He scowled, and Thom knew it was a sign that his brother was weakening. His emotions were growing less stoic, his posture more rigid. Though he could kill the Shades in great strikes of magic, it seemed he’d chosen to pull their impact, perhaps a response to Evylin’s plea for his control.
The Space Keep was alive with whole new stars, clouds, and nebulae. The colors flashed rust, turquoise, magenta, honey, and cobalt. If they weren’t fighting for their lives, Thom would have stood in awe, surrounded by the stunning expanse.
But theywerefighting, and he was incapable of doing anything while watching his friends grow tired from the extended battle.
Their progress slowed as the Shades pressed in. The Warriors couldn’t use their bows anymore, as too many creatures managed to slip through the ranks. Evylin’s bow flashed amethyst and switched to a sword. Ethenn did the same with the Wind Relic. And at the front, Brea swore, then tossed her bow to Vayden and drew her staff in one swift movement.
As Evylin swiped down one Shade, its shard spray sliced her across the cheek. Almost instantly, it began to swirl from the interior, sucking in everything around it. Evylin slid forwardjust as Deckard grabbed her arm, keeping her from falling into the black hole. Thom’s heart hammered as he watched several surrounding Shades get pulled into the void, ripping and tearing apart. Then it blipped out of existence.
Thom sucked in a sharp breath but knew there was nothing to do but join the fray. “Raff,” he called.
“Thommy?”
“Let’s end this.”
Rafferty twirled his short swords excitedly. “Try not to get yourself killed, eh?”
Without another word, the two of them slipped among the ranks of their comrades. Wherever holes appeared, they slid in, slicing and knocking back the Shades. The blowback of the shards ripped through the group, leaving slashes on everyone’s arms, faces, and bodies. Together, they relied on one another to steer clear of the black holes. It was a constant battle of wounds and retreats.
The volume of the hum announced another wave of Shades.
Drenched in sweat, Thom checked his troop. The attack had forced them to a crawl, and they were only halfway back to the entrance. Already, his muscles felt fatigued as he brushed a trickle of blood away from his eyes. Rafferty still fought eagerly, but Vayden had run out of arrows. With the pressure intensifying on all sides, the troop had scrunched together in a strange huddle. It was getting harder and harder to avoid the black holes each shattered Shade created.
Thom’s stomach sank, and the terrifying truth settled: If they didn’t do something soon, they were going to die.
“Auden,” Deckard’s voice commanded across the top of the group, “give me the Relic.”
Thom blanched but kept fighting.
“No!” Auden yelled back.
While attempting to dodge the blowback of a dying Shade, Isla slipped. Vayden caught her, but they had to scramble frantically backward to avoid the black hole, nearly tripping Ilain in the process.
“Damn it, Auden,” Deckard yelled. “Give me the Relic!”
“You’ll black out!”
“We’re about to die!”
Thom yanked Ethenn back as a black hole nearly sucked him in.
A shard embedded into Brea’s arm.
Rafferty lost a sword to a void, the weapon disintegrating as the gravitational pull tore it to pieces.
“Auden!”
“Fine!”
Deckard and Auden angled toward the center, arms outstretched. Cautiously, Auden tossed the Space Relic across the twelve-inch gap. Thom watched with fear as the golden and onyx necklace spun, glittering across the darkness. It landed in Deckard’s palm, the precious metals springing to life with an additional, iridescent glow.
Within an instant, the Shades went still.
The creatures straightened and turned to Deckard, awaiting his command.
The troop relaxed, their breaths puffing out in exhaustion and shock.
“Thank Allore,” Rafferty wheezed.
