Jack pushed upward, ignoring the dizziness that had him reeling and ran to them, his heart banging in his chest. It was hard to ignore the cacophony of screams as Ashmea ripped into the soldiers and people of the city.
“Jack,” breathed Lyana, clearly relieved.
He nodded, not allowing any relief to show on his face. Cursing himself for being a bastard, he then ignored her and turned to Diamond. “We need to get you to your red fae. They are better able to protect you,” he said to Diamond.
His friend gave him a vicious smile. “Oh, I don’t need protection,” she snarled, lifted the spear, then let her magic free.
Jack had only heard of what she had done in the battle with Ragor, he had never seen the true power of his friend’s magic.
Strong fingers gripped his arm and pulled him away as Karl grabbed Lyana’s hand.
“Get away!” Arades yelled as Diamond grasped the spear, runes burning along it. A vicious red tip appeared.
In the skies, Ilya, Vaalor and Eryanth burned the Ashmea.
Diamond’s whole body began to glow, her hair flying wildly as she gathered her magic.
The Ashmea saw her and plunged from the night sky. Clearly, she was their target.
Eryanth roared and headed into the swarm of Ashmea, belching fountains of fire. Red fae landed all around, and Jack heard Rayan’s deep voice bellowing in the darkness. The Ashmea slammed into the ground in front of their group. Black saliva ran from their wide mouths, sliding down their torsos. They brandished their weapons and advanced.
Zane and Tom sprinted forward with the rest of Jack’s guard; all skidded to halt as they beheld Diamond’s magic and the Ashmea.
“Shit!” exclaimed Zane.
Jack ignored his head as his heart screamed in worry for Lyana. “Stay behind me and my men!” he yelled at her.
“Highness, we are supposed to protect you!” Karl protested. “You are not supposed to put yourself at risk for anyone else!”
“I don’t care. She does not die tonight. Not just to keep me alive,” he warned his men, eyeing all of them defiantly—even Arades.
Arades raised his eyebrows but didn’t argue. “Fine. We will protect you both. Zane! Tom! Unis! At your king’s back. Gunnald! Prepare your bow. Somal and Vico! Up front with me! Karl and Roin, you stay close to them both.”
An eagle landed on the wall nearby and gave an anxious screech.
“Master Dervin, stay away from these things. Find somewhere safe to be until it is over. We will need you as our eyes after this battle.”
The eagle screeched and took off over the ocean.
Red fae began to throw heat and flames at the Ashmea.
“To the red fae!” bellowed Rayan, appearing from the darkness, his white hair loose and flowing down his back as he charged into the fray. He too was shirtless, his muscled body covered in tattoos and scars that were visible in the light of Diamond’s magic.
As the red fae threw their burning magic, the wizards cast. It was clear that these men had fought together before. The Ashmea became temporarily frozen by the wizards, the red fae took advantage and shot bolts of red magic down through their spines, killing them.
Jack stood in front of Lyana as Karl stood behind, his golden wings glowing and Roin guarded them in front. Every fae was armoured and ready to fight, every human willing to face down an enemy far stronger than they were.
More Ashmea manoeuvred around the dragons, the sheer numbers making it impossible for even the guardians to annihilate them instantly.
Arades bellowed as Gunnald shot an arrow into the nearest beast’s eye. Its approach faltered but did not stop. Jack yanked Lyana sideways as Karl began to fight, Vico alongside him.
Across the quay, Diamond spun and twirled her staff. Her stunning suit of white armour moulded to her body as she moved. She was alight with magic. Ashmea fell to the ground as she struck with the staff and drove her magic into their spines before turning them to dust.
Eryanth roared from above, a bellow that rocked the ground under Jack’s feet. The dragon plummeted down to the ground, burning Ashmea as he dived, his fiery eyes fixed upon his mate.
Diamond glanced up and threw her magic out. The forced of it turned the Ashmea near her to dust, but it was still not enough. The Ashmea were learning their enemy. They began to throw up shields of shadow, deflecting her power.
Eryanth looked like he was going to crash into the quay near Diamond.
