Page 109 of Calling of the Crown

She looked at me, and something akin to sadness and anger lit her blue eyes. “Gone. I handled it.”

The news made my heart fracture just a sliver. I never was a huge fan of Angus, and it hurt that he chose Elias over us—apparently because of some issue he had with my dad. But to know that he was dead, that his life had been snuffed out, left a small ache inside of me.

I didn’t know where everyone else was—hell, I didn’t even know who was still alive—but I couldn’t dwell on that now without completely losing my grip on the situation. A grip that was definitely growing weary as I weaved my way through fight after fight with more and more challenging opponents, searching in vain for Elias.

My limbs grew tired, and the punch I’d just tried to deal the Snake Fae in front of me didn’t land right. He grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward, gripping my neck with his free hand. Snake Fae were dangerous for different reasons, depending on which kind you faced, and the one currently wrapping his hand around my neck must’ve been a Python Fae, because he squeezed. My air instantly cut off, and I fumbled to pry him off me to no avail. Pressure built as if my eyes were going to explode from their sockets if my neck didn’t break first.

“Bria!” Rune’s roar came from a distance.

The sound of his voice was enough to spark that last burst of strength I had. I swung my free arm up, and with the motion, a surge of water cocooned the Snake and me. I held the water around us in an attempt to deprive him of air like he was doing to me, but the determined Snake was keen on holding his breath until I was dead.

After all, he’d snap my neck before he’d lose air.

I had no choice. A portion of water above us glinted like shimmering ice, and with my mental command, the water blade raced down the water faster than the eye could track, and it severed the Snake’s arm at the elbow. His grip around my neck ceased at the same moment that a plume of blood flooded the bubble. I quickly released us from the watery hold, and the Fae collapsed on the ground, gripping his amputated arm while bellowing out in pain.

I clutched my throat, choking as I sucked in air in hurried breaths. I scanned the scene around me. My mom and Dallas were both deep in their own battles, and Rune, who’d been trying to get to me, was being targeted from every angle. I battled fiercely with a turncoat Water Fae, who’d just leapt in front of me, while also trying to keep an eye on Rune up ahead.

Fae jumped on Rune’s back, only for him to grab them and throw them over his shoulder. He lit some on fire, but more immediately took their place. Blood coated his hands and armor, and I couldn’t tell if it was his or others.

He and I were both too focused on all the attacks coming our way that neither of us noticed the figure looming in the distance. Myra took aim at Rune’s back with her black drenched arrow. She pulled it back in her bow.

I saw it too late.

“Rune!” His name left my lips in a scream unlike any sound I’d ever made. I shoved the Water Fae aside, racing toward him, but there was no way for me to make it in time.

He looked over his shoulder just as the arrow whizzed past the bowstring. It moved through time as though it was nonexistent. Precise. Quick.

But a Raven Fae was faster.

Chapter Forty-Eight

AKIRA LANDED IN FRONT OF Rune in a flurry of black wings, and I watched in horror as he jerked backward as the arrow struck. Rune’s eyes widened as he caught Akira, falling to his knees as they both collapsed.

Looking to my right, I screamed, “Dallas! Mom! Cover!”

My mother swept her water wide until I had a clear path to Rune and Akira, and I fell to my hands and knees beside them as Dallas encased us in a shield-like hollow globe of water.

“Oh my God,” I croaked as I took in the arrow sticking out of Akira’s chest.

Rune’s face went ashen as he stared wide-eyed at his best friend. He held him in his arms as Akira twitched, and blood dripped from his lips.

“Akira, stay with me,” Rune growled. “You’re gonna be fine.” Rune looked across Akira’s body at me. “Heal him.”

My hands shook, and my gaze zeroed in on the arrow. “I can’t heal him with the arrow in there.”

Rune’s breath got choppy as he shook his head and turned his eyes to the arrow. Dallas grunted as a rock was thrown at the cover she’d made, and she nearly fell as she fought to keep the water from collapsing.

My mother hovered near Akria’s head, and her voice broke when she said, “The arrow is too close to his heart. If you pull it out, he’ll die because of the Nightbloom before she can heal him.”

“Fuck!” Rune cursed, the first tears dripping from his eyes. He tried to gather Akira closer in his arms. “So, what do we do? How do—”

“S’okay,” Akira whispered. His unfocused eyes somehow flicked to Rune’s, and he managed to offer a small smile. “S’o … kay. Tell … Jesiah … I l-love—”

“You can tell him,” Rune begged through gritted teeth. “You’re—You’re gonna be fine. We’ll—” Rune’s voice broke as Akira’s quivering hand reached up to touch Rune’s face.

“T-Tell him.”

Rune’s throat worked as he swallowed. “I’ll tell him.”

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