Page 6

Talon

Their line broke. Warriors scattered, and in what seemed like seconds, their imminent victory faded to nothing more than a dream.

Commands were shouted and ignored. Those stationed behind the wall fled as the winged Dark Fae swooped in and snatched victims from behind, burying their talons deep before carrying them off to be devoured midair.

Those stationed atop the wall leapt down to fight those who were pouring through. It left the front line too vulnerable. Too weak.

These were the moments that tipped the scale toward victory or defeat. These were the moments when Fae decided who or what they were willing to put their trust in.

And right now, no one trusted anything.

Talon met Rion’s gaze. He could see it too. They needed to regain control and somehow redirect those who were turning inward.

A piercing cry shattered the air and they all turned in time to see a large creature with a flat horn across its head barreling straight for the wall. It screamed in terror and swung its massive head, hitting both Dark Fae and warriors as it tried in vain to outrun some invisible enemy.

Talon felt a pang of sympathy for the creature.

“Inside,” Rion yelled over the chaos. Talon nodded and moved, understanding Rion’s meaning with that single command. He was reluctant to leave Arianna’s side for any reason, but they needed to separate if they hoped to regain control of the situation.

Rion would ensure it happened on the outside, evidenced by his magic rising up to block their warriors trying to leap from the wall. Rock and dirt turned the startled Fae back around before he shouted orders to the other commanders.

Remember your stations Talon willed them. Hold your line.

Talon vaulted over the wall with his magic, taking out one of the flying beasts as he sailed past. He rolled in the damp soil, refusing to acknowledge exactly why it might be wet—blood, piss, water. One never knew. His eyes scanned the chaos and he spotted his second, Aiden, locked in combat with a reptilian creature that slithered across the ground.

Its legs were nearly too short, as if it’d been born wrong.

Aiden jumped away when the beast lunged for his throat. The creature hissed when its jaw snapped nothing but air. It swiped its heavy tail out next, determined to knock its opponent off balance, but Aiden wasn’t a novice. He dodged before plunging his blade into the side of the creature’s neck.

It thrashed, twisting and turning its body from side to side before falling still. Aiden glanced up briefly, met Talon’s gaze then was blindsided by another of the reptilian creatures.

Talon lunged forward, his magic zipping across the space. It collided with the beast, sending it sprawling back.

Two others drove their spears through its head.

Aiden clutched his bleeding hand. His quick reflexes were the only reason the creature hadn’t torn through Aiden’s throat instead.

Talon took advantage of those gathering around and grabbed Aiden by the shoulders. He leaned close and raised his voice above all the noise.

“Direct any who will listen back to the wall. Secure it by any means necessary.” Aiden nodded. They hadn’t lost yet and Talon wasn’t about to back down just because things had fallen out of their favor. Aiden ignored his bleeding hand and sprinted straight for the break in the wall, grabbing another warrior by the arm as he ran. No words were needed, just gestures.

Talon trusted his second. He’d led enough battles at Talon’s side. He’d get the job done.

Even so, Talon grabbed another warrior and gave him the same instructions.

Another large creature was running toward him like its life depended on it. It stood on all fours, its grayish-smooth skin covering a thick body and strong legs. The perfect beast for tearing through a fortified line. The flat horn across its nose crashed through another house, shattering it on impact. Fae came running out and Talon moved, cursing the villagers who had opted to stay above ground.

They should be with Zylah.

A female ducked low to avoid the magic flying in all directions. Talon blocked a winged creature from grabbing her then shouted for her to get below ground.

She obeyed, then Talon let his magic fly. It zigzagged across the ground, avoiding his allies before latching onto one of the creature’s thick legs. The beast screamed and fell to its knees, trapping a warrior underneath the massive weight. Talon cringed but didn’t let his magic relent as it climbed up the beast’s body, encasing its entire front.

