Their difference in size suggested this should be an easy victory for the captain. But Dolion was matching him in speed and strength with surprising ease. Theo would bring his blade down in an overhead strike, and Dolion would be right there to meet him.
“She imbued you,” Theo accused his opponent mid-strike.
Dolion wiggled that iron ring in answer. “She’s a generous queen.”
The sight of that ring drove Helaina into a cripplingly frozen state. It drove Theo into a raging fury. He sent his elbow flying into Dolion’s nose. The bone shattered. Seconds later, the injury repaired itself.
Panic had Helaina glued on all fours, her knuckles blanching white as she clutched the thin blades of grass. It was pitiful how much influence Dolion had on her, the memories he brought to the surface.
Callum landed a headbutt against Benon as their grunts and sounds of struggle grew louder.
Balor was still clutching his throat, but the blood was slowing. He was healing.
Dolion was thrashing, meeting Theodon’s sword blow for blow.
“Is she really worth all this? If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’d grown feelings for the troublesome whore.” Dolion heaved out the insult as Theo kicked him square in the gut.
Dolion rolled and recovered, laughing through his teeth as he gritted them in pain. “Youdofeel for her. You’ve grown soft. Drayella will be so disappointed.”
Theo’s shouts of rage rippled through the field as he forced Dolion to shut his mouth with another onslaught of strikes.
Benon managed to wrap his arm around Callum’s neck in a headlock as Balor became well enough to stand. Balor picked up Callum’s discarded blade, gnarled pointed teeth bared as he skulked over. Callum thrashed against the hold. He couldn’t teleport with someone touching him; he would drain all his power again. He was a sitting duck out here.
Helaina’s terror turned furious. She curled her hands around the blades of grass and squeezed.
Not again.
Standing idly by, weak and helpless, that wasn’t her anymore. Itwouldn’tbe her anymore.
She closed her eyes, letting rage bleed out the panic. Then she ripped off the fae gems, tearing the piece in two. Jewels scattered every which way. She reached up to the sky and screamed to the heavens, willing something, anything, to come.
Save them.
Her power was low, hungry for rest. The daily training had taken its toll. Still, her shadows answered.
They billowed down from the night sky, darkness enveloped in some sort of shimmer ripped down from the heavens. They had never looked that way before. So dark, yet full of light somehow. For an instant, those shimmering shadows gripped the necks of all three assailants and squeezed.
Dolion clutched his neck; the twins did the same. It lasted two seconds, maybe three, before the shadows died as Helaina’s scream faded. It’s all she had left, all she could give them.
It was all Callum and Theo needed. Callum got loose. As soon as their skin was no longer in contact, he bolted in a plume of smoke and appeared behind Balor, slicing his neck and reopening the same wound. “Stay down, you ugly fuck.”
Theo’s hand struck out, finding Dolion’s throat.
Dolion froze, suddenly speechless. Something... something was happening to him.
“Is she worth it?” Theo snarled in his petrified face. “I would massacre entire kingdoms to keep you from her.” His eyes went wild. “I’m glad she imbued you. Your torture will be more pleasurable. Rotting in the six will be a reprieve once I’m through with you.”
Dolion began screaming, wild and frantic, like a psychotic break was filling every corner of his mind. Theo’s nightmares seemed to be invading Dolion’s very soul, evoking unrelenting and unforgiving terror.
“I’m going to make you pay in pain for marking her. Before this is over, you’ll beg for death at my feet.” Theo’s black eyes bore deep, focusing all his energy on Dolion.
She watched Theo bring Dolion to his knees. He was an angel of death delivering justice. A righteous messenger of the gods. Theo’s demonic form now possessed a disturbing beauty she couldn’t turn away from.
When Theo finally tossed him in the dirt, Dolion stumbled backward, scratching and tearing at his face as terrible cries left his throat. His breathing was strained as his red eyes bulged out of their sockets.
“I’ll fucking kill you!” Dolion shrieked. “You’re all fucking dead. Keles will burn first because of you!” He pulled a gem from under his long sleeve.
Theo raised his sword overhead.
