I sprinted, knowing what I needed to do… knowing and accepting that it would kill me to do it…
Together, Aquila’s ancient voice mourned into my mind.I’m coming.
An electrifying strike of deep blue power blazed across the sky on the other side of the burning tree, followed by a blast of golden light and shimmering shadows. Nishanth’s snowy white wings flapped once before Selvina’s caeluma ducked behind a tree for cover as a blast of white light chased after her.
Bayne.
My arms pumped as I ran, and a distant patter sounded from behind me. I risked a glance back, catching a glimpse of a furry tail before it ducked into the shadows. I skidded to a stop as a loudcrackechoed from across the clearing. Drystan appeared hand-in-hand with Lord Astraeus. The pirate lord launched over a boulder in the distance. Lyvia’s face popped over the edge. Her eyes were wide, scanning the wreckage as Astraeus clasped his hand briefly on hers. Drystan reached for his hand, and the two of them disappeared once more.They were powering us up.
Flames tore another limb from the Living Library, and the branch fell from the sky, blowing apart as it crashed to theground in the distance. My eyes shot to the next blast of white light, and my stomach sank as my gaze landed on Bayne.
My brother stood on top of the stone bridge arching over the river leading from the Gilded Fortress to the Eye of the Wood. A silvery sheen emanated from his body, and my breath clogged in my throat. Bits of flames and sparks of different colors rippled off his form as if he couldn’t contain the power within himself.
My knees hit the ground as a wave of grief washed over me. Sintarrak had stolen power from his kin, and he now possessed my brother’s body, forcing the might of seven gods into one. A god had taken my brother. How soon would his powers burn through his mortal body?
Bayne’s brows narrowed in concentration. The silver presence of Sintarrak gleamed in his eyes as he held his hands before him, sending strike after strike of white flames reaching for the massive tree. His lips curled over his teeth in a snarl, and I followed his gaze to where the Living Library had forced the budding of new leaves on one of the few remaining branches.
Rage rode the piercing roar that ripped through Bayne’s lips, and he sent another blast of flames spearing toward the tree. The leaves.
Oh my gods…
The queen had told Sintarrak about the leaves of the Living Library… That they were needed for the creation of the múritinne rings… Our one protection against him. I twisted the ring on my own finger.
Hot wrath ignited the flames within me, and I sent a wave of emotion surging to where Lyvia crouched behind the boulder in the distance. Bayne was distracted. We had to move now.
Tiberius and Nishanth are ready, Aquila relayed into my mind.Now!
Flames licked up my spine as my gaze turned white hot. Bayne’s flames could not hurt us. I stood, balls of blazing whitelight spiraling into my palms as I strode to the center of the clearing.
Sintarrak flickered Bayne’s gaze to mine, and he sent one last blast of fire ripping up the side of the dying library. Lyvia’s body leaped over the boulder as three forms rose to the skies behind Bayne. She launched a spear of shadows at him at the exact moment the three caelumas attacked from above.
I forced my arms up, pressing my palms to face my brother as every instinct in me urged them down,to not do this…
Fire gathered within me, and I screamed my horror out as I let the flames fly.
A loudcrackechoed to my side as Drystan arrived with Selvina, adding their power to the attack.
The force of four Bellators and three caelumas clashed against an unbreakable shield. The blast echoed through the clearing, hollowing out my ears. Sintarrak threw Bayne’s head back and laughed. The silver in his eyes disappeared as he closed them.
My stomach plunged.We could not defeat him.
Sintarrak whipped his gaze to the caelumas, watching as they circled overhead. He sent a streak of lightning-like power cracking through the sky after Tiberius. Lyvia screamed as she let her powers loose, waves of shadows reaching for the Embodied. Tiberius disappeared into the sky, and Sintarrak sent a blast of his own blue and white power back at Lyvia. She ducked and rolled behind a boulder as her shield reformed.
His head lifted once again to the sky, chasing off Nishanth, before turning his attention to Aquila.
The ancient hawk met his gaze. His keen eyes were hard as he beat his strong wings, as if trying to break through to Bayne. Sintarrak curled Bayne’s lips over his teeth, stretching his face into a sinister smile, before he dropped his hands to his sides.
A chorus of howls rose from behind me as Bayne’s palms flipped toward the massive airborne hawk. A dozen dark forms lurched forward from behind me, one stopping just before me.
My mouth fell open as apackof Lotrennian wolves speared toward Bayne. Sintarrak’s eyes were still pinned on Aquila in the sky when a small tornado of flames ignited in his hands.
AQUILA, FLY!I screamed, a sudden panic seizing me, recognizing my brother’s tell from decades of fighting by his side.
His flames cannot hurt me—Aquila’s voice was cut short.
My heart stopped as the vines from below where he hovered ripped through the tops of the trees. My caeluma’s eyes widened as realization hit him, and he pumped his wings once before the snaking vines cut through the night air and wrapped around his massive form.
Fire ignited in my palms, and I threw a blast of white flames through the air to where the vines constricted around the flailing hawk. Icy fear and a panicked regret raced down my bond with Aquila, our emotions colliding in an uncontrollable storm of smoke and ash.
