Releasing my grip on the section to our left, I focus on the immediate enemies around us instead. I don’t want to permanently change any of these people since that would probably destroy any chance we have of getting Rin on our side, so I have to search for emotions that are already there.
Shoving my magic at them in rapid bursts, I test different emotions until I find some that stick. Two people sway and stagger sideways in exhaustion when I find tiny sparks of tiredness that I increase into massive flames. Another hesitates for a second, giving Draven a chance to knock him out with the butt of his sword, when I latch on to that emotion.
Steel clashes and ice shoots through the air as we fight for every step closer to Rin. But the horde of soldiers just keeps coming.
Alarm crackles up my spine as a sword glints right next to me. Yanking my head to the side, I barely manage to evade it before it can slash across my cheek.
A fist slams into my side.
Pain shoots through me, blinding me for a second, as it strikesright where the still bleeding arrow wound is located. I gasp and stagger to the side. Metal clangs against ice right next to my head. Blinking my eyes into focus, I find a sheet of ice blocking the sword that almost took my head off. Stumbling upright, I suck in a shuddering breath and throw my magic at the soldier behind Isera.
With a desperate shove, I force exhaustion into his body. He staggers to a halt and sways heavily, his sword hitting the stones before he could stab it into Isera’s back. We exchange a nod.
“Rin!” Draven tries again while parrying two swords and then kicking another soldier in the hip. “I know you hate me, but you need to at least hear me out!”
“No, I need to capture you,” she snaps back, her voice laced with tension.
“We’re on the same fucking side.”
“My orders are to capture you.”
“Your orders…” Draven suddenly trails off. Then his mouth drops open as a bolt of realization pulses across his face. “Azaroth’s fucking flame, you’re wearing dragon steel, aren’t you?”
Shock flashes across Rin Tanaka’s beautiful features, and she opens her mouth as if to respond. But no words make it out. After working her jaw, she forces out a frustrated breath and then grinds out, “My orders are to capture you.”
“The Icehearts are controlling Rin with dragon steel!” Draven bellows across the entire square.
The soldiers from the Orange Dragon Clan hesitate, staring between him and their clan leader in stunned disbelief.
“Capture him!” Rin shouts as she, at long last, runs down from the steps and out into the open square. “Our orders are to capture him.”
And then she shifts into a dragon.
“God fucking damn it!” Draven growls while parrying a sword strike and shoving storm winds at another group at thesame time as he keeps one eye on the massive orange dragon that appears from the cloud of black smoke.
“If she’s wearing dragon steel, there is nothing we can do.” He shoves his massive sword back into the sheath that is strapped down his back. “We need to get out. Run like hell to Orion and then get on. Now!”
My mind is still spinning with pain from the wound, so I’m still trying to process what just happened. But Isera doesn’t hesitate. Grabbing my wrist, she yanks me with her as she starts sprinting across the square.
The soldiers around us call out in surprise and then scream orders to each other, but they’re drowned out when Rin opens her jaws and roars. I gasp as the sound echoes between the buildings loudly enough to make my head ring.
Black smoke explodes behind us.
Stumbling a step, I cast a glance over my shoulder, but the rolling smoke obscures both the soldiers and Draven.
“We’re getting out,” Isera calls to Orion as soon as we get within earshot.
Rain and winds whip through the square, ripping at the Unseelie King’s long dark blue hair and tearing at his fancy clothes. But he stands there with his back straight and his spiky crown on his head, immovable like a mountain, while his eyes glow with powerful magic.
He gives us a single nod.
Then the storm winds blow the black smoke clear, and Draven becomes visible.
Awe fills me as I gaze up at the massive black dragon that now stands between us and Rin. Draven’s dragon form is huge, and Isera and I barely managed to get out of the way before he shifted. If we’d been any slower, we would’ve ended up underneath his body.
His spiky black tail swishes across the ground right next to us.
For a few moments, no one moves.
