I looked at Luka out of the corner of my eye. They didn’t have a clue who they were in the presence of. Even better.
I pushed out my magic. I felt it snaking out—like tiny lightning bolts slithering and cracking out onto the ground. Luka’s shoulder bumped against mine, pressing his arm against mine.
I closed my eyes, giving my focus over to my magic, trusting Luka to continue guiding me.
I flexed my fingers, moving my magic to find a source—directing my magic to find a home on each of the guards.
They shouldn’t detect anything. Only a slight tingling sensation as my magic worked its way up their legs.
I thrust out my magic again, igniting only a spark at first. Murmurs rang out in the group. Some of them looked down at their legs, wondering what that heating sensation was creeping up their limbs.
I closed my fists, pulling my magic to the surface. I opened my palms, sending it careening toward Adreona’s soldiers.
Heat caressed my cheeks as fire erupted in the forest. Adreona’s soldiers burst into balls of flames. I tuned out their screams, pushing their pain out of my mind as I reminded myself whose side they were on. What cause they stood for.
When the flames subsided all that remained was the female who had ordered us to be detained. The end of her braid was singed, her cheeks dusted with black from the smoke.
I stepped over the ashes, my boots crunching on bones as I made my way toward her.
“Who are you?” Her body shook. Every step I took toward her she took a step away.
“I’m Lennox Adair. “I smiled at her, cold and cruel as her back hit a tree.
“Are you going to kill me now?” She trembled.
I shook my head. “I need you to send a message to Adreona for me.”
The female nodded, her eyes welling with tears. “Tell her she better be fucking ready. Because this…” I spread my arms out wide, across the field of charred bodies. “Is the beginning. I will stop at nothing to restore justice back to Lethenia. Can you do that?”
She nodded, her chin wobbling. “Go. NOW.”
She took off, stumbling over the ground as she scampered away.
Away from the havoc I had caused.
I couldn’t find it in myself to feel regret for the lives I had taken here. Any death of Adreona’s soldiers was a win for our side.
Boots crunched behind me, Luka’s cool scent invading my senses, blocking out the stench of burnt flesh.
“Goddess, I love it when you get violent.” Luka rubbed his nose across my cheek as his hands closed around my hips. “It’s fucking hot.” My eyes fell closed as his fangs scraped over my ear and he tugged. “My beautiful, violent, murderous creature.”
“I need you to do that on a battlefield.” Declan’s voice interrupted Luka’s ministrations.
I opened my eyes. “I’ve never done it on a scale bigger than this. There were more men here than when I used my magic to take down the Dhampirs after the wedding. I don’t know how many more I could take under my control.”
“But you could try, couldn't you?” Luka turned me in his hold.
“Yes.” I worried my bottom lip. “But on a battlefield, I’d worry about targeting the wrong people. Here it was easy—I knew you and Luka were besideme. And after the wedding, I was only targeting the Dhampirs. Their aura is easy to single out.”
“Then we’ll practice. If you could do this in battle it could take out countless enemies in minutes. Add this to your training every day.”
“Yes, Captain,” I mocked.
61
LUCIANA
“You did what?”
