Page 36 of Fallen Star

And unlike last time, saving me is going to be far more complicated than a single vial of healing potion.

Sapphire

“No!”I scream as the dark angel soars away with Zoey, her dark hair streaming behind her as he carries her farther and farther from us.

He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t even falter.

“Focus!” Riven’s voice slices through my haze of terror as he beheads another nixie.

He’s right. I can’t go after Zoey. Not yet. Not with these monsters still coming at us, their bodies dripping with rotting algae as they drag themselves out of the river.

I’m going to kill every one of them.

Rage burns through me, and I grip my dagger tighter. The nixies are immune to my water magic—they’re literally made of it—but that won’t stop me from tearing them apart.

When the first one lunges at me, I duck and drive my blade up through its jaw. It explodes into a shower of muddy water, soaking me to the bone, but I don’t care. I just move on to the next one, and the next, letting my anger fuel every strike.

And using the wind at my heels to help me move faster.

“Behind you!” Riven shouts, and I spin just as another nixie reaches for me with its dripping claws.

I slash through its arm, then its throat, my movements faster than I thought possible. Probably because I’m using tiny bursts of air magic to increase my speed, to make my strikes hit harder.

“Nicely done,” Riven says, cutting down another nixie with a swift, precise strike of his sword.

“No time for compliments!” I yell back, already spinning to face the next one.

There are three left, their hollow eyes locked onto us.

One lunges at me, faster than I expect.

I pivot and slam the heel of my boot into its side, throwing it off balance just long enough to drive my blade into its core.

The force of the impact sends me stumbling backward, but I keep my footing.

Thank you, air magic.

Riven finishes the second one with a brutal slash to its chest.

But I’m already zeroing in on the final one—the largest of the group. Maybe the leader? I don’t know.

All I know is that if it wasn’t for thesethings,Zoey would still be here with us.

The nixie lunges.

Fueled by anger, I hurl the dagger with all my strength.

The wind guides it like an invisible hand, and the blade flies true, slicing through the air and striking the nixie square in its chest.

There’s a moment of stillness.

Then the nixie bursts into a spray of filthy water, its remains splattering onto the ground.

I stare at the spot where it was standing in shock.

It’s over.

They’re gone. All of them. At least, it seems like it.

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