Page 95 of The Dark Mage

He hissed, “What are you doing?”and tried to shake heroff.

But Ren’wyn surged forward, using his momentum to propel herself toward the sound.Her dagger fell into the brittle leaves with a dull thud as she stumbled through the undergrowth, heedless of the noise shemade.

“Ren’wyn!”Esrin called in an angry whisper, his voice sharp with warning.

A tangle of grapevine snagged her ankle, and she fell hard, a grunt escaping herlips.

From a thicket of alders to her left, Fael burst forth.

His face was scratched, his left arm bound in a bloodied bandage, two long gashes visible beneath it.His short sword was missing, but his broadsword remained strapped to his back.When his eyes landed on Ren’wyn, they widened, his expression almost disbelieving.

For a long moment, he just stared.

Ren’wyn lay in the leaves, too stunned to make a sound.A bramble had scratched her arm, and her hair was tangled with dried leaves and twigs.Her chest felt tight, like it might burst.She was going to come apart.Her soul was expanding and cracking, and it washim.

He washere.

Fael stumbled toward her and collapsed onto the ground, pulling her into his arms.He moaned her name into her hair, his lips pressing against the top of her head, and she couldn’t decide if she should breathe or sob or laugh.

“Ren’wyn, Ren’wyn,” he murmured hoarsely, his fingers trembling as they ran down herback.

Her skin burned where he touched her, and she clutched his tunic so tightly her fingers ached.The first sound she made was a broken sob.Fael held her closer, the scent of sweat, dirt, and blood filling her senses as her tears soaked into his shirt.

Esrin cleared his throat and walked toward them, Patina’s reins inhand.

“Fael,” he said with a curt nod.“Glad you’re notdead.”

“Esrin,” Fael replied, his voice steady but his hands still clutching Ren’wyn.His body shook as he rested his forehead against hers, his hands skating over her shoulders andback.

“You came for us,” he whispered, his voicewarm.

Ren’wyn smiled despite the tears still streaming down herface.

She loosened her grip on his tunic, placing her hands on his upper arms.“Tell us what happened, Fael.Are Sorya and Lia alive?”

Fael’s face darkened with sorrow as he closed his eyes.“I ran into brigands along the road.They threatened to rob me and leave me for dead.I escaped without my horse, knowing I couldn’t risk using my power with the others nearby.

“I turned north to meet the group, but the brigands headed the same way.I found them by noon the next day, and we decided to head back to the nearest town using another route.Sorya was exhausted, so we made the mistake of stopping for lunch on the roadside.

“Without horses, we moved too slowly, and the brigands overtook us less than an hour later.Lia and Sorya ran into the trees while Alen and I stood our ground.But they had a berserker with them thistime.”

Ren’wyn shuddered, understanding the gashes on Fael’sarm.

“They slaughtered Alen,” Fael continued, his voice breaking.“He fought bravely but was overwhelmed and cut down.I managed to kill the berserker who injured me and then fled into the woods after Lia and Sorya.”

He buried his face in his hands.“I’ve been watching them for three days.Lia and Sorya have been drugged, bound, and—” His voice cracked.“I couldn’t save them.There’s only one of me.I can’t reach them both and kill their captors alone.”

Fael’s frustration was palpable.Ren’wyn leaned in, grasping his hands.She rested her head on his shoulder as his face twisted with anguish.

“We’ll do this together now, Fael,” she said firmly.

Her stomach churned with restless hunger—to kill, to destroy the men who had hurt her community.Was it an echo of Fael’s magic, or was the bloodlust herown?

Esrin’s hand settled on her shoulder, his own fury evident in his voice.

“Yes, wewill.”

Ren’wyn shuddered.