Lexi jumped back as one of the guards pointeda sword at her. From the corner of her eye, a flash of motionblurred across her vision as a shadow lashed out. It smashed intothe guard’s wrist and knocked the sword from his hand.
The guy didn’t move as he gawked at them.Lexi used his confusion to her advantage as she lunged forward andclaimed the sword.
Someone shouted in pain; she hoped it wasn’tone of her friends as the scent of blood permeated the room. Theplace she loved so much and often saw as her refuge had become aplace of death; she’d be amazed if any of it remained standingafter this night.
The guard looked from her to Cole and backagain as Sahira and Varo skidded into the library’s doorway. Theyonly took a second to ascertain what was happening before Varocharged across the room.
Wrapping his arms around one of the guardsclosing in on Cole, Varo tackled the man to the ground. But twomore were already coming at them again.
The shadows dancing around Cole didn’tdissuade the guards, and Cole didn’t release them. She suspected itwas because he preferred thatshedidn’t see that kind ofcarnage again.
When the guard Cole disarmed lifted anotherdiscarded sword from the ground and started toward her, Lexi liftedher blade. The guard laughed and darted to the side.
Lexi followed his movement, but before shecould resume her stance, he switched back to the other side. Hecame at her again.
Since she’d stopped taking Sahira’s potion,her strength and speed had increased, and Lexi had gotten better atwielding heavier, more cumbersome weapons, but she still wasn’t asgood with a sword as she was with a dagger or throwing stars.
Because of that, and the guard’s unexpectedmove, she barely had time to adjust before he knocked her sword tothe side and was on her. Lexi swung up with her elbow and hit himunder the chin as his fingers caught in her dress.
The gold chains on her shoulder tore awaybeneath his hooked fingers and gave way. They clinked and clatteredas they bounced across the floor.
When Lexi drove her fist into his face, hishead shot back, and she pulled her sword out from under where hisblade had pinned it to the floor. Without thinking, she plunged itinto his belly.
She grimaced at the sensation of the bladeslicing through flesh, tearing through organs, and lodging in hisspine. Her stomach twisted with nausea as the man grunted. Heclutched the blade as agony contorted his features.
She’d never stabbed anyone before. Sheunderstood it was necessary and would do whatever it took to saveherself and the others, but it didn’t mean she had to like it.
Lexi started to pull the sword free asshadows encircled his head. They muffled the man’s startledscreams; his arms flailed as he tried to beat them away but onlysucceeded in hitting himself as his hands went through theshadows.
Torn away from her sword, the shadows rippedthe man backward and slammed him into the floor. More shadowsencompassed him until they entombed him like a mummy.
Then they drew together. Lexi winced as hisbones cracked and his muffled screams grew louder before thecrushing force of the shadows silenced them.
CHAPTER 62
When the guard finally stopped screaming,Lexi realized he was the last of the Lord’s men to fall. No oneelse in the room moved as a strained hush descended. They simplystood and stared at the man’s crushed remains before theirattention shifted to Cole.
When Cole lifted his head and looked at her,Lexi saw the uncertainty in his eyes. Her fingers stretched towardhim as she sought to comfort and connect with him, but her handfroze between them when a dragon’s bellow shook the walls.
Rage replaced Cole’s apprehension as alltheir heads turned toward the windows. The glass rattled, andshouts rained across the land as another roar sounded.
“They’re here,” Lexi breathed.
“Orin, Brokk, and Varo, take Lexi and theothers to the prison realm,” Cole commanded. “I’ll meet youthere.”
“Where are you going?” Lexi demanded.
“I have to get to the Gloaming. I have towarn them that the Lord is going to attack.”
“The Lord’s men are probably already there,”Orin said.
“I know, but I have to go.”
“I’m going with you,” Brokk said.
“No, stay with Lexi.”
“You don’t know what the prison realm lookslike; you won’t be able to find it without me. And you’re not goinginto another battle in the Gloaming alone.”
