Zander shifted into an alicorn. He stampeded forward with his horn down, and a fight immediately broke out. Theo shifted to counter Zander’s charge, and the two stallions began a brutal duel with their horns. Odette helped her mate where she could, firing off protective shields, but she was soon distracted by trying to fend off two guards at once.
Alexei and Kiara immediately went for Oren. Alexei shifted at the same time Oren did, and the griffin swiped his claws at the alicorn’s throat. Kiara hit him with a stunning spell, which knocked Oren off his feet. He staggered as he got up, drunkenly wandering the courtyard. He blasted off spells with his horn in all directions, and Alexei and Kiara had to flatten to the ground to avoid being hit.
Andrick and Stefan were currently locked in a battle of blades, though I could tell by the fiery look in Stefan’s eyes that he wanted to throw his sword aside and tear Andrick apart with his bare hands. Delmare threw battle orbs, but Andrick managed to hit them to the side with the edge of his blade. They flew off in different directions, slamming into the stone building and creating holes in the walls.
I was busy taking down a group of guards that had run at me in unison. I dispatched two of them, tearing open one’s neck before gutting another. I was outnumbered, but not overwhelmed as I battled five other shifters at once. I felt my father’s courage overtake me, and it was as if he was fighting alongside me as I slew man after man. They couldn’t even touch me… not a scratch was placed on me as their blood splattered across my face. One guard’s wooden shield broke in half by the force of my blows, and he had little time to marvel at my ferocity before my fangs ended his life.
As I killed the last guard that was attacking me, I heard an arcane cry echo over the courtyard. Delmare ripped a dagger out of her belt and ran at Andrik with revenge in her gaze. She’d dreamed of obtaining vengeance for his harassment her first year at the university, and now she had her chance.
Delmare stabbed her dagger into Andrick’s heart, then ripped it out. She gave a cry as she pierced his flesh again and again, creating multiple wounds in his torso. Andrick gave a rasping sound, blood pouring from his stab wounds as he sank to the ground.
Stefan ran forward and grabbed Andrick’s head, ripping it off his shoulders and sending it flying over the hedges. Andrick’s body gave a twitch, while Delmare looked down with a satisfied smirk.
Zander was pouring blood from all the wounds Theo had dealt him. His sides heaved, the whites of his eyes showing as he realized that he’d made a very dangerous mistake. I ran at the alicorn on three paws. I jumped into the air, and tackled Zander to the ground to expose his soft underbelly. His hooves kicked at the air as I held him down, and Theo plunged his horn down, ripping Zander open from chest to tail. Zander gave a tiny whinney, dying with his entrails leaking out into the melting snow.
Despite their leaders being slaughtered, the other guards weren’t willing to give up. They pressed in on all sides, creating a circle that blocked us from escape.
Oren had always been a coward. When he saw that both of his friends had fallen, he turned tail and ran, shoving guards aside in order to get away. Alexei fluttered his wings, preparing to go after him.
“Leave him be!” I roared. “We’re here for one thing only!”
The last bit of my sentence was cut off by garish cries of horror. The soldiers surrounding us began to scream as Emma’s visions took over their sight. They clawed at their chests, attempting to rip out some unseen threat. Then, in one swift movement, every opposing soldier hit the ground, gave a gasp, and died. Emma’s visions had been so terrifying to witness that they’d simultaneously died of heart attacks.
“What did you make them see?” I asked her, slight fear infecting my tone.
“I cast the intention that they would feel their hearts burning inside of them and wouldn’t feel relief until they ripped it out of their chests,” Emma replied. “Let’s move on.”
It was so gruesome, and so unlike my mate. I went to reply, to tell her that she didn’t need to resort to torture for us to win today. We didn’t need to become Droga, become monsters. She’d taught me that, and I didn’t want her to let go of herself in this fight.
As I opened my mouth, I felt a telepathic flare ignite in my mind. Someone was trying to get a hold of me. I tuned in, listening for another wolf’s words as they rattled around in my head.
Droga isn’t fighting back! I heard Finlay call in my mind, his thoughts on the verge of complete mystification.He’s just… standing there!
That couldn’t be right. It was impossible. My mind failed to fathom it. What purpose would he have in doing so?
I spread my wings. “Stay here,” I told the others, and I flew into the sky, looking for Droga.
I spotted the massive stag miles across the city. What Finlay had said was true. Even from this great distance, I could see the joy on his face as he observed the carnage below him, gaining enjoyment as he watched his army and ours slaughter each other. He failed to intercede, merely observed the whole battle like it was some great show put on for his entertainment.
Droga hadn’t fallen for our trap. He wasn’t evenfighting.But why? Didn’t he care about protecting his army?
I landed back on the ground, and shifted. “Droga’s allowing his rebels to kill his soldiers without interfering,” I told the others. “He’s not even fazed by the attack.”
“What?” Emma gaped. “That doesn’t make any sense! He needs his army to invade! Why isn’t he stopping us?”
“We can’t think about that now,” Stefan said firmly. “We have to get the Crystals. Droga is Finlay’s problem, at the moment. We needed a distraction, and that’s all we can ask for.”
He spoke the truth. The Crystals were within reach, and we still had to fight Gabby.
The sound of a door opening caused all of us to tense up. From the tower’s ground floor emerged two figures. It was Professor Lunesta and Professor Victor. They were covered in blood, their cloaks stained with gore.
“Professors,” I said with slight shock. “What are you doing here?”
“Finlay requested allies. We’ve been clearing the way for you, getting rid of guards that stand in the way of your path,” Victor stated.
“Us as well.” Two more people came out from inside the tower. It was Helena and Nicoli— they’d been in a lot of our classes at Arcanea University.
I wasn’t sure if they were on our side or not, and it must’ve showed on my face, because Helena rushed to explain.
