rained fire on the giants below.

Two dragons landed on the ramparts with bone-rattling roars, and my sister, Helian, and Ash jumped from them, marching toward us with determined strides.

Tari knelt beside me, flashing a tender smile. “I heard you in my mind calling for a green witch. Would you settle for a white witch?”

No longer fighting back my tears, I heaved a relieved sigh. “Gladly, sister.”

* * *

Shiri

T HANKS TO MY AMAZING sister, Nikkos, Blaze, and several other injured firemages had been healed. I told Tari to conserve her magic and let the other green witches work on the less serious cases while we stood on the tallest turret of the ramparts with some of our family and watched the dragons turn the last of the giants to ash.

The city of Thebes had been wrecked. Luckily, the castle was still intact, and the people were all safe. At least half of the buildings in the town were in shambles. If it wasn’t for the piles of smoking ash and discarded clubs that once belonged to the giant zombies, it would’ve looked like the town had been wrecked by a cyclone. I was saddened to think that the troll race had been extinguished, though there was no bringing back someone from the undead. The greatest kindness we could’ve done for them was to turn them to cinders.

Nikkos and Blaze rested on the ground beside us, their heads hanging in their hands and their backs to the wall after Tari had insisted they eat biscuits and drink water. They’d both used too much energy fighting and then healing and would need time to recover before they fought again. Ash stood beside my sister, and Drae stood on my other side, his wing protectively draped across my back while his gaze swept the warzone. Despite his taciturn behavior since returning from the void, his presence still brought me comfort. I would do everything in my power to help drive away the lingering darkness in his soul. Even if it took decades, I wouldn’t give up on my mate, and I refused to let him give up on himself.

Malvolia, Arabella, Cassandra, and Gadea stood on the ramparts nearby, surveying the destruction of the city. Helian and Radnor had gathered the dragons, leading a search party across the Delfian countryside to check for more demons while sending the rest of the dragons to the wall, where they took turns perching and diving for fish.

I knew Tari was anxious for Helian’s return and prayed he would bring good news, though, after speaking to little Cousin Teddy, I had a foreboding feeling the worst was yet to come.

“Where are the children?” I asked my sister. She hadn’t appeared with them, but she wasn’t panicking, so I knew they were somewhere safe with Finn.

“Abyssus.” Clutching the battlement wall, she winced while watching dragons attack the final giant corpse like carrion to a carcass. “I was going to get them after the battle. Do you think more are coming?”

“Yes,” I answered with a grimace. “Brace yourselves. Our cousin Teddy is a powerful seer. He told us that there will be several waves of demons.”

“Several?” Tari asked. “Did he see what they looked like?”

I blew out a slow breath while Tari and Ash watched me, expectant. “He didn’t see all of them, but he said the next wave will be possessed shifters.”

Ash’s eyes widened. “Possessed wolf-shifters?”

I tensed, not wanting to upset him. “Yes.”

When the wolf flashed in Ash’s eyes, I backed up against Drae. “How many?”

I swallowed, worried how he’d take the news. “Hundreds.”

He stared at me as if I was an apparition. “Are they undead like the giants?”

“No. They still live.”

He threw back his head with a howl. “Oh, thank the Elements.” He stepped toward me, a wild look in his eyes. “Can you drive out their demons like you did for us?”

I pressed against Drae, grateful when he held on to my shoulder. “I can try, but I’m afraid there will be too many.”

Tari clutched Ash’s elbow, then smiled at me. “I’ve watched you disable two armies.”

“I froze them for a few minutes. I didn’t remove demons from them,” I said, a vine of panic constricting around my chest. “I’ve only ever removed one demon at a time. I’m not sure if I have enough strength.”

Then use my strength.

A large shadow hovered over me, blotting out the waning sun.

I squinted up at Isa. “How?”

“She amplifies our magic,” Tari answered, her smile widening. “Just rub her scales.”

I scratched the back of my head, sharing a shocked look with Drae. “Really?”

A wolf’s howl sounded in the distance.

Ash’s nostrils flared, and he turned imploring eyes on me. “They’re here.”

My heart rate quickened. What if I couldn’t save them? Did we have enough chains and tau stones to bind them, or would the dragons be forced to turn them to ash? I nervously chewed my bottom lip. “What do I do?”

Isa floated above me, catching pockets of air. Fly with me, Goddess.

I turned to Drae, and he gave me an encouraging nod. I believe in you , he said through thought while pulling me in for a hug. His love surged through me, electrifying my veins and strengthening my magic, and I felt a renewed sense of confidence. Maybe I could do it.

Before I could change my mind, Drae flew me up to Isa, dropping me into her saddle. He kissed my cheek and flew above us without another word.

I can do this. I can do this.

Isa flew me over the ruined town of Thebes, then beyond the wall, soaring over flattened trees as far as the eye could see. My heart wept for all the forest creatures and foliage that had been crushed by the giants. Hopefully, Tari could revive the forest after the war. We didn’t have to fly very far before we saw them, several hundred Terrae, all in their animal forms, running toward Thebe’s crumbling wall. There would be no containing them when they reached the city. I had to stop them now.

Fly lower , I said to Isa.

All right , she answered. Lean forward and press your hands to my scales.

Isa circled lower, and that’s when I noticed Drae following us, along with Radnor and several other dragons and riders.

The demon animals howled, their eyes glowing as red as hell’s fires. I rubbed Isa’s scales, feeling magic rush through me like a burst of venom. Elements!

“Demon-possessed shifters and Fae, hold still!” I called down, my siren voice ringing through the air like a clap of thunder. The mob stopped in their tracks, frozen in place like petrified corpses.

But they are not undead, I reminded myself. You can save them, Shiri. You can do it.

Please land in front of them , I said to Isa.

She let out a nervous whimper but did as I asked.

We set down in the center of a copse of flattened trees, several other dragons shaking the ground as they landed behind us.

A strong stench wafted off the shifters, who snarled at me with hands curled into wicked claws. They weren’t fully wolves, but they were in their monster wolf forms: seven-foot beasts with big, barrel chests, long, wicked claws, and extended maws dripping with saliva. These creatures of nightmares frightened me more than wolves.

I cleared my throat, suddenly wishing for a cup of water. “Vadeo in domum tomun!” I called, my voice rising as I repeated that phrase over and over until hundreds of fleshy holes opened in the ground. When jagged shadows slipped out of the beasts, they fell to the ground, whimpering. I continued to repeat the spell, ignoring my own fatigue as Isa’s magic surged into me. I sang the spell for what felt like an eternity, until my voice grew hoarse and my limbs trembled with fatigue.

The dragons flew above us with earth-shaking roars.

I thought I heard Isa call in my mind as she shuddered beneath me, her scales rattling my thighs. It’s done, Shiri. You saved them , but I was too caught up in the spell.

Then Drae was behind me, pulling me off Isa and into his arms.

“You were amazing,” he whispered, right before I succumbed to my fatigue.