Page 89 of Claws of Death

Like on a silent command, the arrows flare to life, bright orange fire coating the tips and sizzling up the shafts.

They don’t give a warning before they shoot.

Myron’s weight nearly smothers me as he throws himself over me, rolling us into the bushes. His shield pulls in close to us, denser and visible as it glows against the onslaught of flying arrows.

“You all right?” We come to a halt, me on my back and Myron on top of me, a scratch on his cheek that makes me furious, even when it’s just from a branch.

I nod, shoving at his chest so I can get up and face the Flames. They need to reload their bows, and I want to use those precious seconds to strike with my magic. Myron understands, leaping up and pulling me to my feet with him. Another arrow flies, and the bushes behind us burst into flames, making us stumble a step closer to the Fire Fairies so Myron’s shield won’t get eaten up by the heat.

Screams sound from the other side of the fire, and a part of me wants to go check on the others, but they are seven against a bunch of humans, while we… Well, we’re facing an army of at least fifty. And they aren’t here to negotiate.

My powers immediately react when I summon them, even when my pulse is racing and my palms are sweaty. I don’t wait for Myron’s signal as I send the streak of silver into the eerie glow of the Flames’ formation. They have more arrows at the ready, but my magic hits theirfrontline so hard the three Flames at the center stumble into the row behind them, loosing their arrows into the clouds above.

Myron’s attack follows suit, kicking deeper into the formation, and I hear necks snap where Flames tumble to the ground to never get up again.

A part of me fills with hope. We are strong together, my mate and me. We can do this.

Then, the Flames in the next row step over the corpses of their fallen, filling up the front lines, slender silver blades in one hand and fireballs in the other.

A volley of heat rushes at us, forcing us to sidestep the burning bush and expose our backs to the battle behind. Tori and Kaira are there, but they are still engaged in the battle around the wagons. It’s a small comfort that, as long as they’ve got our backs, at least we don’t need to worry about getting stabbed from behind.

So far, Myron’s shield holds, but he can’t attack with full force and keep the silver layer of protection around us flawless at the same time. The Flames take an organized step forward.

Arrows fly again, this time, over our heads, right into the action, and I think I hear Clio’s curse. I don’t dare turn around.

“Please tell me you’re winning that fight,”I beg Tori in my mind, whose presence has remained at my back despite Clio’s outburst.

“We’ve got your back, Queen of Crows,”he responds, and from the ground, small drops of liquid rock rise, zooming for the flames and knocking the arrows from their bows before they can send the next wave.

“The human soldiers fight well,”Kaira notes, and I realize that we’re all three hearing our silent conversation while the rest of the group is locked out.

Myron noticed the projectiles Tori created, though. He lowers his shield to let them pass before pulling it back up again, silver vines knitting tight around us.

It takes the Flames a moment to understand what’s going on—a moment we use to deliver our next strike—but once they do, they shoulder their bows and charge, drawing their blades as they cover the ground between us so fast I barely have time to brace myself before they clash with Myron’s shield. Fire cracks along the silver sphere, flames licking and lapping holes into the web of magical threads. Heat lashes at my face as single threads of fire spear through, but he draws the shield tighter, throwing his focus into keeping the danger sealed out.

No matter how strong, Myron can’t hold them off forever, but I can stab at them with my daggers, so I do. One precise slice after the other, I pierce through the shield where it’s already falling apart, bracing myself for the agony of seared palms as I meet both fire and steel. A wide-eyed Flame sees me coming, staggering back just far enough so only the tip of my dagger reaches her. With satisfaction, I watch it nick her throat, right on the column of her windpipe. Her scream ends in a gurgle, and she sinks to the ground, clutching her bloodied throat.

Another Flame is ready though, and her blade hits my forearm. It’s a mild blow, sliding off my leathers as I’m already drawing my hand down and back, but I hiss anywayat the momentary throb of pain, swallowing down the urge to check on it. If I pause, they’ll only close in on us faster, and the heat is already becoming unbearable with every inch Myron’s shield contracts, holes allowing the fire to reach for us like glowing fingers of fire.

“We need Clio’s ice magic!”I shout into the silent conversation. Tori is already on it. Then Kaira steps up to my side, slipping into the shield with ease the moment Myron notices her, like he can will his protective magic to differentiate between friend and foe.

Kaira sheathes her daggers, lifting her palms, and closes her eyes. I want to yell at her to watch out as a streak of fire enters the shield, effectively ripping it apart, and we stand defenseless except for our weapons. The blast of heat singes my skin where it licks over my fingers, and I can feel blisters rise on the back of my hand. Ignoring the burning ache, I summon my magic, preparing to strike, while Myron is already cutting down Flames with his sword, flickers of silver dancing around the blade and lashing at the opponents he misses.

The fire doesn’t stop coming at us, though. Like a gushing river, it flows into Kaira’s hands, dancing and coiling and weaving into a ball so big it could have been the moon Myron watched so intently on the roof an hour ago, and I want to shout a warning.

A smile graces her lips as she whips the fire back into the fighting Flames.Siphoned,I realize, and heave a breath as I watch the orange sphere zoom across the field.

Fire doesn’t seem to burn them the same way it burns us, but they duck and scatter where Kaira’s attack hits. It’senough for us to strike. This time, Tori’s molten rock joins the attack, tearing through armor and flesh before it solidifies again in their bodies. I don’t even want to know how that feels. The fire is still raging, though, and our progress is limited with the Flames hiding behind a wall of it.

“Where is Clio?”I call to Tori in my mind as he cuts into a brave Flame’s arm when it steps out of the fire into his range. The soldier’s scream curdles my blood, but I keep fighting. “We need her ice magic to box in the fire.”

Tori nods right before leaping at the now armless soldier, taking off his head with an efficient swing of his sword. His shield pushes back enough of the heat so we can hold our ground, but just like Myron’s, it won’t last forever.

“She’s a bit busy.”He sends an image of the battle behind us at the same moment he says out loud, “The human soldiers aren’t all human. Erina snuck a few Flames in there as well.”

Fire explodes behind us, followed by screams and the whinnying of horses. Wood cracks, and scorched debris rains down on us. I throw my arms over my head just in time when a splinter of burning wood hits me, leaving blackened scratches on my armor and a bruise on my shoulder.

Water. I needwater.If Clio can’t help, maybe I can.

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