Jack’s heart clenched and he almost yelled out, but Eryanth threw his head up and morphed into his fae form. Shadow, shot through with silver and sapphire ribbons, swathed his huge body. Without so much as a stutter in his step, Eryanth sprinted towards Diamond.
An Ashmea landed between Jack and Arades, drawing Jack’s attention. He swung his blades against the onslaught of the creature’s strength, backing closer to Lyana, keeping himself between her and the creature.
Across the quay, Eryanth and Diamond linked hands. They stared into each other’s eyes their foreheads resting together.
What in the hell are they doing? he thought incredulously, almost yelling at them that this wasn’t the time for such a show of affection but something held his tongue. His eyes widened. Their magic began to merge. The darkness and the light swirled together. Energy prickled against his skin, almost pulling the breath from his lungs.
Magic exploded.
A wave of power blasted over Jack, stealing the last of his breath. He instinctively pulled Lyana into his body, protecting her from the force of that wave.
Goddess! It’s their Nexus, he thought as the weight of their power brought him to his knees at the same time Lyana collapsed. There was a chorus of cursing and yells as others fell to their knees. But that power did not hurt anyone, it sought out only their enemy.
The Ashmea began to burn.
Diamond and Eryanth continued to hold each other, pushing their magic out in waves until every Ashmea was gone.
Silence followed.
The stench of smoke burned Jack’s nose and his skin tingled from that magical onslaught, but the sudden screams of the injured galvanised him into action. He jumped to his feet and thrust Lyana towards Karl. “You will stay here and look after her,” he ordered. With one last glance at her pale face and wide eyes, he turned and ran to his friends.
Chapter 19
“I’m still not sure about leaving Jack and the others to take Stormguaard and deal with the Ashmea there,” Eryanth grumbled, knowing he was being irritating. “We could use our Nexus again.”
Diamond sighed. “So you keep saying, but using our Nexus incapacitated us both for more than five days, and we need our magic to fight Erebos. Jack has over thirty thousand troops at his disposal. He has my father and a support network of experts by his side. Not only that, he has Vaalor and Ilya to help annihilate the Ashmea.” She turned her head to look at him.
Eryanth, who was carrying her in his arms, adjusted his grip, trying to protect her from the wind. She wrapped her arms around his neck, planting a soft kiss on his cold cheek.
“And you know we need to get into Valentia and find Dragonsblood,” she reminded him. “Erebos wants the sword for the keys. I think that’s why he hasn’t come after me again; he knows they are in Valentia somewhere. Sulphurious is telling him so. If he hasn’t already found them, then we need to reach them before he does; and if he truly wants revenge on Eternity—on the High Ruler for banishing him—then we must stop him.”
Eryanth looked at her face. His beautiful mate was right. They had to find those keys. “We will,” he replied, forging ahead. Swallowing hard, he entwined his magic with Diamond’s. He had been unable to leave her side since drawing on their Nexus.
Both of them were still reeling from the feel of it. That day long ago, when he had bitten her to stop her magic taking over, was nothing compared to what he had felt as their Nexus exploded. It had been instinctive for both of them, as if their magic needed no instruction on how to merge, only the freedom to do so. Together, they had comm
anded it to seek out the enemy, and it had done so.
Diamond squeezed him tightly and kissed his cheek before nuzzling into his neck.
He had kept the walls around his mind up since that moment, concerned she would feel his anxiety over her safety, not to mention the protectiveness he was feeling.
Attion moved up beside them.
Eryanth bellowed a laugh. “You look ridiculous,” he stated.
Tawne turned his head, his pale eyes shining happily as his tongue lolled from the side of his mouth.
“Bloody fur ball! If I could make you swim, I would,” growled Attion as he adjusted Tawne’s heavy wolf form in the harness they had made. Such a contraption had been necessary. Flying over the ocean for such a long distance holding a wolf would be too hard for anyone.
