Page 103 of Taken By Shadows

Before I could say anything, the gate opened its jaws, chains clinking and thunking heavily in the stillness.

We both tensed at the same time, our bodies in synchronisation and on alert for what came through the gates.

I felt the trickle of Kaed’s magic playing on the edge of his fingers as his grip tightened around me. Maybe I should have jerked away when I felt his magic gathering, but I clung to the familiarity of it.

My body fused to his in response to what I saw.

Pacing in step, a score of guards surrounded us as we neared the entrance. Their bronze armour was ghoulish as it shone in the flickering torchlight.

Each one of them, in unison, sparked a ball of umber fae light in their hands, their aim trained on us.

“Dismount,” an anonymous voice shouted from the soldiers. “Both of you.”

I twisted to look at Kaed.

“Leave her out of this.” Kaed’s voice was like a mountain rumbling its threat before erupting.

“The lady comes too. By any means.” The soldier’s voice was steady as he relayed the demand.

Kaed roiled under me. His power rippled to the surface like an ancient sea serpent readying to destroy the hulls of ships that bobbed helplessly above.

He leaned closer to me until his nose was in my hair and his lips at my ear. “Go to Denora. Tell her to find Tymon. Not Sapphine. Just Tymon.”

“What? Where are you going?”

“Release the female and surrender,” the soldier demanded from behind their glowing magic.

“She will be unharmed.” Kaed wasn’t asking.

Silence emanated from the soldiers before one of them released a bolt of amber light without warning. It sang straight past Kaed’s ear and I flinched.

Kaed’s anger rumbled in his chest as shadows spilled over me, his arms still encircling me.

“Surrender.” The voice was unabashedly brazen in its command.

Kaed tensed beneath me, his magic unfurling further.

“No, stop,” I whispered, angling my chin down and towards him. “Are you going to attack them all?” I asked under my breath. “You can’t level violence at them and expect it not to be thrown back at you.” Was surrender the right choice? I didn’t think an all-out battle would be to anyone’s benefit. I thought of Denora’s words. Magic and its power were driven by intent. And these soldiers intended to hurt us if they needed to. I couldn’t feel their power, but I could read the stony look in their eyes lit by the humming of their magic.

Kaed seemed like he was weighing something up, and then he squeezed his hand where it touched me, urging, not gripping. “When I set you down, you run. You don’t look back. I will draw them. Don’t trust anyone. Find Denora. Find Tymon.”

“You’re leaving me?” I wasn’t sure if I was hurt or afraid.

“She remains unharmed.” Kaed’s voice echoed into the eerie orange light.

There was a murmur amongst the soldiers. “She will not be touched … upon your surrender.” The voice that spoke now sounded coiled. Like it wanted to snap if Kaed didn’t bend.

Kaed held me close and angled Vega until his flank was between us and the majority of soldiers. They tried to mirror the movement, the metal of their armour clinking and screeching as they did.

My feet had barely bent the blades of grass under my shoes when guards tore away from the formation and gripped each of my arms. Their magic converged on me, anchoring me as though it were a weighted vest. I felt heavy and had the urge to crumple.

My vision became disjointed as the guards continued to pour their magic into me. But Kaed’s magic erupted, and there was a flash of darkness as the two guards that had been at my side smashed to the ground with a crunch, the metal of their armour crushed to them.

They didn’t move again.

Four guards caged me off from Kaed then, and the remaining guards encircled him.

“Kaed!” My terror spilled out as the four poured more magic into me.