Nox was the first to reach the opposite shore, followed by Thraigg and a massively relieved-looking Zephyr, tugging Gael along behind her.
The moment her boots touched the rocky sand, Kit’s body visibly relaxed. Her hands dropped to her sides as she turned to cast a weary glance at Cyren, Elyria, and Cedric, still on the walkway. “Well, that was exciting.”
Cyren laughed, the sound both tired and triumphant. “I take back everything I said before. That was absolutely climactic enough to last me the rest of my life.” He flashed a grin, pushing his sweat-drenched hair back from his face. Pointing to the gate, he added, “Looks like we might actually make it out of here in one piece.”
Before either Cedric or Elyria could respond, the ground rumbledbeneath their feet again, so violently they stumbled. Cedric grabbed hold of Elyria’s arm as she pitched toward the flames lining the side of the walkway, steadying her as that same deep, bone-rattling sound split the air.
The same, but different. Louder this time. Too loud. Almost like?—
“It can’t be.” Kit spun toward the lake, eyes wide with fear.
Cedric whipped around just in time to see the wyrm burst from the fiery surface—the same, again, but different. Because this time, three ferocious heads snapped and roared with fury, where only one had been before.
“Everyone, run!” Elyria shouted. “Nox, get them out! Get them to the gate!”
Back on rocky sand and no longer restricted by the surrounding obsidian, Nox didn’t balk at the command. With the briefest of nods, the nocterrian grabbed the two nearest champions—Thraigg and Zephyr—and stepped into a shadow. They emerged beside the gate, and with an unceremonious push and against much protestation, they shoved the sylvan and the dwarf through the glowing archway.
And that was all anyone had time to do before the wyrm’s three heads were careening toward Cedric, Elyria, and Cyren.
“Quickly now, get—” Cedric’s words died in his throat as one of the wyrm’s heads lunged forward with blinding speed, its jaws closing around Cyren in one swift motion.
And the fae’s scream was cut off in an instant as, with a sickening crunch, the monster took him from this world.
37
ASHES TO ASHES
ELYRIA
Gael’s crycut through the chaos, a raw, animalistic sound emanating from where she stood, sending chills down Elyria’s spine. The wyrm’s three-toned roar split the air and shook the walkway beneath her feet as its heads twisted and snapped.
Cyren was gone. The reality of it barely registered as Elyria stumbled backward, body numb, mind spinning. But there was no time to grieve. The wyrm’s three heads hung over them, their glowing eyes flashing with seeming indecision about just which champion it wanted to consume next.
The others were in motion—Nox stepped back into a shadow. Gael fell to her knees on the shore. Kit started running back toward thewalkway—to Elyria.
Cedric, chest heaving, still had his bloody sword gripped in one hand as he pulled Elyria back with his other. He moved forward to stand between her and the wyrm, knees bent in a defensive stance as he braced for the next attack.
The wyrm obliged, all three heads aimed right at him.
“No!” The word left her lips before she could even think about what she was doing. Elyria’s shadows lashed out, dark whips shooting forward, wrapping around one of the wyrm’s heads and pulling it backward, yanking the entire beast back with it.
Her shadows tightened, a riotous wave of power surging through her. She could do this. She could stop it. They just needed a few seconds. Enough time for Nox to get to them, for them to get to the gate.
For a moment, it worked.
The wyrm recoiled, its heads jerking back as her shadows bit into its scales. Elyria felt a glimmer of hope.
But then the wyrm dove, dragging Elyria’s shadowy leash down, down...until it touched the obsidian at her feet.
The reaction was immediate. The ground surged with dark energy, the obsidian amplifying her shadows into something wild, uncontrolled. She barely had time to gasp before an explosion of power tore through the air.
The wyrm screeched in pain, rearing back and convulsing like it had been struck by lightning. Hot blood sprayed Elyria’s arm, but she couldn’t tell where or how badly the creature had been hurt. Not as that same shockwave slammed into her, knocking her off her feet, her ears ringing.
And she wasn’t the only one.
Horror lanced her every thought, every nerve, every heartbeat as the wave of her dark power struck Cedric. His body flew across the obsidian walkway, disappearing into the lake of fire with a burst of flame and a shocking splash.
Her insides iced over.
