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And that look, that fierceness, was precisely why I was willing to take this risk. I would risk everything for these men.
Everything, and I’d never regret my choice, not for a moment.
The ground was shaking, the air so clogged with dust I couldn’t see ten feet in front of me. If the Reaper army attacked, we wouldn’t even see them until they were upon us. I tried to breathe normally when his hand banded around my arm.
“Last chance to change your mind.”
“Let’s get this done.” Being yanked into the space where Zorander moved through time always took my breath away—the air freezing in my lungs from that feeling of utter weightlessness before my feet hit the ground with enough force to buckle my knees.
The second the pressure of Zor’s hand disappeared, I dropped every tether I had on my magic, sending a wave of white, glittering magic in all directions like I was a stone dropped into a black pond, magic erupting from me so violently I gritted my teeth against the pain.
This was no time to balk, I warned myself, digging deeper.No time to give in, even though the agony was mind bending.
Soldiers died all around me, bodies thudding into the soft, stirred-up dirt, but more and more pressed closer, clawed hands reaching for me, deadly teeth gnashing, eyes filled with the sort of hungry intent that sent shockwaves of terror through me.
One slice of teeth or nails and I was doomed.
I screamed as power rolled out of me, through the army, out and out and out, until my throat was as raw as my soul.
A red mist of blood hung thickly, coating everything, thicker, even, than the dust. The air tasted of Reaper rot and copper, and I couldn’t stop tasting it, even with my mouth closed. I choked, spitting out a mouthful of dirt.
My magic quailed then rallied, but the hesitation was enough for them to surge forward, for their broken nails to rake across my nose, taking out a chunk of flesh.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Warm blood dribbled down my face and they turned feral, growling and snarling, clawing at the magic before solid, devouring stardust cut them down where they stood, until I was surrounded by a heap of bodies with no clear path through which to cast my power.
Stars danced in the air, heavy with the stench of death as the next wave of Reapers climbed up and over the pile of bodies. I couldn’t push my magic out evenly and a claw nicked my arm, another raking across my back.
Until every inch of me stung and I was covered in cuts.
I was a Reaper buffet, and yet…not one tried to take me over.
Then our contest simply became a test of endurance. How long I could keep the magic flowing—how long they’d keep coming.
Every minute, each second, I reminded myself I had to do this alone.
Because if Zorander returned too soon, if my magic touched him…No.
I shoved the thought out of my head and pushed harder, delved deeper, screamed louder, and ripped another layer of magic out of me, my bones rippling, blood coating my mouth. The Oracle would get blood today from everyone, it seemed.
I swallowed the coppery bile back down, blinking the red from my eyes.
This army would not reach the border.
This army would not take another step.
My reality became an endless wave of pain, soldiers died and died and died, making no sound. I didn’t know what was more unnerving, the fact that an entire host of once-vibrant Fae died so silently, or the fact that there was no end in sight.
I recognized a shopkeeper in his woolen vest—he’d made the croissants Ember had so loved.
There was the prisoner I’d handed the keys of the prison to who had only known a few precious hours of freedom.
Soldiers I vaguely recognized from the Keep. A girl who’d been a slave at the Citadelle, her servant’s dress matching mine.
One of the soldiers climbed over the pile of bodies, using a prisoner as his shield. The prisoner fell away, and I stepped back to find a better position when my foot caught on the legs of one of the dead and I teetered, arms flailing for balance. A whip of magic roared out of me as the soldier—one of ours, ironically—drew back his gauntleted fist.
His blow had me seeing stars, then I crumpled to the ground.
