Page 38 of Forging Darkness

Letting loose a cry of fear, I rush the pack, grabbing and flinging Forsaken almost without thought. Scorch marks appear under my hands wherever I touch.

Good. Let them burn.

Eventually they catch on that my touch burns and scurry a safe distance away, leaving Steel sprawled at my feet. His pelt is so saturated in blood—his own and Forsaken—I don’t know where his injuries start or end.

Lumbering to his feet, he growls. We’re backed against a wall, which limits our ability to escape, but at least there’s one less side we have to guard.

Digging deep, I concentrate on letting my power pool in my hands. A golden ball of fire starts to form between my palms. I’m anxious to chuck it at our enemies.

Seeing the weapon grow in my hands, the Forsaken back away farther. Unease is heavy in the air. Tentacles of fear leak from the suddenly tentative monsters.

For the first time since entering the spectrum world tonight, confidence straightens my spine.

I’m seconds away from releasing my wrath in the form of a super-charged, fiery ball of energy, when Silver appears front and center. She narrows her bloodshot eyes and plants her hands on her hips like a petulant child, not knowing—or caring—she’s seconds away from being fried.

Is she tapping her foot?

The ball in my hand sparks and shrinks in size.

Steel’s growl refocuses my attention, and I force energy into my hands, re-growing the ball of golden fire. It turns an angry red color. The light it casts seems to bother the Forsaken. Some of them hiss and cower away from the rays.

“Very pretty, Emberly. But that’s enough. Time to end the light show.” Silver’s voice echoes off the alley walls.

Is she for real?

My anger increases my power and blue sparks join the fiery mix between my hands. A slow smile breaks over my face.

I’m so going to barbecue this group of monsters.

I draw my arms back in preparation when Silver snaps her fingers at a group of Forsaken. Holding my gaze, she tips her head to the left, indicating something in the crowd. When I see what she’s gesturing toward, the breath freezes in my chest.

No.

Ash fights like a hellcat between three Forsaken. One is attached to each of her arms, and another has its beefy limbs banded around her middle. Her feet flail in the air as she struggles to break free. There are scratches on her neck, and blood runs down her right arm, but her captors also look worse for wear. Black blood oozes out of multiple wounds, and the creature behind her is missing an eye.

“Burn them all, Em!” Ash’s shouted command rings clear, agitating the group.

A Forsaken jolts forward and hits her with an open palm, running its claws over her cheek on the downswing. Blood leaks from the slashes now marring Ash’s beautiful face.

She’s going to be all right, I chant to myself as I fight to keep it together.

“Sterling?”

“Tinkle’s been holding out on us,” she answers with a smile. I don’t have the bandwidth to mull that over. It’s enough to know he’s okay . . . at least for the moment.

The ball in my hands grows in size, matching my fury.

“You throw that angel-fire and she’s dead.” Silver flicks her fingers in Ash’s direction, and the Forsaken that holds her from behind opens its maw and places its mouth on Ash’s thin neck.

I have too good a view of its elongated teeth pressing into her flesh. The white fangs are super visible against the contrast of her dark skin. They must have picked that Forsaken for its mouth size, because somehow it’s able to engulf almost half of Ash’s throat. Has it dislocated its jaw?

The beast moves only a quarter of an inch, but it’s enough to break her skin and cause blood to run in rivulets down the column of her neck.

Ash stops fighting, and her eyes go wide. Her chest lifts up and down rapidly and her body straightens as her muscles lock.

My heart’s going to explode. I’ve gone from cocky and confident to terrified in only a matter of beats.

Beside me, Steel lets out an angry roar, and then in a blast of light, transforms back into himself.

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