“What the hells is happening?” Ren murmured, eyes scanning the chaos.
Something bigger was unraveling. And now… they weren’t the only ones storming the castle.
Maerinys’s warriors moved like shadows of the deep. They were silent, swift, and unrelenting, moving in a kind of grace Jak had only ever seen from Esmi. In less than a minute, the courtyard fell silent, save for the soft thuds of bodies hitting stone.
Then came the war cry.
Jak’s stare flew to the source, to what he could only assume was their leader. He was tall, towering over his kin, every inch of his body lethally lean. The male’s face was mortal, but his arms and spine bore those same sharp fins as the others. His long, dark hair was pulled back into braids, as jewelry made of some kind of massive teeth, driftglass, and bones swung from his belt, clattering as he moved.
But out of everything Jak was witnessing these past several moments, it was that male’s eyes that unsettled him more than anything. They were depthless, like pearls of obsidian shining in the moonlight.
A thunderous roar echoed, erupting from the rest of the warriors, sending a chill down Jak’s spine. And with it, they surged forward, rushing up the castle’s steps. When they reached the top, the grand doors didn’t swing open, theyshatteredby the force, fragments raining down like hail as the Maerinyseans poured inside.
Jak gulped and turned to his crew, eyes blazing as his heart hammered in his chest. “Now’s our chance!”
They all looked less than convinced.
“Really? You were ready to face downelvens, but not these things?” He threw a thumb over his shoulder back toward the castle.
“What the hells even are they?!” Riven challenged.
“Don’t know. Don’t fucking care.” Jak pushed himself to his feet. “They just made our jobs a hell of a lot easier. Now, what say you?!”
With a chorus of their own war cries,The Night Wraith’screw leapt from the tree line. Boots thundered across the grass, blades drawn, and pistols raised. They stormed Sumnae’s castle in honor of their captain, crashing through the ruined gates just behind the Maerinys intruders.
And then chaos exploded inside.
The air was thick with the metallic tang of blood, and the floors were already slick with gore, littered with fallen guards and warriors tangled in death.
Screams erupted from every corner of the entryway. A sling of elven stood along the staircases and balconies, their hands raised, eyes glowing faintly as they cast their minds upon their attackers.
Fucking hells.That was what his crew was most afraid of. But they knew it would come to this. They just had to be strong enough to push through.
The creatures of Maerinys clutched their heads, their bodies convulsing as the elves clawed into their thoughts. But even then the warriors pushed through, hurling their barbed, coral-tipped spears into the balconies. The weapons struck true, impaling guards through the chest and pinning them to the walls. Others lunged forward with blades, cutting down any elven who dared stand their ground.
The pirates froze in the doorway, stunned by the sheer ferocity of the battle. Jak’s heart pounded like a drum as he took in the carnage. This was no simple fight…this was amassacre.
His eyes flew to the far end of the hall, where he watched as the lead warrior caught an elven by the throat and drove a spear through his chest. The guard screamed in terror as blood dribbled from his lips, cursing the sea creatures as he was lifted into the air and tossed aside.
“MOVE!” Jak shouted, snapping the crew from their shock, and they all dove into the fray, blades flashing.
Through the chaos, his eyes caught a narrow hall branching away from the slaughter. The path was littered with bodies, but it was clear enough to slip through.
“There! With me!” Jak barked at Ren and Riven, jerking his head toward the opening.
They exchanged a quick nod and followed as he sprinted forward, cutting down anyone in their way.
Esmi was here and she was hurt. He had to find her before these other creatures did.
But the moment his boots hit the edge of the hall, a cold, prickling sensation crawled up his spine, and then before he could react, the world warped.
The clashing of steel and cries of agony faded into silence, replaced by the roar of flames. The corridor erupted into a blazing inferno, fire clawing up the walls and devouring everything in sight.
Heat slammed into him, blistering his skin. Jak glanced down as his arms were engulfed in the fire, the skin bubbling as the stench of burning flesh seared his nostrils.
Panic tore through him.
No, no, no. It’s not fucking real!
