Page 124 of The Path of Blood and Betrayals

The madness of the battle, the frenzy isn’t lost on me. It’s chaos, quick and overpowering. They hoped to rush the gates, and take it without much finesse, just brute force.

Unfortunately, the shifters are putting up a fight. And there’s us.

“Do you see Max?” I inhale, hoping to scent her. But I can only smell blood.

Shaking his head, Reid wipes his brow. “No, but go, we’ll cover you.” His wide eyes stare at me, pleading. “You can’t let her die.”

Nodding once, I dart into the fray, more bodies squeezed together.

I only get past the first ring of raiders, locating Max in the center with a sword at her neck.

Seeing the blade press against Max’s pale neck, right above her scar, hardens my black heart. Even my beast, goes eerily calm.

But she doesn’t look afraid.

No, my kitten looks positivelypissedand I grin.

My stained blade rises to her capturer’s chest, the tip pointing directly at his heart. “I’ll say this only once: step away.”

The soldier laughs as if he’s won. Maybe he thinks he has.

But I’ll set this entire world on fire before I let him have Max.

Turning his covered face to look at me, he sighs.He pities me.My blood boils at the insult. “You’ve no power here. You’re surrounded.”

I tilt my head as if pondering his words. Yet, the black submerging my eyes with the rise of rage begs to differ. “Do you not see that most of your men have fallen by the sword at your throat?”

“And do you not realize,” he snarls, turning fully to face the blood summoner, “that this village is falling to our might? You can kill me and you’re still going to lose.”

“I don’t care about the village.” I sigh, as if explaining a simple concept to a child. “I only care abouther.”

Max ducks as my sword pierces his leather covered chest. There’s a wet gush, my blade fighting against bone but I push, driving it further in. I want to see the blood on my blade, know this man who thought to harm the woman I’ve claimed, is dead.

Peering up at me, face smeared with blood, she’s never looked more beautiful.

Cupping her face, I check to make sure none of the blood comes from an injury. When Iknow she’s whole, I glance into her eyes.

She’s trembling, her magic driving through her in heavy waves. She’s uncorked the bottle and it won’t stop until it runs out.

I can’t let her reach that point. There’s no telling what will happen to her.

“Max,” I breathe, gathering her close. “Shut it out. You need to turn the magic off.”

Shaking her head, she holds me tight as her knees rock together.

“I can’t,” she whimpers, voice cracking. “It’s too strong. It wants it. All of it.” She looks out at the sea of fighting warriors, with us trapped in a shadowed circle of brief calm.

I place my hand against her stomach, just like before when she almost killed Hastings for his crude words.

“Here. Focus here,” my words ghost over her lips. “Focus and concentrate. Pull it back like a rope. Slowly wind it back. Close your eyes,good. Focus. Wind it back, Max. You need towinditback.”

If it’s similar to my magic, the source is in our middle, but there is so little information on magic, that I’m guessing. I’m only teaching her what I know because Ineedto help her.

Soon, her body sags, the power pulled back and locked away. Swords bounce off my shadows and I wince. The tiredness from exerting so much is draining what little strength I have left, but I can’t let Max go. Not until she’s safe.

Blinking, her blue eyes try to focus on my face, searching for something in the depths of my eyes.

There’s a split moment of relief, of joy at seeing me, before it’s overshadowed by the pain of betrayal.