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“Porta Thaedan,” I murmur, needing to speak it aloud since I’m using less power. The tusked monster’s form ripples, and I imagine the ripples expanding through a lake, gently parting the seams of our realm to take them back to their own. Their form wavers and slowly slips into the portal before I imagine the water stilling, gleaming in the sunlight like a mirror.
I move on to the next one and do the same, Denver and I working like a well-oiled machine as we trap and portal the monsters out of the grounds one by one. I turn to launch an attack at the next monster but I’m frozen in place when I turn and catch sight of a blue-grey tentacle striking out at a grey wolf.
Kai.
I throw up a barrier between the two of them, just barely blocking the Kraken’s strike in time. He turns to me, rage flickering in his eyes as they meet mine. There’s no hint of recognition, but I would know him anywhere, even if it wasn’t for the unmistakable tug threading our souls together. I pull in a staggered breath unsure what to do, but the wolf lunges for him at the same moment. He swiftly avoids the attack but it takes his attention off of me long enough for me to collect my thoughts.
If Kai is here, then maybe...
I search for another link, not letting my hopes get up just yet. Thin lines, almost the same as the monster mate bond stretch to both Denver and Greyson, warming my chest as my senses, heightened by the goddess, confirm my suspicions. Despite all the chaos surrounding me, I can’t help the small smile that plays on my lips, but I quickly push it aside and continue searching.
I locate another bond stretching from me to Landon, and nearly give up when a third cord freezes me in place. I search for where that rope links me and trace it to tendrils of black smoke curling in the distance. The same shadows that brought me nothing but pleasure, now wrap around someone’s neck, their face reddening as their oxygen is nearly cut off.
I snap out my power, sending tendrils of my own to pry him away from the fae’s neck. I won’t let him do this. Damon might be a shadow monster but he’s my mate, and I know the goddess would never match me with someone who hated us enough to kill my classmates. He was stolen for this purpose, which means Kai must’ve been too.
I turn to Denver, about to tell him what I just saw when a large club comes hurtling down towards me. I drop to the ground and roll out of the way, just in time as the club narrowly misses me. The ogre bellows in outrage and his gigantic form glowers over me, his club poised for another strike.
Great. This is just what I need.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Aria
Theogreaimstheclub again with a roar of frustration, the shadow looming over me as he aligns it directly over my head. I don’t give him the chance to nearly hit me again though as my magic strikes out for the club, piercing through it like a spear and blasting the thick wood into a million tiny, feather-light pieces. I spring to my feet, ready to block his next blow and cast the entrapment spell, when I notice he’s frozen in place, hand poised as though he still has the club clutched in his palm.
“What the hell, Hart?” Denver shouts, and curses under his breath as I perform the portal spell. The ogre’s form wavers from a moment and then fades from our realm.
My words get stuck in my throat as I turn to Denver and register the panic-stricken look on his face, his body rigid with terror.
“I’m okay,” I assure him, brushing off some of the wood pieces from my face before I clasp his arm.
“Don’t do that again,” he breathes, his muscles relaxing slightly under my touch and the reassurance that I’m still here.
“Wasn’t planning on it.” I fling a stun spell at a monster approaching Denver from behind. Carter steps in and takes care of the rest, giving me a quizzical look before I focus back on Denver. “Kai and Damon are here.” I let Denver’s arm go and concentrate on the approaching monsters, making sure no one else takes us by surprise.
“What?” Denver exclaims, surveying the monsters surrounding us like he might be able to pick them out.
“Something’s wrong though,” I breathe, as Denver casts an entrapment spell over my shoulder and I hurriedly turn to portal them away before continuing. “Kai saw me, but he looked at me with hatred not recognition.”
“Maybe it wasn’t him,” Denver offers, entrapping another monster that I quickly portal away.
“No, I can still feel the link between us. It’s him.” I search the distance for them. They’re in nearly the same places, and I sigh a breath of relief as they fight against the same students with no sign of death or injury near them.
I take a deep breath. I’ve never done this on such a large scale, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Something isn’t right, and if I can get Kai and Damon away I might be able to figure this out before anyone else gets killed.
“Hold on,” I murmur, giving Denver an apologetic look as my fingers twine with his. I focus my power into transporting us away from the battle and decide on the side of the school. I glance there and focus on the grassy area swathed in shade as my power wraps around both of us and our forms flicker before they blink out of existence.
“Dammit, Hart,” Denver sputters as soon as we blink back in. He searches the area as he tries to get his bearings, peering back to the fight at the front of the school to see we haven’t gone too far.
From here, I spot a group of hunters, making their way in from the road, splitting the monsters between two forces. Some of my tension eases knowing that there’s help on the other side of those gates, but there are still so many monsters standing between them and the students.
“Don’t I feel stupid now.” Denver chuckles. “There’s no way my power is anywhere near yours.”
“Sorry, I would’ve at least pretended you had a shot of matching me for a little while longer,” I murmur as I catch sight of Damon and Kai again.
“How sweet.” He snorts. “What’s the plan now?”
“If we can find out what’s affecting Damon and Kai we might be able to stop this before anyone else gets killed, but I can’t do that while we’re dodging tusks and clubs.” I take a step back to gather my power.
