Page 120 of An Empress of Earth & Darkness

A crack of thunder from above startled her still. Another rumble crashed through the air, and before Emara could get to Torin, a figure appeared at the portal’s entrance.

Emara collapsed to the ground again.

It was not one but three knights of the underworld, the most ancient beings she had ever seen.

She froze as more tendrils of darkness followed the momentous figures out of the portal to stand just before Torin’s prone body.

Emara heard a roar from Gideon that sent a coldness into her spine. “Come for me,” he begged. “Me. Leave him. Leave my brother.” Emara’s heart cracked as she witnessed Gideon desperately trying to get to his feet. He roared again and again. “Leave my brother.” He staggered, finally standing.

But the knights didn’t falter in their stride towards her husband.

As her trembling legs finally allowed her to stand, an arrow flew towards the three knights. A scream left Gideon’s throat as he tried to run towards them. Dark mist swirled into a huge vine, mimicking Sybil’s, and tied itself around his throat and torso.

Fear turned into rage as Emara watched the most powerful creatures she had ever laid eyes on stalk towards the man she loved. The man who had saved her time and time again. The man who had put her before any oath, before his own life.

She blasted every ounce of fire she could towards them. Her hand shook as the strength of her magic poured from her soul out of her body. One of the knights cast up a hand that seemed to block every element she threw at them. They were getting closer to Torin, and Gideon’s roars had turned into cries. The tendrils of darkness swirled up, pushing around the necks of everyone she loved.

“Stop!” she roared. “Stop. Stop hurting them. Stop. I have something you want. I will give you anything.”

As she roared, it seemed the screeching of the dark portal listened to her and the pain ceased. Grunts and groans of relief spread through the clan and the darkness eased up a little. She was dizzy with relief and she had to stop herself from swaying.

A knight with long dark hair looked up to Emara and let a dreadful grin play on his face.

I will give you anything.

She shuddered and tried to square her shoulders. “I am the one you want, not him.”

His dark red eyes moved from her face and found his target—Torin.

“No!” she roared again, and it echoed through the kingdom—through the universe.

They didn’t look her way again.

The fighting started again, but she blocked out all the roars from the demons as she ran towards Torin. He had gotten to his feet and readied himself to take on all three knights.

He would never survive that.

Fear ran too close to her heart and she batted it down. There was no place for fear here, only bravery and skill.

A shadow reached for her, and she stabbed at it with her spear. Two breaths later, she ignited it in flames. It sent up screams to the stars, but she didn’t care.

Two lesser demons caught her attention as they jumped to attack Kellen, who was still struggling with the dark vines. Before the demons could land a blow, she blasted them with her element, knocking them on their asses.

She had to ration the magic in her and keep it for what she was about to come up against. Reaching the knights of the underworld, she threw out both hands and let her fire burn. One of them ducked into a roll and recovered on the other side of her flames, and another landed on top of Torin, toppling them both to the ground. The third one had evaporated into nothing.

“Behind you,” Torin managed to yell as he fought off the demon.

Emara swivelled, but she was too late.

The demon’s fist crashed into her head. The sharpest pain she’d ever felt knocked the air from her lungs and she fell into darkness.

Avisceral rage stabbed through Torin’s heart.

That evil prick had just punched Emara so hard she had fallen, her body lying in the hands of his greatest enemy. A carnal snarl ripped from his throat, a promise that he was going to kill every last fucking one of them.

He punched the knight that he was still wrestling with, striking its face. He stunned it long enough to reach for a dagger, and as he withdrew it from his belt, he threw his head forward to stun the knight again, breaking its nose. Torin stabbed his knife into the dark heart of his enemy, but that wouldn’t do.

He needed more.

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