Page 103 of Forging Darkness

I shake my head.

Not Steel. Legion.

“I like fighters,” he says. His fangs grow to impossible lengths. A bit of drool drips down his chin and lands on my neck.

Barf.

“Too bad you aren’t sticking around. You would have been fun to play with for a while.”

Bile burns the back of my throat as I’m engulfed in another wave of rage.

I attack with the heel of my hand, jabbing it into his nose, forcing bone and cartilage into his brain. Snarling, he jerks back. Black blood immediately faucets from his face.

That’ll keep him down for a few minutes.

It’s enough of an advantage to shove him off me and scramble back to my feet. I glance around wildly, scanning the arena until I spot the opening nearest to me, and then sprint toward it.

The Forsaken and Fallen in the crowd roar with delight. Nothing entertains them like a good bit of murder and mayhem.

My eyes catch on a spark of light that doesn’t fully register until I’ve zoomed past it. When my brain catches up with my feet, I skid to a stop—kicking up dust and sand and leaving a deep divot in the arena floor.

Lying on the ground behind me is the female Forsaken that approached Steel before he morphed into a bull. Hanging on her belt is the crystal she used to shatter the spirit gem.

I need it. I’m fully juiced and ready to explode. If I can just free myself of the spirit gem’s binding, I can blast several of these Forsaken away and take off.

I’ll never make it out of here with my powers bound.

In a fraction of a second, I assess the distance between me and the crystal and Legion, who is now steam rolling toward me at full speed.

I jolt forward, convinced I can make it there in time.

I don’t slow when I near the crystal. Instead I pick up speed, hunching over at the last moment to snag the fist-sized gemstone and then using momentum to jump as high as possible.

Legion isn’t expecting that move, and I sail over his head. The moment my feet have purchase on the ground, I slam the crystal against the red stone embedded in the bracelet.

A wave of fiery air blasts me, scorching the earth beneath my feet in a ten-foot radius.

Legion’s cries of pain are loud enough to make me flinch.

Wings punch through my back and relief flows over me. I don’t have to look down to know that I’m gilded in gold and ready for battle.

Without a second thought, I create an energized fireball. It glows and crackles in my open palm. Deadly.

Turning, I take aim at Legion. He’s bent over. His back is burnt and charred, but he’s still very much alive.

If presented with the opportunity, strike fast and true.

My mind chokes on Steel’s last wish, but it’s what he wanted. If there’s even a bit of him in there, this isn’t an existence he wants to endure.

I hesitate a mere moment, knowing I can’t afford to, but not quite able to make myself end him.

He turns his head to look over his shoulder at me, and what I see in his eyes almost brings me to my knees.

Legion isn’t looking at me from half a seared face—Steel is. He gives me a slow nod, encouraging me.

It’s him. He’s right there, and all I want is to run and throw my arms around him. But what he’s asking me to do instead is kill him.

His gaze hardens as his lips form a sneer, letting me know that Legion has taken control once again.

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