It was too painful to hold back such an expulsion of my power completely, but I managed to redirect it straight up into the sky in a useless discharge. But at least that way the blast had not inadvertently destroyed the city we were trying to defend.
Orion made a chirp of concern for me, so I patted his neck in reassurance.
“I think they wanted me to hit it!” I shouted against the wind that stung my eyes. “There is a strange element down there! Idon’t want to risk the mountain exploding if it’s flammable,” I explained, hoping he could hear.
I could not help worrying about what Castor had told me about how he thought I was drawn here on purpose. But I firmly pushed it out of my mind. I needed to focus, especially if there were booby traps in this battle.
Orion growled and gave a louder cry that apparently directed the company of griffins that had come with us to land and engage with the Fuath by hand. We flew above, ensuring they had extinguished the threat before banking back toward the main battlefield. I couldn’t help staring down at the carnage in the city below, wishing I could be down there to help the civilians. But I knew I was more effective on the front lines until Riordan arrived.
Everything alright?Riordan inquired down our bond, as if my thinking of him had summoned him.
Fine. But I think—
We were flying over the army again where the Fuath scrambled to get out of our path. It happened so suddenly I almost missed it when they revealed a man. There was a fuckinghumanoid manhiding among the monsters!
Before I could even begin to understand what I was looking at, he unleashed a bolt from the immense harpoon gun hoisted over his shoulder.
I screamed, and Orion barely twisted in time to avoid being hit. His movement nearly threw me off his back.
“What the fuck was that?” I shouted once we levelled out again, but obviously he was not able to respond.
What is happening?Riordan demanded, but I ignored him as Orion began to take us higher and away from the unexpected threat.
“Oh,hell no,I need to kill him before he hits one of our warriors!” I shouted to Orion.
Orion deliberated a moment before he grumbled his agreement and adjusted course just in time to see another griffinskewered and fall from the sky.
“Shit!” I hissed.Riordan! There are some other kinds of people working with the Fuath!I warned my mate.
I could sense his hesitation and confusion as I tried to send him my vague impression of the man. His fury was instant when he saw our comrade shot out of the sky.
That harpoon gun…
His thoughts trailed off into a collage of his memories from our frantic flight when both of his wings had been pierced by magic-blocking bolts.
It was much bigger. And there is no way that vampires could have gotten into the Vale, so it’s likely a fey. Right?
He did not reply, but I could feel the turmoil of his thoughts as he tried to work out what this meant.
We are ten minutes out, he assured me.
Good. That meant I had time to kill that motherfucker with the gun before he could threaten my mate.
I held on more tightly as we flew over the army again and was prepared when Orion had to twist to avoid the bolt that came out of the thick of the Fuath. He banked hard again to give me the angle I needed, and I quickly unleashed a blaze of magic. The section where the man with the gun had hidden was consumed, and I whooped in self-congratulation for my aim.
I glanced over my shoulder in anticipation of seeing his charred remains among those of the Fuath, but I was instead confronted with his smug face. He was unharmed amidst the carnage around him with that unnatural sheen of green all around him. A shield…
“Fucker!” I snarled at the grinning asshole even as an immense relief consumed me that he was not a vampire. Only fey and witches could erect shields so effortlessly around themselves. And a witch could hardly cast a spell on someone else without being close to them.
This is not Jade,I was happy to be able to reassure Riordan through our bond.He is definitely fey.
Then it is likely the Wild Hunt, Riordan replied with equal parts relief and frustration.
There was no way for me to know what season the fey belonged to but another fey could confirm that. It would be best if we could take him captive, but I would not risk the lives of our warriors to do it.
My contemplations were abruptly doused in horror as the bastard turned that harpoon gun on the griffin flying behind us and shot at Ares. I jerked around as the griffin gave an anguished cry and then watched in horror as my friend plummeted toward the ground.
“No!” I shouted and yanked on Orion to go after him, but it was unnecessary since he had already swerved in that direction. The wind ripped at the braid Sofia had secured my hair in and made my eyes water as his wings beat hard to propel us to Ares before he hit the ground. All four of Orion’s taloned paws seized Ares to slow his rapid descent, and I was relieved to see the bolt had struck his wing and was nonlethal. But Orion could not carry the other griffin, all he could do was slow him down.
