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“You better do it now,” I said, “before I lose my nerve.”
“Okay, here we go.”
Closing my eyes, assuming if I couldn’t see her removing the dampeners it would be less painful, I waited.
Suddenly, the bracers heated and then the metal burned.
I screamed and opened my eyes.
Lark’s grip on me tightened. Azalea held her hands right above my wrists, her gaze focused. Light poured from the dampeners and into her palms in wispy streams as if she was draining the magic. A burning sensation hit my wrist. The pain so intense, white spots speckled my vision and my knees buckled.
Lark hugged me, his grip firm. “We’re almost done.”
Tears streamed down my face. My legs gave out as my head and stomach spun, but I never touched the ground.
“Almost there,” Azalea said, her voice strained.
I cried, sobs coming out as the pain intensified and the smell of burning flesh assaulted my nose. “It’s too much. I can’t. It hurts so much.”
Dizziness clouded my thoughts, and in my head, I begged for it to be over, thinking any more pain and I would simply die. Then the bracers opened and fell to the ground.
“Finished,” she said.
All my strength left my body and before I hit the grass, Lark scooped me up into his arms. I didn’t have the energy to do anything else but cry. The pain unbearable.
“Here.” Acaden took a satchel off his back. “I always carry this with me. It will help. Lark, bring her to the grass.”
Lark carried me over and placed me down. Acaden sat next to me, his face kind and comforting. He pulled out a black jar and took a blob of yellow goo and rubbed it across my wrists.
I cried as waves of pain radiated up my arms, my limbs trembling.
“Squeeze my hand,” Lark said, taking mine and allowing me to put all of my pain into that grip.
When Acaden was done, the pain slightly lessened, replaced by a cooling sensation. I could at least stop sobbing and breathe.
“You did well,” Lark said, brushing the hair off my sweaty head. “Do you think you can stand?”
I nodded, unsure if I actually could. He gripped my waist and helped stay steady.
“We’re on our way to the docks,” Azalea said. “Declan came to us and told us about the attack. He also said there was a swarm of darkthings. You can ride with us and then when we get there we will fight together. If you’re able. If you’re not I will have one of my guards take you back to my estate where you’ll be safe.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head, thinking of Leon and my father and all the people I cared about. “I have to go there.”
“Okay, let’s ride,” she said, mounting her horse.
I moved to my horse and tried to grip the saddle. Pain shot through my wrists, and I cried out. Suddenly, someone grabbed me by the waist and lifted me up onto a saddle.
“You can ride with me,” Lark said, keeping his arm around my waist. “Acaden take her horse.”
I looked at the three fae beside me. Amazed by Azalea who was the only other female outside of my family that had the same power as me. I nodded, ready to go to the docks.
As the horses galloped down the path, I closed my eyes, leaning against Lark and getting whatever rest I could because I had a feeling as soon as we reached the sea there would be no peace.
A chilling, keening noise filled the night air, waking me. I shook my head, startled that I had dozed off on the stranger sitting behind me. We were quiet as we all stared at the strange black shape blocking the moon.
“That must be it,” Azalea said.
We rode closer. Fire from the docks haloed around warriors who now aimed their bows at the sky. We were too far away for me to see clearly, and I was worried about my father. As king, his guards would beg him to retreat and try to move him to safety, but as a warrior he would fight, and if darkthings were here, he would use his magic to destroy them. It’s what the light bearers were called to do. It’s why the All Father granted us this power. We weren’t just a unique magic. We were hope.
