Page 124 of An Archer's Reckoning

My heart felt each stone that battered my shield.

I made it to the courtyard between the Mages’ Guild Hall and Academy before my strength gave out.

I fell.

All I could do was lift my head and watch as massive fissures formed in the Mages’ tower. Light, fire, and raging power flooded through each crack as magic strained against its chains.

I looked around at the bodies, the blood-slick stones of the walkways, the death-masks now worn by men I’d called brother or uncle. Anger and grief warred within, despite my body’s refusal to rise.

I lay helpless.

I lay hopeless.

I wept.

And then my soul found peace.

A glorious, painless moment of tranquility that descended from . . . I didn’t know where.

My eyes fixed on soaring wings high above the city.

Órla circled once, then an explosion of magnificent Light spread across the sky, as if magic itself had burst apart in some world-ending blast. Blue, white, and silver light shot from the owl in massive waves until the sun and clouds cowered behind her brilliance.

I blinked a few times to clear my vision. When I could see again, I could scarcely believe what my eyes witnessed.

Where Órla flew only heartbeats before, a massive Phoenix soared across the sky. Its wings and tail dripped blue flame and spread so wide they blocked out the sky.

Its cry . . .

Dear Spirits.

The cry of the Phoenix stilled my heart.

Even the Kingdom soldiers froze in their frenzy and gaped at the sky.

Órla’s voice was the raging of a river, the fury of a storm.

“BOND-MATE, ATTEND!Now you see me for the first time. And I see you. I always have.”

I shuddered as a wave of raw power streaked through my body.

As the world stopped to witness the rebirth of the Phoenix, a thunderouscrack, as though the world itself was torn asunder, exploded from the peak of the tower. The roof burst apart, sending stone in every direction, as Irina’s volcanic flame streaked high into the air. The walls of the summoning chamber fell away, and she stood alone in the open air, high above the vanquished city.

When her head snapped to the Phoenix, and she let out an angry, otherworldly cry, men below fell to their knees and covered their ears.

Turning from her ancient foe toward the city, fire burst from her palms.

Buildings and homes shattered apart like toys.

Men in blue and green screamed as liquid fire clawed, grasped, and consumed everything in its path.

Her anger burned for leagues, and once-proud Saltstone withered as a dying vine before her fury.

“Stop her, Órla. Please.”My plea was a whisper.

The Phoenix’s head snapped toward the tower’s perch, her sharp beak pointing toward her prey. Powerful wings propelled her beyond the speed of any living being as she streaked toward her goal.

Still distracted by wanton rage, Irina’s head was turned away when a talon thrust forward.

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