AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her Triad fought in the center of the clearing, assisting the Elves. When they saw the barrier drop, their eyes snapped to Claire and they fought with a new ferocity to get to her.
They weren’t the only ones who saw the barrier drop. One of the Feluas that Claire recognized as the male that had attacked them previously in the Forest tracked her with glowing red eyes. He lunged and Claire stumbled back, caught off guard by the ferocity.
Synora stepped in front of her and fired a single arrow straight through the Felua’s eye. The beast fell to the ground in a thud as Claire’s heart dropped. What in the Realm was going on?
Synora pulled her to her feet and pressed a dagger into Claire’s hand. It wasn’t hers but it would provide some measure of defense. “They attacked as soon as you went inside the barrier,” Synora helped fill in some missing pieces as she took a protective position in front of Claire. “They were trying to stop the ceremony. Someone is making their skin impenetrable.”
“What can I do?” She was exhausted from the ceremony but there had to be something she could do.
“You can stay safe and behind me. We can’t lose another Royal,” Synora said, firing off an arrow without looking back at Claire. “Archers! Focus on their eyes.”
The Elven archers that had made it to the upper platforms adjusted their aim. Claire winced as she saw a few Elves had fallen. Greta was dragging an injured Elf out of the clearing, her walking stick nowhere in sight as she ignored the fighting all around her.
“I can help,” Claire said, unable to just sit and watch. “I was able to pull the dark magic from them before. I can do it again.”
She expected Synora to protest but she didn’t. “Do what you can but don’t drain yourself. I can protect you easier if you are on your feet.”
Claire nodded and slipped the dagger back in Synora’s belt. Then she closed her eyes and reached for the Feluas’ Energy. The dark magic was thickly layered in the Energy, as if the person who cast it had learned from last time.
When Claire tried to untangle it from one of the Felua’s, her magic bounced back at her, causing her to tagger from the force. Something was protecting the dark magic in the Energy. She sent more magic, trying to find a weak spot. The protective Energy around the dark magic was familiar. The caster had cast their dark magic into the beasts and then fed them Fortis.
Claire pulled her magic back to her and bent over, hands on her knees as she gasped for breath. She was already exhausted from the ceremony and the force of her magic coming back to her had shaken her already unsteady feet.
“Claire,” Desmond’s cool hand touched her back, sending healing magic into her. Her Triad had made it to her.
“I’m okay,” Claire said, straightening. Desmond held onto her elbow while Malcolm and Everett joined Synora. The dead male Felua’s partner had followed them over and was attacking with a roar next to her dead mate.
“They gave them Fortis.” She gestured out with her hands. Desmond arched an eyebrow. “After they cast the dark magic. They gave them the Fortis plant. It’s protecting the dark magic. I can’t untangle it.”
“Can you absorb the Fortis’s Energy?”
Claire shook her head. “I can’t. Not without getting addicted.”
She bit her lip as she gazed around the clearing. The Feluas had increased their attacks with Claire in their sights. The Elven warriors had fallen into a half circle in front of her, defending her from their teeth and claws. There were more than a few injuries from what she could see. She couldn’t let anyone else get hurt. There had to be something.
Desmond guided her backwards as a Felua lunged and her back brushed the Royal Tree. Could the tree take the Fortis?
“I have another idea,” she said, letting go of Desmond’s hand.
She placed one hand on the tree and held the other out towards the Feluas. She called up her magic and sent it out, honing in on the three Felua’s. Instead of trying to get at the dark magic, she focused on the slight purple shimmer of the Fortis’s Energy in each Felua. She pulled on that, easing it out of them and into her hand. She refused to let the Fortis Energy linger inside her magic center so she sent it directly into the tree. It came slowly at first and then Claire gritted her teeth as it picked up speed, flowing through her body and leaving her with aching muscles and a wrung out feeling like she had just sprinted for miles. She gritted her teeth as she pulled on the last Felua, clearing it of its additional Energy.
As the last of the Fortis left her body and flowed into the tree, Claire’s knees gave out, her body no longer able to hold her up. Desmond caught her as she fell, scooping her up into his arms. His cool healing magic flowed into her but Claire could barely keep her eyes open.
With the Fortis drained from them, the Feluas were no longer impervious to the Elves’ arrows and other weapons. One by one, the Feluas fell. Claire bit her lip to keep from crying out. Even though they were attacking, it wasn’t the Feluas’ fault. Whoever was controlling them was willing to sacrifice these great creatures that belonged to her Forest. And Claire hadn’t been strong enough to stop them. If she had been stronger and the connection to the tree had gone more smoothly, she could have prevented their unnecessary deaths. And the injuries to her people. Some Royal she was, barely crowned and already there were multiple Elves injured.
As she was stuck in her thoughts, Malcolm and Everett knelt in front of them, dirt and blood covering them. “Are you okay?” she asked softly.
Everett nodded. “We’re fine. Nothing a little time and a shower can’t cure.”
“Are you okay, little treasure?” Malcolm’s dragon was still bright in his eyes but Claire could tell he wasn’t trying to take over, instead having aided Malcolm in battle. Claire nodded.
“She’s okay,” Desmond said. “But exhausted. Her magic is drained.”
He was right. Claire was exhausted but surrounded by her mates she felt better. “Where’s Puck?” she asked, worriedly.
“He went up with the children,” Everett said. “They attacked as soon as you went through the barrier. They went straight for the barrier but it kept them out.”
“They were trying to stop the ceremony,” Toan said grimly, coming up behind Everett.
