Page 102 of The Ashborn

Fire sliced the air, heat threatening Danek’s boots. Men’s screams against the suffocating flames overtook the night. Metal scraped against metal, the ear-splitting roars of the Dead Army. He should have looked away. He could if he wanted to. He could soar with the wind into the trees and hide. He almost did when he watched an Umbrin rip a man in half.

Danek knew what to expect in war after Dalelry. The knowing didn’t fix the seeing.

The artistry of the city crumbled around them. White stone chiseled from the hands of great artists lay in rubble on the ground. He scanned the madness for Baila. He couldn’t let her get further with the sword. The shadows were unnatural.

When he found her, Danek let the wind carry him down. She hovered over a body, her blade scraping against the wrist. Death didn’t stop this soldier from rising. His body arched unnaturally, blackness staring back at him.

“This isn’t human, Baila,” Danek said. “Are you honestly okay with losing the piece of you that makes you alive?”

Baila turned slowly, a rage coursing in her eyes. She was on him faster than he could see, her blade nearly ready to nick his throat. A trembling of her hand and the working of her jaw told Danek she wouldn’t, but it didn’t stop him from watching the shadows writhing to get a lick at him. He channeled the stronger part of himself and reached for the blade, pushing it aside.

The movement sparked Baila’s attention back, and she jammed her fist into Danek’s temple. The force made his vision blur, giving Baila enough time to slip away.

She was gone.

Again.

Chapter 40

—Kienna—

Kienna sat against empty barrels, eyes dazed and dreaming about being elsewhere. Moira curled next to her, hand grazing her womb. She was so calm.

Kienna glanced over. “Did you and Tislin manage to work things out?” she whispered, leaning in so Elowen wouldn’t overhear.

Moira peeked her eyes open. “He’s the first person I’m going to find when this is all over.” She closed her eyes again and let out an airy breath. “I didn’t realize I’d fall in love with someone out here.”

A warm smile overtook Kienna. “Tislin suits you.”

The earth rumbled, loosening dirt above their heads. Kienna tilted her chin to the ground to avoid specks stinging her eyes. Moira yawned. Across the room, women were huddled together with children, brushing their hair softly or caressing their faces to help them stop crying. Whimpers echoed through the tunnels as others from barricades closest to them would cry out.

One of those whimpers belonged to Kienna. “I hope Ruva is okay.”

She wrestled with her hands, resisting the urge to pick at her skin. She fidgeted with Danek’s rings to fight the demons. Like the charm on her wrist, the rings permanently remained. Still, the distraction could not keep Kienna from the fear of Ruva fighting a Vorthakai on her own. It sent Kienna spiraling. She tried repeatedly to reach out to her wolf, hoping maybe she’d get close enough for their connection to spark. It never did.

Moira gently placed her hand on Kienna’s. “Ruva is smart. She’ll run to the forest if she can’t handle herself.”

“And Ash?” Tears brimmed in Kienna’s eyes again.

No answer was given. Moira tried her best to smile.

Kienna stood and paced the room, biting her thumb. A little girl sat, watching Kienna. Other children watched as well, which only meant the mothers were surely eyeing her, too. No doubt, Kienna was disturbing to watch in all her anxiety. She glanced at her hands. She wouldn’t want little girls looking up to her in this state. As the Starborn in River Storm, being a role model was forced upon her. Eyes only fell on her because she had magic and did the king’s bidding. She wondered if she could have a more positive influence. Kienna didn’t believe she was meant to be an Ashborn Queen as Connak had suggested, but she resonated with the woman in the books. At least in this moment, she could give fire to those below, ensuring they all made it through the night with sanity.

Another boom rang from above, followed by hollow cries of soldiers fighting and falling. Kienna crouched before a few sobbing children. “My friends are up there, too. It’s scary to let people fight for us.” Waves of eyes fell upon her. She swallowed the fear of speaking. She couldn’t be nervous. “Good news, though.” Kienna forced a smile. “My friends come from the Elvish Forest. They’re helping your army keep us safe.”

A little boy shot up from his mother’s arms, eyes wide. He wiped his nose. “Do they have magic?”

“They do,” Kienna affirmed. “So does my friend.”

Kienna pointed as Moira watched them, a warm glow of the sun coursing over her body. The kids gasped. “I wish we saw more of that,” a little girl with eyes as green as emeralds said. She held a teddy bear close to her chest, her thick black coils of hair swishing as she spoke.

Eyes lighting up, Kienna motioned for Moira to join her. “Want to see something cool?” Moira knelt by their side. Clasping her hand, Kienna asked, “Can you do anything with your magic here?”

Moira inhaled deeply. Air from the sea pulled inward, the smell of wet earth and salt flooding their senses. Flame colored runes floated in with the breeze. With the sudden surge, Moira created a small rain cloud above her hand, droplets of water misting the ground. In an instant, she channeled the same energy and used her lips to blow the clouds away. A little ball of light replaced the darkness.

A butterfly floated over the ball of light and landed on Moira’s thumb.

The children marveled. “Are you an Elvish woman, too?”