The bolt slams into the darkness. Some of it is absorbed into the darkness, but the residual crashes onto me.
Agony shoots down my arm as the force throws me backward, smoke curling from my sleeve. My entire side goes numb.
My shadow disappears.
He smirks and retreats. With a signal of his arm, the lesser fighters come crashing in, joining the action once more.
I duck beneath a swinging axe and drive my palm into its wielder’s nose, hearing cartilage crunch. Someone grabs my shoulder from behind and I twist, slamming my head backward into his face before kicking another away from Moe as he tries to circle toward her.
“Nyk!” Moe cries.
Two fighters have broken from the group and are angling toward her.
My heart lurches.
I seize the shadows at their feet and yank.
The darkness coils around one man’s ankle, throwing him hard to the ground. The second reaches Moe before I can stop him, but she snatches up a broken stone fragment and smashes it across his temple with enough force to stagger him.
Good girl.
I hijack his shadow and reach him a heartbeat later to drive my fist into his throat.This is what you get for daring to threaten her!
The Tempest warrior watches from the sidelines. Like a skilled conductor, he uses his right and left hands to direct the crowd to his liking, as if he’s staging a grand performance.
It becomes clear quickly that this isn’tjusta hunt: it’s a display of authority. He is making a statement toeveryonethat he controls this part of Aimaxion and there are plenty ready to do his bidding.
“We need to get out of here,” Moe says urgently. “We can’t beat that many people.”
I nod.
I slam my shoulder into the nearest attacker, knocking him aside, then grab Moe’s hand and run.
A bolt of lightning blasts into the ground behind us, showering us with shattered stone.
We sprint through the ruins with the mob at our heels.
At first I think we’re escaping.
Then I notice the pattern. Every street we choose has someone waiting. Every turn forces us narrower. Every open route suddenly closes.
“They’re playing with us,” Moe says, breathless.
A burst of flame erupts ahead, cutting off one path.
We veer left. Three men appear there.
Right. A collapsed wall forces us forward.
They are boxing us in.
By the time I understand the full extent of it, it is too late.
We round one final corner and skid to a halt.
Dead end.
Footsteps echo through the passage.
