Page 139 of The Powers of Nyx

“That’s not freaky at all,” he muttered.

I let out a low growl, and it seemed he understood the warning, because he gripped the fur at my neck and let me guide him through the darkness. My nose twitched as I sought out her scent. The familiar trace of coffee and coconut was buried beneath layers of other smells; somewhere in there, I caught Archer and Grey, but just quickly as they came, they were gone.

Kingsley and I descended into the arena. There were hushed voices, then—

“Kingsley. Beckham.”

I couldn’t believe how fucking grateful I was to hear the vampire’s voice. Grey appeared like a ghost in the darkness. Blood, now dried, dripped down her forehead. Her gear was covered in dust and debris, her hair grey from the shit. As I took her in, I was forced to take everything else in, too.

The arena, renowned for its enchantments and structure, was shredded from whatever Ivy’s power had done to it. The students who had been trapped within the building were huddled in a less damaged area, some wounded, based on the blood in the air, while it seemed others were healed.

“The fuck happened?” Kingsley asked. “And where’s Rowan?”

Grey’s eyes darkened. “He was here first. He’s still trying to get into the sparring room where Nash and Ivy are trapped.”

Anger rippled through me, and I shifted back without hesitation. “What do you mean, where Nash and Ivy are trapped?”

“He is her mentor,” Grey replied stiffly. “He had her in one of the contained sparring rooms. Which I agreed to.”

Grey’s scent shifted as her eyes shuttered. She probably felt as guilty as Kingsley did—asIdid.

“The runes should have prevented this. I don’t—” Grey stopped, a blank mask falling over her face. “Follow me. We need to get Ivy out of there. I still don’t…I don’t feel her.”

“Neither do we,” I muttered. “Take us there.”

Picking our way through the rubble, it didn’t take long to find Archer trying to move debris out of the doorway. He didn’t even look up as we appeared; there was blood in his hair, and a bruise forming on his cheekbone, but he continued moving the collapsed wall with help from a couple of other students.

It shouldn’t surprise me that the Fae Prince was amongst the group helping. But his desperation made me pause.

The witch who usually followed him around looked up, eyes wide. “I know they’re both…alive, in there.”

“Blythe is a mind witch and damned fucking good,” Archer grunted, throwing another rock to the side. “She claims she can feel Ivy in there. Alive.”

“But she’s not well. I can’t feel her thoughts like I should.” The witch glanced warily at the Fae male, who clenched his jaw, but didn’t stop.

There were others helping, too. A large shifter and a demon. Neither looked up. They just worked. And it didn’t take long for Kingsley and me to join them.

Since we’d arrived, I’d tried to ignore the fear. Fear that what I might find within could destroy me. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep going without her. If I lost her…

I shook my head of those thoughts.

It took us another hour to break through the wall of rubble. My muscles burned from the exertion, and I wasn’t the only one feeling it. By the time we were through, the other students stepped back, leaving the team and I, as well as the Fae male, to finish breaking through.

My heart almost stopped at the destruction within. Her power was more potent now, and the expulsion of magic shuddered across my skin. I stomped into the sparring room, taking in the burnt-out runes lining the walls and floor, all empty of power. Most of the ceiling had caved in, too, taking out the support beams and almost everything else.

The darkness here seemed thicker, discoloured by smoke and dust. But the shadows shifted, and I held my breath as something moved within them.

I released a heavy breath as Nash turned, tucking his wings into his back. He was shirtless, bloodied, but he clutched someone to his chest.

I didn’t wait for the others. I stumbled towards the male, not even caring to check in with him. Not as I pulled Ivy’s unmoving body from his arms and held her against my chest. Her heartbeat was steady, her breathing soft. Almost like she was asleep. Therewas no blood, and I took in the dark eyed agent. His hair was grey from the debris, and blood coated his skin. He was shirtless, wings gone.

“You protected her,” I said quietly, voice hoarse. “Thank you.”

Nash bowed his head, swaying on his feet. “Just make sure she’s okay,” he muttered. “Don’t let her die.”

The others appeared around us, though the Fae male stood back. I didn’t care. Not as Ivy sighed, not as her eyes fluttered and I knew she was there.

The bond remained dark and quiet, but I had her again.

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