Page 130 of A Blackened Bond

I open my mouth to shout to him, to tell him to move and dodge the attack. But it was too late.

The gun fires…

Please, Gods no.I couldn’t lose him.

A scream rings out in my ears as my hands reach out toward him. A strange new feeling bubbles up inside me as my veins begin to burn, every inch and fibre of me screaming and willing myself to move faster, to get to him, tosavehim.

For someone or something to reach him in time.

To protect him.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

MICAI’S POV

Ablack blade wedges itself in the wall across from Ezra, the magical bullet crushed by the black metal as it sits beneath it.

I look toward my outstretched hand, and a new black mark is embedded on my wrist. The new shape instantly reminds me of the older girl’s mark in my dream.

Was that blade from me? Had I somehow formed it while trying to protect Ezra? Had it appeared from the marks like it did in my dream?

“Micai!”Ezra shouts, fear in his voice as the gun-wielding attacker swings around and aims toward me.

Ezra reaches him before I can move, his eyes glowing a bright lilac as he rips the weapon from the man’s hands in a blur of movements and cracks the attacker’s neck in one swift move.

The others begin to chant around Ezra and start to throw attack after attack toward him. I dash toward the blade embedded in the wall, ripping it out quickly and slashing it toward the nearest warlock to me.

I twist around, reaching Ezra as he uses two of the warlock’s magic against them. He somehow manipulates their power with his own and uses it to attack them instead.

I lunge toward another warlock standing behind Ezra as he forms his next attack. Using Ezra’s shoulder as leverage, I swing around and kick the attacker backwards. He crashes to the floor, the area slightly cracking around him with the force of the kick.

The final four start casting and chanting together, flames and electrical static forming around each of them as they take a step toward us. Ezra’s eyes start to glow a bright lilac again, and the warlock’s gazes turn glossy and dazed as their magic becomes shaky. The magical flames and static formed by the warlocks suddenly twist around and turn on them, attacking their casters.

A dark grin forms on Ezra’s lips before he whips around toward me. His grin fades as his eyes run up and down the length of me, a worried expression taking over his features as he reaches for me.

“Micai, how are you feeling? What happened?” He wraps his arms around me, dragging me in for a hug before quickly pulling away and moving me behind him. His eyes stare around the room at all the men clad in black.

“Why are you down here?” His tone is laced with concern, his eyes flickering back toward me before watching the area around us. “If you only woke up, you should stay in bed and rest. We can handle this.”

I watch as more people clad in black enter the abattoir and head toward the guys.

“There is no way I would leave you all here to fight without me. I’m not exactly sure what’s happening or why I collapsed, but I’m strong enough to help.” I grip the blade in my hand, taking my place beside him. “I won’t watch the people I love get hurt anymore, Ezra.”

He meets my gaze briefly, a small sigh leaving his lips as he warily watches the groups attacking the others around us.

“I would have agreed more easily if you hadn’t been unconscious for a couple of days with a bad temperature, Micai.”

My brows furrow with his words. Two days?

I shake my head and the thought from my mind. Now was not the time for questions, only actions.

I glare around at the intruders destroying parts of the abattoir with their attacks. “I promise I feel better. I know my body, Ezra. I can andwillhelp.”

He gives me one last worried look before sighing. “Fine, but we stick together. Don’t leave my side for a moment.”

I give him a small nod as we set off, heading toward Creed as more of the black-clothed men surround him, their attacks toward him relentless. But he doesn’t even seem fazed by the oncoming barrage.

The magic explodes around Creed; fire, lightning, and blades are all thrown in his direction, but with one swipe of his hand, his black coils lash out, destroying anything in its way like a tidal wave. Then it barrels toward the attackers, seeping up each of their limbs before wrapping around them, tightening until they’re gasping for breath and turning a dark shade of purple.