Page 79 of Called By Fate

Our backs are almost to the barrier and that’s when I see Vald flick his hand. The barrier behind us flickers for half of a second.Is he… struggling to maintain it?I glance down at my dagger, embedded with shadestone, and that’s when an idea pops into my head.

I give Matilda a look to be ready from across the divide that I hope she sees, and then I burst into action. Pivoting, I sprint the remaining distance to the barrier and slam my dagger into it before even an utterance of protest can happen. The force of it reverberates up my arms and through my body, but Elian is there, protecting my back with his knife in one hand. I put both hands on my dagger in an attempt to tear this barrier apart.

Come on, come on, come on.

I scream, forcing power into my arms as I shove the dagger down through the barrier as hard as I can, the magic fights me the whole way, but I push and push until I blow it wide open.

As soon as the barrier drops, I start to see the Elite running through the trees, heading this way as backup. Shit.

Testing my connection with my mates, I find it open once more, so I send out SOS’s left and right down the bond to them, pleading with the Goddess for them to hear it. Because in this case, SOS doesn’t meansave our ship. It meanssave our Sadie,and I’m going to need all the help I can get.

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Panting from the exertion of breaking through the barrier, I turn and shout, “Matilda!” But the woman is already on it, working her magic into a swirling portal. I don’t have a chance to see who walks through, or if anyone does, because the Elders descend upon us with rage in their eyes.

Vogt is keeping the orb of souls safe, but Reginald and Vald aren’t tied down by it. I call the shadows to me as Reginald readies to attack me but forget that they slide right off him. Shit.

How do you fight someone who can’t be harmed?

You don’t.

Elian! I think the souls are the key. We need to get to them,I project to him mentally.

He grunts his affirmation as he and Vald start fighting, and damn, Vald is ruthless. Elian has his knife in hand and they’re sparring, going blow for blow, but I don’t get to watch them fight any longer as Reginald is now aiming his own dagger at me. I’m forced to return my attention to him as I raise my shadestone in defense. The force of us colliding vibrates down my arms.

Using all my might, I shove Reginald away from me, hoping to make him stumble. He doesn’t, but he is forced to take a few steps back, which gives me a little breathing room. I know I’m going to need it.

* * *

Elian

All hell breaksloose around us after Sadie knocks the barrier down, and that fucker, Vald, heads straight for me. He never liked me, and I can tell by the look in his eyes he’s going to enjoy killing me. Good luck trying, asshole.

From my peripheral, I see the shifters and Weavers we were trying to rescue jump into the fray, trying to hold off the Elites for us. The level of respect they have for us stuns me.

I keep Sadie and Reginald in my line of sight as much as I can while attempting to use my fear power on the Elders, but it slides right off them like I’m not even trying. Sadie must be right about the souls being the source of their invincibility.

Vald manages to nick my arm with his blade, but I ignore the pain. I’ve dealt with far worse, from my own father no less. “You’re a fucking disgrace to your family, I hope you know that,” Vald says venomously.

He leaves his right side open, and I dive in but he manages to block me at the last second. Vald has always been the Elder I’ve kept an eye on the most. There’s something completely unhinged about him in a completely different way than Reginald’s crazy stupid.

“My mother and sister would be proud of me and that’s all I care about,” I retort, throwing up a shield when he goes for my side. The look on his face makes a cocky smile spread across mine.

We could do this twirl and dance all night, but sadly, judging by the ones falling around us—because honestly, a ragtag bunch of Weavers and shifters are no match for the Elite—we’re not going to last long, unless something happens. There’s magic being thrown everywhere but the Elite are quick and thorough.

There’s a tug in my chest and from the corner of my eye, I see a portal open and four hulking figures I’d know anywhere step through.

Bring it on, fuckers. The cavalry's here.

* * *

Sadie

“Sadie!”my mates bellow as one, and my eyes find theirs from across the divide. Thank the Goddess they’re here, but they’re on the other side, and Elian is over here which means he can’t shadow them to us.

I’m distracted by the sight of them a second too long because pain blooms across my shoulder as Reginald slices me with his blade, and I jump back at the last second to avoid getting impaled.Fuck, that hurt,I think as blood drips down my arm.No more getting distracted. They’ll figure out how to get to me. They always do.

I circle Reginald, making him follow my movements. He’s good, but he’s also rusty. I can tell by the slight fumbles in his steps. They’re small, but they’re there. This is someone who is used to having their battles fought for them. I can’t help but feel like I’m water circling a drain, getting closer and closer to it before being sucked down the pipes, or my doom. Too bad I have no intention of going down those pipes with him.

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