Page 242 of A Dawn of Gods & Fury

I half expect him to argue, to point out that this is two people versus an entire realm.

With a nod, Zander slips his hand within mine. “Do not do anything that could risk the people in the cages!” he orders, his commanding voice carrying along the wall.

Long minutes stretch.

And then a bloodcurdling scream rises up into the air.

My mother holds her hands out in front of her as she shrieks, the pain in that sound twisting my stomach, threatening to unload the stew that sits within.

“What is he doing to her?” I cry out.

Zander shakes his head. “I do not know—”

“Lucretia! Tell me something for once!”

“He uses the shadow. Her entire body glows.” She cocks her head with curiosity. “She burns without burning.”

I stare in mute horror as Eddie scrambles to his feet, grabbing hold of the bars to his cage, rattling them like the gorillas at the zoo. The faint, “Stop him, Romeria!” reaches my ears.

He knows.

He understands.

Rage ignites inside me and with it, my affinities surge.

“Romeria,” Zander warns.

Tears prick my eyes. “I can’t anymore! I feel like I’m about to explode!”

“Then hit him where he does not expect it,” Jarek urges.

I lash out to the right, the blinding light carving a line through the army.

But Sofie was waiting.

Silver light hurls toward us.

79

Sofie

Romeria blocks my attack at the last minute, saving her and her king from obliteration.

Malachi releases her mother from her torture, and the woman crumples to the cage floor, her hand resting mere inches from the hem of this absurd gown Malachi insisted I wear today.

Despite my revulsion for this particular mortal, I feel pity for her. I know what she just endured.

“She’s quicker than you thought, my love,” Malachi purrs, unfazed.

“And stronger.” Though, I’ve never faced another key caster before, so I have nothing to compare against.

The Saur’goth army roars, the spectacle invigorating them. They look like bulls waiting behind a gate, ready to be unleashed.

The daaknar rattles within its cage, demanding to be set free.

Shrill roars from the winged beasts perched atop the mountain peaks answer.

The air thrums with anticipation.

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