Ambrose welcomed the darkness that washed over her body, too tiredto fight when—
Flesh, she realized.
Solid.
With all the strength she could muster, she lifted the sword and swung it at the nearest Alkijin and watched its hand drop as it screamed and backed away from her.
They’re solid!
She hacked at the shadows, the trees, the bushes, anything her blade could slice through. Blackened limbs and foul-toothed heads fell to the ground as she chopped her way through them. Their shrieks echoed in her ears once more, but this time, they shrieked in pain as they withered and died.
She didn’t stop until every last one of them was dead or gone, fled back into the forest or depths of hell—where they belonged. Cutting at the darkness around her until all she fought were true shadows.
When she was done, she fell to her knees as her rage and grief ripped from her throat in a soul-shattering scream.
The light receded back into her as her skin left a glow in the darkness. Her wounds stopped bleeding and began to close, the chunk in her thigh taking the longest to heal. She stared at her body in disbelief as her wounds sealed and she regained some of her stamina. Her entire body ached but her strength returned enough to pick herself up and stand on her own again.
“How?”she asked in pure shock, but the spirit didn’t respond.
Frustrated and surprised, she wiggled every finger and toe to make sure there wasn’t any lasting nerve damage. Her body was healing slowly but with each wound vanishing, she felt better and better.
When it sank in that she survived, relief crashed into her in waves so intense it almost dropped her back to her knees.
She was alive.
… But, Felius wasn’t.
She remembered his body lying in the woods among dozens more and knew she couldn’t leave them that way. She backtracked as best as shecould, retracing her panicked steps until she found them once again.
Doing her best not to look for too long, she got to work. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she bent low and placed both hands on the ground. She hoped for them, this worked.
“I’m sorry, Felius. I’m sorry I didn’t make it in time. I’m sorry you were out here because of me. I’m sorry you’ll never get to see your home again. I won’t forget you. I promise,” she whispered as the ground began to shake. She released herself into the ground until she could feel every piece of dirt, every insect that scurried or wiggled beneath her, until the hum of the planet responded with the one inside of her. She’d seen this magick done in the palace when it came time to bury the dead and she wanted to do it. For him. For Artie and Marybeth’s son. For all of them. She couldn’t let anyone see them like this.
A charge sparked the ground and as she pulled her fingers through the dirt a grave just big enough for each opened up beneath the bodies and swallowed them. She forcefully brought her hands together and the walls of their graves pulled in gently and laid them all to rest. She pushed another wave into the ground, calling the roots that lay deep into the soil and stems grew from the freshly moved dirt, marking their final resting places with a giant field of new wildflowers.
When she was finished, she placed a hand to the dirt and whispered, “I promise.”
She gave herself a moment and reminded herself there was more danger lurking in the woods. She had to move.
She also realized… she was finally alone.
She could escape.
Now.
She was far enough into the woods that no one should be able to find her, even if they were looking—as Akadian undoubtedly was. Danthan and Oryon had the supply packs, she’d run away so fast she didn’t think to grab hers. All the food and supplies were in those packs, which would prove a problem. But she had a sword. She had her magick. She’d figure it out.
Glancing around to make sure she was truly alone, she took off intothe trees. Finding somewhere safe to spend the rest of the night was top priority. Exhausted, she’d need ample rest to get a head start at first light. If she could find a cave closer to the mountains, maybe she’d be able to get some actual sleep. Though, she doubted it. How could she ever sleep after the night she had?
The tip of Draco Mountain stood tall in the distance and she used it as a landmark to keep her path straight as she walked. At least it would keep her from going in circles.
Akadian likely had to be losing his mind looking for her, so she had to move fast. She set her course and followed the mountain as her guide.
At least no one else would die because of her.
Now she just had to find the perfect place to hide, and maybe she’d even get to live out the rest of her life.
Maybe.