Firan had offered to allow them to stop in the Wetlands on their way back to Avalonia, but Eryanth had declined. When he visited his father’s home for the first time, he wanted to be by his father’s side. Worry churned in his stomach, but he held his thoughts away from Diamond. He hoped that his father, Kilar and Elexon were able to convince the Ice Witches to join them and that Firan’s long standing relationship with their queen would guarantee their safety. The Ice Witches were notoriously intolerant of any Southerner in their lands. He swallowed hard and concentrated instead on the weight of Diamond in his arms as he flapped his armoured wings and pushed onward.
Eryanth hadn’t let his dragon free today. He just wanted to feel Diamond close to him, to absorb her warmth and feel her against his body. It was evening now, though, and he was exhausted, pulling on his magic and even a little of Diamond’s to stay focused and awake. The others had slept on his back last night whilst he flew as his dragon, so they weren’t nearly as exhausted.
Tawne smacked his jaws together, spraying saliva into the wind and all over Attion.
“Urgh! Really? You are disgusting,” Attion complained.
“You could always carry him as a man,” Diamond suggested, her eyes sparkling at Attion’s expression.
“My queen, I am not carrying a naked male for hundreds of miles. Not even for you,” he retorted.
“We are nearly at the coast. If you can manage until then, we will stop for the night and I will change for the last section of our journey,” Eryanth suggested, chuckling at Attion’s disgusted look as Tawne licked his face.
“Pack that in before I toss you in the ocean,” Attion growled.
Diamond’s happy giggle lifted Eryanth’s heart. Knowing they were travelling towards her end had his eyes burning and his balls tightening with dread. Inside he screamed and yelled, but demanding that she stay away from the God of Chaos would achieve nothing. It was not his decision to make. If he didn’t help, Diamond would likely convince Attion or one of her other loyal friends to travel with her to Valentia. He released a heavy sigh, earning a questioning look from her. His response was a small smile. He kissed her nose. Facing Erebos was her destiny and her choice.
Eryanth glided lower, skimming the edge of the ominous-looking storm clouds that covered the shores of Avalonia. It seemed Erebos was beginning to shroud the world in darkness.
Diamond’s grip tightened as they dipped towards the ground. It often spooked her when he banked sharply. Angling his glowing wings, he pulled on his magic, using extra power to reinforce his body and keep them steady against the vicious airstreams as they approached the cliffs. He slowed his momentum, grunting with effort as he back-winged to slow down.
Attion passed him. His green magic was strong enough to light his wings like emerald beacons. His transformation and the amount of power he held now astounded Eryanth. As he flew ahead, Attion commanded the shoots that lay dormant under the surface to sprout forth and cushion his landing.
Erebos might be killing off the forest again, much the same as Ragor once had, but Attion could coax it to life. He stepped softly onto the dirt and unbuckled Tawne’s harness. With his wings and hands aglow, he commanded his power. Within moments he had built the beginnings of a small hut. By the time the huge grey wolf had shaken his hairy body, Attion’s creation was almost done.
Tawne’s eyes rested upon them as Eryanth landed. He gave a haunting howl and looked into the gloom.
Eryanth nodded and Tawne disappeared into the forest. Eryanth hoped he would return with a prize from his hunt. It had been days since they had enjoyed a warm meal of any kind.
Diamond squirmed in his arms. He kept his mind shields up and grinned down at her, quirking a brow. “Going somewhere?” he jested.
She scowled at him. “Put me down, I need to answer a call of nature.”
Eryanth grinned, feeling mischievous. “Of course, my queen, but the charge for your freedom is a kiss—a proper one,” he stated.
Diamond’s face morphed into a mock scowl. “Eryanth, put me down now—”
Both his brows went up. A battle of wills, is it? he thought to himself. Good. We haven’t done this in a while. He shook his head and held her eyes.
Her eyes narrowed. There was little point in her trying to use her magic on him, not now that their Nexus had fused. Their magic would never work against each other. They would merge if the other was weak or in distress or they both willed it—but she couldn’t blast him away anymore.
He could see the irritation in her face as she realised this too.
“Fine,” she answered, sighing heavily, though her pupils had expanded.
Eryanth grinned and captured her mouth with his own, letting his lips slide over the warmth of hers. Her fingers curled into his shoulders and she moaned before there was a loud cough.
