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Shifters were magical creatures, more than a human with a blue flame, and the darkthings picked up Callum’s scent like a rabid dog. Wails and screeches came from the north.
“Where have you taken us?” The prince grabbed his mother’s arms and pulled her up from the dirt.
Staring into Callum’s sad gaze I spoke. “The Borderlands. I wanted you both to see the threat we all face in order for you to end your war with one another. If we want Saol to survive, all races above and below need to work together.”
Callum whimpered and nudged my side with his muzzle.
“Foolish girl,” the queen spat. “Return us at once before we’re all slaughtered.”
Shaking the pain from my head, I searched for the rod. It had slipped from my grasp somewhere. When I went to move, the pain burned and I winced, holding a hand to my chest. Callum licked the open wound, whimpering, and I pushed his face away.
“We have to move,” I said, grabbing his fur, trying to sit up, ignoring the pain.
Black shapes zipped through the sky; they were close now. Knowing we only had a moment, I forced myself to my feet. “I’ll protect us as best I can, find that rod.”
The first beast soared in, wings spanning twenty feet and a mouth open in howling rage. Rows of razor-sharp teeth gnashed the air as it swooped low. The prince shot a blast of lightning through the air, igniting the darkthing up in a flash of glowing white, but that beast wasn’t the only one there. Three more flew in next, black sinewy wings and triangle shaped heads with no distinct facial features screeched a vibrating sound that made my ears pop.
Callum launched through the air, grabbing the closest creature by the neck and ripping the monster’s head clear from its body. Black ichor sprayed from the body that dropped to the ground. Callum didn’t waste time and flung the head to the side and moved to the next creature.
Holding my left arm across my chest to staunch the bleeding, I held out my right palm, magic pouring forth. White spots blinked in my vision and when I took a step forward, bile rose up my throat.
A furry head nudged my arm. Callum had made his way back to me.
With no energy to deal with him, I ignored his bumping, until he laid on his front paws, whimpering and eyeing me with sad eyes. Taking the hint, I climbed onto his back. While it helped since I didn’t have to stand, the moment he sprinted forward, my stomach hurled.
“Keep it steady,” I groaned and lifted my right arm, forcing my magic out and upward.
A charging shadow came from the east, black horns curled upward, shadows rising off the tips. The bull like creature bowed its head and charged at the queen. With a quick pivot of her foot, she caught the horns with her hands, forcing the creature to a standstill.
“Today, you will see the full power of the dark fae.” Her heel dug into the dirt and with a roar she flipped the massive beast onto its back. The creature had to be over two thousand pounds. Dust kicked up in the air from the movement and Callum jumped back.
On its back, Queen Merelda flipped and landed on its belly and with a massivecrackpunched the beast in its face, the sound so loud it caused the nearest darkthings to converge on the queen. Before my magic reached them, Prince Eldritch released a torrent of lightning, lighting up the sky and making it rain.
The darkthing under the queen stilled, its face indistinguishable. Black ooze covered the queen’s fists and she glanced up, our gazes locking on one another—a reminder that we were not finished.
Callum moved left and sprinted across the ground, head low. He snatched the rod out of the dirt with his mouth and I patted his back. “We need distance or else those darkthings will go through the portal.”
He howled, and the dark fae behind us glanced our way.
“Keep them busy while I open the portal. We’ll only have a minute before more come!” The queen and prince nodded then turned to face the next wave of shadows.
Pressing my thumb on the rune, I visualized the throne area back in the cavern. When I felt the location snap, I activated the portal. The area shimmered, magic circling into a wide opening. Screeches sounded behind me as more darkthings swarmed in, flying and crawling their way. The prince and queen stepped back, but kept the fight in front of them, lighting up the sky, the queen punching and tossing creatures like feathers.
The sky cracked with thunder, lightning melding with the prince’s power and calling more beasts to where we stood.
“Maema!”
Mab’s scream reached me just as she dashed through the portal.
“No!” Queen Merelda yelled, turning to face her running granddaughter.
Mab’s eyes widened as more creatures approached. Everything slowed and melded as Mab’s scream shifted into an earsplitting cry. Light poured out of her mouth, her eyes, her hands, and shot out like a sunray. I closed my eyes, the light too bright and blinding. There were screeches, howls and then nothing.
When I opened my eyes, Mab’s eyes rolled back, and she slumped to the ground.
The ground rumbled, pebbles bouncing up and down. The queen slowly moved to Mab, but a creature came up out of the ground blocking her path.
And then the dirt around us erupted with screams.
