Page 99 of The Chains You Defy

Fuck.

More. I needed more power, but my time had nearly run out.

With clouded vision, I realized the Ainsprid was floating beside me, staring enraptured at my battered body as the Wailos chewed on my leg. Her hand slowly extended to me, and a terror like I’d never felt before crushed me in its grip.

If she touched me, I would be on my way to face Noelk in no time. Readying myself to release the energy I’d collected, I sent a quick prayer to Kalag.

But all of a sudden, the hand, only inches away from my chest, was forced back by a black bubble barreling into me.

“Hold on.”

Nayana? The panic multiplied as my overloaded mind registered that she’d raced to me and was—

Gods, this female was a genius. Her small fingers curled around the hematite restraint, gliding along the length of the metal. Of course, she’d use her wits and search for the opening mechanism instead of resorting to force, which had been my damn mistake from the start.

No.

A roar freed itself from my throat as the petite hand of the glowing spirit pressed against Nayana’s shield like a jealous lover trying to get rid of a rival.

We had one chance.

If she couldn’t open the shackle, both of us would perish. And so, I put all my eggs in one basket and reinforced the protective layer around her with all the magic I’d been able to gather and preserve.

Protect. Protect. Protect.

I growled more feral than the monsters as I thickened her shield and never stopped to pull Potential. There was no pain anymore; I’d gone numb. Maybe my nerve endings had died or rotted away.

Hold.

Suddenly, the pressure around my head eased as my female hissed in triumph, and the prison holding my powers captive fell away. In the blink of an eye, I burst through the remaining restraints holding me captive.

My magic, now unsuppressed by the cursed metal, soared to life, and even the leeching effect of the Ainsprid became insignificant. Since Nayana stood next to me, showing no sign of fatigue, I tugged at her Potential once more, and as our mystical forces merged, the energy in me multiplied exponentially. Never had I wielded darkness in such abundance, seemingly endless and unlimited.

For the first time, I fully understood the true might behind our binding, the unending depths of power larger than life. Too much to contain. No matter how hard I fought to control the vast amount at my disposal, I’d reached my limit.

But holding back wasn’t my intention anyway. Shadows pooled around my feet as I stepped in front of my shielded Amplifier, my savior, my exceptional female. An inky substance dripped from my hands as the sheermagnitude of the force I commanded was fueled even more by my urge to keep her safe.

And then, with an unhinged smile directed at Nayana, I surrendered to the magic and unleashed.

A whimper spilled from my lips as I opened my eyes. “Fuck,” I croaked, blinking away the fog clouding my vision. Agony speared through my limbs, torso, and head from the small motion alone. My skull felt as if I’d taken a pounding from a giant fist. Repeatedly. For days.

The ground beyond me was hard, but my head was resting on something warm and soft, the only positive sensation I could perceive.

Against my will, a low groan escaped my throat. I wouldn’t even attempt to get up. Before my self-healing had at least dealt with the worst damage, I couldn’t consider movingat all.

“You were out for a few minutes.” Worry laced the words so softly spoken, and my pillow vibrated.

“What happened? Fuck, where’s my grandfather?” Piece by piece, my memory returned, and after I’d taken a second to collect myself, I forced myself to analyze my surroundings. This was still Galrach’s torture cavern, I could tell from the myriad of tiny sentient consciousnesses all around me. The smell stuck in my nose was vile, like rot and decay, but my pillow was none other than Nayana, who’d cradled my head in her lap. I liked that a lot, and I hoped, despite the pain, the moss, and the stench, I would never have to leave this kind of utopia ever again.

“He left amid maniacal laughter. What an assface.”

My tiny woman. She was so cute when she glowered and cursed.

Another groan echoed through the air, the sound alien—and embarrassing. “My recollection is a bit patchy. What happened after you’d unlocked the hematite?”

“Shh. Let me talk. After you’d disassembled almost the entire wall, you exploded like some sort of shadow bomb. Those monsters—they were obliterated. One moment, they were closing in on us; the next, there was nothing of them left, but you continued to pour more and more darkness out. Whatever protected your grandfather stood strong at first, but the barrier collapsed under the onslaught of your magic. Your shadows engulfed Galrach, and I hoped—” Nayana shook her head in irritation.

If I had any control over my facial expression, I would have smiled. My morally clean female had almost admittedto wishing for someone’s death, and her developing murderous tendencies filled me with pride.