Page 139 of Wraithwound

Panic speared through her—Runa’s panic.

“WE HAVE TO GET TO DRAVEN!” she roared.

But there was no fighting Malnik. How was she to deliver any sort of strike or blow to him? He was a projection, feeding off the lifeforce of others, while his essence remained safely hidden elsewhere. It’d be useless . . . unless they could identify the source of his power. But who—? Lena scanned the scene before her, desperately hoping she could— and then, she realized she hadn’t seen Demara.

“Yes,” Runa hissed in confirmation. His source had to be Demara.

A roar of defiance had Lena twisting in Malnik’s grip to see Cross take a step away from where he’d been standing. Lena’s eyes grew round as she watched the soulbound struggle with the invisible command he’d been given. When he roared again, it was filled with pain, but he managed another step, and then another.

Lena was stunned, unsure of how he could have gotten free and also terrified at what it meant for him. Cross launched into a run, heading not towards Lena but to a hidden alcove in the wall down the snow-covered walkway. He reached in and pulled Demara from the shadows. Face wan, body limp, Cross dragged her out and slammed her into the pillar behind them.

Malnik’s grip loosened. With another blow, Demara crumpled unconscious to the ground. Malnik vanished. Lena scrambled away from the portal that led to the fountain inside the Revan Temple and ran towards Kol before sliding to a halt in the snow. Malnik appeared directly in front of the Aurynn. Kol went slack, eyes going vacant, as Taryk prepared to deliver the killing blow.

“Taryk! No!” she screamed, holding her hand up.

The soldier halted, confusion flitting across his face, but the move cost her. The blow Malnik landed was so powerful that her surroundings lost all color and the sound hollowed out around her as she was knocked backward.

“Get up!” Runa commanded.

Lena could hardly think past the pain. She was certain every bone in her face had been broken, but hesitating would likely mean the end of her life, Runa’s, and Henry’s, so she gritted her teeth and opened her eyes. Kol lay in a heap several yards in front of her. Taryk had heeded her request to spare the Aurynn, but that hadn’t stopped him from knocking Kol unconscious before turning his attention back to the other creatures.

Lena groaned as she pushed herself up. Her arms felt leaden, her body weak, as the events from the past several days caught up with her. She wiped blood from her face, confirming the blow had split her skin.

“Lena!” Cross shouted, running towards her.

“Draven!” Runa hissed.

Lena opened her mouth to answer him, to tell him she had to reach Kol, when his face went blank and he halted. Cross’s arms went slack at his sides, and his face turned pale. Malnik materialized in front of him.

No.

Lena backed up slowly, putting her hands up. Malnik’s features were completely distorted now, evil incarnate.

“Stop pretending like you care about anyone other than yourself!” he roared, each word punctuated by the promise of death. “Do you have any idea how many people you’ve killed in your apathy? Because you’ve been killing people long before that wraith showed up in your village. Women, children, the elderly. Nothing and no one could trouble you to get out of bed to help them. Not even your precious Henry. You let them all die and why? Because you were sad? Or was it because you thought there was someone else to do it for you? Every time you failed to show, people died.”

“Stop,” Lena said, shaking her head, but she managed another step back.

Malnik laughed, a cruel, ugly sound that drowned out the snarling monsters behind her.

“Be honest with yourself, for once. A part of you was relieved when you were scratched by the wraith. That you would no longer have to be responsible for your own choices. That you could eventually disappear and go quietly into the dark. You’re selfish Lena, willing to hurt others. Be it with action or inaction, it doesn’t matter to you, as long as you get to disappear into your own pain. But you will learn true pain today.”

“You don’t know me,” Lena said.

“The moment I touched you, I glimpsed your spirit. Turns out it’s as ugly and rotten as my own,” he said smiling.

“You’re right. I’ve done horrible things. I’ve let so many people down. I was lost inside of myself for a long time, drowning in my own pain,” she admitted, taking another step. “But I’m not that person anymore.”

The back of Lena’s boot thudded on something firm, but she didn’t dare glance over her shoulder. Malnik advanced, stalking toward her, but then he went still. Lena’s eyes went round as she saw what Malnik must have sensed before he halted.

An enormous portal appeared behind Cross. Rolling sand dunes stretched out, reflecting the heat of twin suns blazing in the sky. All around them more portals opened, revealing strange landscapes and horrifying creatures. A few merely stared at them through the portals, likely confused by the disturbance, but others approached, sniffing the air curiously or snarling at them.

Some resembled arachnids, others were winged beasts or creatures with horns, while others lacked faces or any distinguishable feature except for needle-like teeth. Even in his slackened state, Cross seemed aware of this. Those muted blue eyes lifted to Lena’s. Sensing the disruption in his power, Malnik turned.

Lena didn’t hesitate; she dove for the only part of Kol’s skin that was exposed. His face.

The moment the bare skin of her hand connected with his face, she knew complete and utter ruin. If Runa’s depleted power felt devastating, adding Draven’s to it unmade her entire existence. Lena was ripped apart, down to every cell in her body, and then pieced back together. Draven’s power rushed inside of her, filling every nook and cranny that was Runa, and then expanded to consume her. Lena screamed, unable to keep it in as the power speared into the deepest part of her soul. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists hoping she would survive it, until at last, the power settled within her, and she found room to exist within herself.

When she opened her eyes once more, time slowed.