Page 130 of A Sun Scorched Bloom

I’m not abandoning you,Lea argued.

"The mate bond is so convenient is it not?" Alaric’s macabre grin returned. "Kill one, kill both." He stepped forward with his right foot. His tell.

Gray felt Lea’s reluctance, her absolute refusal to leave him for even a second. But if Alaric found Emma and Thomas, or the fire spread to where they couldn’t escape…

It will be okay, my love,Gray whispered in her mind.

He didn’t get the chance to feel her response. Just as Gray had predicted, Alaric lunged with his sword out, slashing wildly.

Chapter 84

Gray

LearacedtoJanelle,and Gray heard her order her friend to get Emma and Thomas out as Gray dodged Alaric’s blow. He angled his body toward the house, pulling his brother’s attention away from his mate. Gray was no fool. Lea was the only one who could defeat Alaric. But he could provide a distraction.

Janelle disappeared through the front door and Lea returned to Gray’s side. His heart was pounding, his stomach filled with apprehension. He’d hoped that his mate would flee to save her friends.

They needed Emma to hold her tether to the dead—needed them to be able to fight if Lea’s fire faded back in the meadow. Who knew what was going on back there, but if the whole field of soldiers had been slaughtered and he hadn’t done everything he could to protect them, Gray would never forgive himself.

But that wasn’t the only reason. Despite her magic, her power, he didn’t want her anywhere near Alaric. It was obvious that he was losing his mind, that any bit of rationality or sense had deteriorated as he’d stolen their father’s magic. He was unstable, more of a threat than Gray had ever imagined.

Alaric spun, his sword an extension of his arm as he moved with inconceivable speed. Even for a Fae, Gray had never seen someone move so quickly. Lea swung a flaming sword at Alaric’s knees, but he jumped with the agility of an antelope. Erik pushed a wall of fire toward him as Gray sent arrows of shadow at his chest, but with a flick of his fingers, Alaric threw up a shimmering shield of thick, hard air.

The sword in Lea’s hand began to glow, and Gray ordered a bolt of lightning to strike at Alaric’s chest, distracting him. Lea was using the weapon Thomas had made her to absorb the power surrounding her, and Gray was grateful. He made a mental note to thank Thomas as he forced crash after crash of lightning down around Alaric, forcing him to strengthen his shield.

With a roar, Alaric shattered the shield with a blast of fire, each piece of solid air bursting into shards of flaming glass. A shield of air just like Alaric's burst from Lea’s sword, wrapping around her as Gray and Erik ducked. Pieces of Alaric’s fractured shield embedded into Gray’s arm, and he hissed in pain.Shit! he cursed.How many different types of magic has Alaric stolen?He plucked the shards out with his shadows as Lea darted forward, swiping at Alaric’s neck.

Without even looking at her, Alaric pushed a palm outward, a gust of wind like a tornado sending her flying to the ground.

"Azalea!" Gray shouted, searching the bond for injuries.

I’m fine.Lea coughed, struggling to her hands and knees as she sucked in deep breaths. Alaric had knocked the air out of her, but she was otherwise unharmed.Help Erik!

Gray turned just as Erik ran around Alaric’s back, drawing his sword and preparing to strike, but he was thrown backward with an earth-shattering blast of fire, sending him crashing into the side of the house. Erik’s head hit the stone with acrack, and the scent of blood filled the air.

Horror washed over Gray, and he risked a glance at his friend. His relief was mild, but sweet. His chest still rose and fell rhythmically. He was alive.

"You heard him. This is between my brother and me. Stay out of it," Alaric hissed. His words were pointless. With hardly any effort from Alaric, Erik laid unconscious.

In his periphery, Gray saw Lea crouching, her sword swirling with shadows as she creeped toward them.

"Isaid, this was between me and my brother!" Alaric roared, throwing his hands in the air as walls of flames at least fifteen feet high surrounded them, blocking Lea off. The fire began to spread, and Gray’s stomach dropped.

The fire, Azalea! Pull Erik away!He shouted, gathering his shadows and attempting to suffocate the flames.

"No magic, Evander." Alaric raised an eyebrow and his sword. "I want to watch the blood drain from your throat."

Gray ignored him as he forced his shadows outward, aiming for Alaric’s neck. He would use every last bit of his magic to defeat his brother. He refused to allow himself to be killed, not if he could help it, not if Lea would be killed with him. Silver-blue lightning crashed inches from his brother’s feet as Lea tried to strike Alaric from behind the wall of flames. Gray’s chest swelled with pride. His mate, his warrior. Gray ordered his own lightning to join Lea’s, aiming to hit Alaric’s sword, but he dodged too quickly.

"You never listen, do you?" Alaric screamed, spit flying from his mouth.

Gray ripped Alaric’s feet out from under him with his shadows, then lunged with his sword. Alaric rolled, but not before Gray’s blade sliced across his cheek.

Black-red blood trickled from the laceration that ran from Alaric’s nose to the tip of his ear, dripping down his face and into his mouth. "Magic, then?" Alaric threw fire around him in an arc, so fast and so broad that Gray was unable to dodge it. His uniform caught fire, and he cried out in pain as he sent his shadows to smother his flaming sleeve. "If you insist. It’s your grave."

Chapter 85

Lea

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