I crossed my arms over my chest, widening my stance. “That is the thing about showing up unannounced,” I said dryly. “There is no way for the host to know how to prepare.”
He laughed, clasping a hand over his stomach. “I like you, Damien. You held great potential when you were by my side.” He shook his head. “If you hadn’t fallen into your emotions the way you did, I could have given you anything you wanted.”
“I don’t want anything from you, and I sure as fuck wouldn’t dream of being under your corruption again.” My rage was boiling to the surface. This man had infiltrated my life, tricked me, and then lit a match and watched everything burn around me.
Lachlan’s dark eyes grew cold, his lips thinning even further as he rolled them. I felt his anger even through the ward. “If you will not join me, you will die like a pig at my feet.”
I didn’t have to think twice about my answer. “I would rather die at your feet than live under your thumb.”
He lifted his shoulder, the anger I’d seen before melting away. “If that is your choice. Helia will be nothing but ash by the end of the day either way.”
And then he walked away, back to the spot where his great beast awaited him. It dipped low, allowing Lachlan to climb up easily. He glanced back before looking to his soldiers and shouting one word.
“Attack!”
All at once, every single member of The Horde launched themselves at our wards. They cracked and fizzled under their touch, streaks of bright light running through them. I turned over, shielding my eyes as the colors burned through our magic.
People were dying, their bodies limp at the surge of power coursing through them. Clusters of broken forms lay along the ground. They kept coming in waves, the presence of death not deterring them. Lachlan screamed his orders to his soldiers before his beast lifted into the air, where he watched the scene unfold.
Not a single flicker of pity crossed his face as he watched them all die.
The sound of shattering glass reached my ears, and I looked toward the top of our wards.
Cracks began splintering out from the top, working their way down like an intricate spiderweb. We had only seconds to get out of the area without getting trampled by The Horde. They would come crashing down with no barrier to stop them, overrunning us.
Lachlan noticed at the same time I did. His beast rose into the air, wings struggling against the wind.
I turned toward my battalion, eyes widening. “Run!” I yelled, but it was too late.
The creature rushed the wards, attacking what remained with its claws. It was quicker than I gave it credit for, sensing its master’s need for urgency before Lachlan spurred it forward.
The boom it created as the barrier broke sent me to my knees, the air in my lungs rushing out of me before I could prepare myself. One of my men grabbed me, pulling me to my feet as we fled.
The wards fell in a final devastating blow, broken fragments falling through the sky before they faded into dust. My battalion took formation in precise lines, the small smattering of archers raising their bows from above.
My heart raced because I knew this would be it. I wouldn’t walk away from this fight, and a small part of me realized I didn’t want to leave Renai. It didn’t matter about the words she said, and I would never force our bond on her if she didn’t want it, but I could already feel my heart breaking at the thought of her going through this life alone.
The enemy approached, their weapons held above their heads as they screamed. Their presence triggered explosives we had put in place with the help of magic. But it didn’t deter them. They plowed through the injured and dying to reach us.
I saw with horror that their eyes were completely black. The darkness had invaded them wholly and consumed everything but malice.
I looked down the line of soldiers at my side, each grasping their swords with white-knuckled grips. They stared ahead, an array of emotions flashing over their faces.
Fear.
Anger.
Pride.
Finality.
I raised my sword, holding it in the air like a beacon. “For Helia!”
Their voices echoed my sentiment until it became a haunting chorus in my mind.
I had many regrets, but I was thankful for this final opportunity to protect those I loved, my people, and my home. Those three things were the only thing on my mind as my steel crashed with an enemy, and I descended into the awaiting madness.
Chapter39