Others finished the job, leaving him to turn his attention to the Dark Fae above. He shot out a dozen spears then headed for the break in the wall.

Trees with thick trunks were already rising up to seal it shut. Dark Fae were climbing it, clawing at the bark as they fought their way through. Fire sparked in the air, throwing them back. Wind hit Talon’s back and the creatures above him ran into one another, toppling to the ground.

Talon shoved his blade through a throat, then a chest, before grabbing another warrior by the forearm and hauling her to her feet.

“Get to the break in the wall. Secure it, then return to your post.”

The female nodded and was off.

Thunder cracked from the eastern side, and Talon turned to find a storm brewing above. Avalon. Some called him The High Lord of Storms due to the wild nature of his magic. Talon had never witnessed the magnitude of it with his own eyes.

Dark clouds hung over that single area and Talon could already see the torrential downpour. Those from Móirín would take advantage. He almost found himself envious that he couldn’t be amidst that power himself.

Even so, he could feel it feeding his own, coaxing it out, as if the land itself were calling to him.

He blocked another set of snapping teeth and plunged his blade into the creature’s thick flesh.

Saoirse fought in the center of the village, moving elegantly with vines and trees as her partners in a deadly sequence of movements. None would get to the villagers so long as she stood.

Injured Fae were carried through the door by the dozens, some screaming as they made their way down the narrow stairs. Talon wasn’t sure how much more room they had for bodies.

Fire sparked before him, twisting around another creature, and Talon shifted his attention westward, toward the female he’d been trying not to focus on. Raevina fought on the other side of the wall, alongside her comrades, wielding flames and shadows. He wished he could see her, just to reassure himself she was all right. But there wasn’t time.

Another crack splintered the air. Fae were hurled from the wall as another section blasted apart. The dark creatures flooded through.

Talon rooted himself, letting mist billow up around his body, effectively drawing the attention of the Dark Fae nearest to him. A droplet of rain landed beside his feet, Avalon’s storm ever-growing.

One of the lizard-like beasts snapped their jaws at him and rushed forward, their legs rapidly carrying them across the ground. A spike of ice shot up, piercing the creature through its torso, leaving it hanging to writhe midair. Others turned to him next.

On his left stood two fire-breathing Dark Fae, their bodies large and corded with muscle. To his right were the flying beasts with long, bloody claws. Their wings had already been shredded.

Talon didn’t wait for them to move, he struck first, sending a line of water flying at them so fast that it sliced right through their bodies.

Another of the lizard creatures jumped at him from behind and Talon burst a quick cyclone of water and sharpened ice from around his body, effectively ripping the Dark Fae to shreds.

A shout and Talon’s head whipped around to find a swarm of beasts converging on Saoirse. His eyes scanned the area, trying to find—the blood. Of course. They were transferring all the injured below ground, it was basically an invitation. A lure.

Talon summoned glistening tendrils of icy water and whipped them out to slice through everything surrounding him in one quick movement, then sprinted toward the Ambassador of Brónach. A beast lunged for him in passing, but Talon shot ice below the creature, then dropped to his knees, sliding beneath its hulking frame. Another tried to grab his arm, but Talon grabbed the creature’s snout, then ripped the water from its body, leaving it as nothing more than a papery husk.

He stopped just outside Saoirse’s line and the warriors surrounding her, dropping Dark Fae after Dark Fae. Steam rose from Talon’s body as he joined the fray, sword swinging, slicing open flesh. Boiling water blinded those who drew too close. Ice spread in a semi-circle around Saoirse’s group of warriors and the Dark Fae slipped, falling to the ground before vines and branches crawled over and through their bodies.

More swooped in from above, and Talon shot the steam upward. Flesh peeled away from their bodies and they came crashing down, tangling around their comrades before they tore one another apart.

More Fae were screaming from the reforming wall and Talon watched another section crack. He plunged his blade through yet another winged creature then prayed that Rion could regain control of the outside line before it was too late.