Page 394 of Born of Blood and Ash

Dozens of them.

Naberius rocked back, pushing offthe cliff with a powerful sweep of his wings as the dakkaisleaped into the air.

“Fuck,” Ash growled, pulling his swords free once more.

There was no way to keep track of Kolis as the nightmarishbeasts rushed us.

I unsheathed the sword as Nektas’shead snapped forward. He caught one of the dakkais inhis mouth. Turning his head sharply, he split the creature in two as one leapttoward Ash, but he was quick, plunging his sword into the creature’s chest.

I spun as a dakkai charged, salivadripping from its teeth. I cleaved off its head as I caught sight of Beleleaping over a fissure. She landed on a boulder, effortlessly switching to abow and shadowstone arrows to avoid the eather drawing the dakkais. Rhainraced out of the trees, followed by several soldiers.

Ash swore, kicking a dakkai backas sudden screams of pain tore through the air. I whirled toward the field, mybreath catching in horror when I saw dozens more dakkaisjoining the fray.

“Sera!” Ash shouted, spinning me around.

Hot breath that smelled of sulfur and stale lilacs swampedme. I thrust out with the sword, but the creature yelped before I made contact,falling to the ground. One of Ash’s blades jutted from its back.

Nektas’s tail swept across theground, edging me back and releasing a stream of fire. Silver flames engulfedthe dakkais, but more came over the cliff’s edge,snarling and spitting. I braced myself, but they veered to my right.

They were heading straight for Nektas.

“Nektas!” Ash yelled, bringing hissword down as Rhain drove his into a dakkai’s back.

I screamed when the dakkaisswarmed the draken, digging into his scales withtheir claws. They climbed him as he slammed his tail down and twisted, tryingto shake them off. Blood sprayed the ground, and Nektasreared back, emitting a deep cry.

The sight of his blood and the sound of his pain undidwhatever restraint I had left in me. The air around me charged, reacting to theeather erupting from my pores.

“Don’t!” Ash shouted. “It will draw them to you.”

“I know,” I growled. That’s what I wanted. The moment eather sparked, the dakkaisclawing at Nektas froze, then lifted their heads inunison.

The clouds above us deepened in color as rage poured intome. I thrust out my left hand, silvery strands of eathertinged in gold erupting from my palm and mirroring my will. The tendrils liftedand arced, slamming into the dakkais, throwing themoff Nektas and to the ground, where they laysmoldering.

A shadow rushed over us, and I looked up to see Aurelia. Shelanded near Nektas, tucking a wing over his side,fire spilling from her mouth. She turned her head, enveloping the dakkais that remained on the bluffs.

I rushed to Nektas’s side, carefulof the dripping blood. My heart twisted as I saw the deep gouges in his sides.He’d be okay. He had to be. Fear dripped through me. “Nektas?”

I’ll heal, came his raspy voice. I just need afew minutes.

“I want you out of here,” I demanded.

That’s not going to happen.

“Where did he go?” Ash seethed, stalking forward. He jerkedto a stop and then rushed past me, heading toward the edge overlooking thebattlefield.

Bele jumped off the rock, driving her knee into a fallenRevenant’s chest, knocking it back. She slammed her blade into its chest as itstarted to come back to life.

“Rhain!” she shouted. “We need to put them down.”

The god rushed to Bele’s side, and I turned to Aurelia.“Keep him safe until he’s healed.”

She answered by shielding his head with her much smallerone.

“Not again,” Bele groaned, rising as Revenants swarmed thebluff. “Oh, great. And we’ve got even more visitors.”

Ash’s head cut toward the bluff overlooking the sea. Ceeren pulled themselves over the edge, their beautifulfaces streaked with blood. I took a deep breath, holding it.

I knew Kolis was still nearby. He was hiding somewhere. Butwhen my gaze met Ash’s, I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. Wecouldn’t leave everyone to deal with this.

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