Eryanth ignored Attion, and he didn’t think Diamond had even noticed.
Muttering and cursing, Attion stomped away, though Eryanth knew he would not go far.
It was hard to pull away from the taste and feel of his mate’s mouth, but he did. “I suppose I should let you answer that call. I’ll make a fire. Then we can at least relax for a little while.”
Attion had gathered enough dry branches for a fire. Kneeling down in front of the pile, Eryanth called upon his dragon. His bones stretched and scales covered his forehead. He coughed up a spark. It landed on the dry wood, which instantly kindled. Eryanth did it again, unable to stop his proud grin.
Diamond grinned back. “Yes, you are very clever,” she agreed, rolling her eyes.
“I know,” he smirked, his size shrinking back to his fae body.
Attion joined them, and they sat side by side lost in their own thoughts. Despite the lingering shroud of darkness nearby, the night was fairly warm—nothing like the desert lands had been, but warm for a forest night.
Tawne returned, a large hare caught in his jaws. Eryanth reached into the large backpack Diamond carried, pulling out some spare leggings.
Eryanth balled the leggings up and chucked them into the trees. Technically, he no longer needed to carry clothes for himself but he did so for precisely this reason, to encourage Tawne to shift back into a man who could converse and think and interact as one.
“Now give me the hare and go change into a man. You have been a wolf long enough.”
Tawne fixed his strange pale eyes on Eryanth’s face. A predatory look gleamed in them. Eryanth felt his gut tighten. Tawne’s wolf was huge and dominant; not only that, Eryanth had a feeling his friend was turning wild, more wolf than man. Diamond had worried about it before they left Salvir, but they had been so distracted with preparing the mass exodus of an invading force neither of them had dealt with it.
“Go. Now,” he ordered his friend. He narrowed his eyes, not dropping eye contact for a second and allowed his dragon to shine through.
Tawne snarled, baring his sharp fangs. His big head lowered and his hackles rose.
Eryanth did not hesitate. He forced his magic out and changed. As his front talons slammed into the ground, he roared, spilling sulphurous smoke and heat over Tawne.
The wolf wanted to be dominant, to assert his strength and power—but no matter his a
nimal strength, he could not compete with a dragon.
Tawne immediately whimpered and rolled over on his back in supplication.
Eryanth lowered his big head, threat in his movements. He hated the fear in his friend’s eyes, but Tawne could not be allowed to turn wild.
In the blink of an eye Eryanth was once again fae. He pulled his wings in. There was no compromise on his face as he ordered. “Go. Now.” He pointed at the trees.
Tawne stood up and slunk away into the trees.
Diamond approached and took Eryanth’s hand in hers.
“That has been a long time coming,” Attion growled.
Diamond sighed heavily. “I should have done something weeks ago,” she berated herself. “I’m sorry to leave it to you,” she apologised, squeezing Eryanth’s hand.
“No, my queen,” Attion disagreed. “He is my friend too. I should have made him change back more often. I thought he might manage it himself, but he hasn’t. I have spent too much time with the healers and not enough with my friend.”
Eryanth bent and picked up the hare. It was good to know Attion had changed so much that he could have friends. “Yep, it’s all on you,” he agreed with a grin and shoved the hare into Attion’s broad chest. “So you get to skin and gut and roast dinner.”
Attion scowled but did not disagree with his king.
Eryanth grabbed Diamond’s hand and pulled her towards the temporary hut Attion had fashioned from the barren forest. It was a weirdly green and healthy spectacle in the gloomy and dead forest, but it meant that under the surface, once this evil had been quashed, life would regenerate.
Right now he didn’t want to think about what would destroy that evil, he just wanted to feel Diamond in his arms. “Call us when dinner is done, other than that do not disturb us.”
“Right,” answered Attion with a sigh. “I’ll entertain the wolf then.”
“Yep,” Eryanth threw back over his shoulder. “And don’t let him change again,” he warned.
As soon as they were in the hut, he shrouded it in shadow and yanked Diamond against him. He threaded his hand through her hair and lowered his head towards hers as she whispered his name.
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