Page 17 of The Sacred and the Tormented

Not here.

The flying creatures were closer now and Arianna swore she could hear their deep guttural growls in the distance.

Someone shouted, then fires lit up the entire area, momentarily blinding her. Her eyes watered but she blinked it away, willing them to adjust.

Phase two then.

Laid out before them, on both sides of the far wall, large piles of wood burned bright. Each had been strategically placed to act as a funnel that would lead to various traps.

The Dark Fae yelped and snapped their teeth as they scattered to avoid the fires popping up in their midst. Arianna hadn’t realized Fiadh’s magic could reach so far, but Raevina had said small sparks were easy from a distance. It was maintaining the flames that would cause too much strain.

But those fires wouldn’t need to be maintained. They were solely for the purpose of guiding and illuminating the enemy.

The numbers before her did nothing to ease her nerves. Fear coursed through her as she studied the masses. Counting was of no use.

Rion’s fingers threaded through her own and she startled before closing her hand around his. He didn’t look at her, but she could feel the comfort he tried to convey down their bond.

Arianna took another steadying breath as they waited.

The seconds seemed too long and too short all at once.

The winged creatures surged past the outermost wall just as those on foot tumbled into the pits. Howls of pain filled the air and she cringed at the sound.

Seconds. They had seconds.

Was there a thousand of them? Two? Did she even know what a thousand bodies looked like?

Rion remained still. An immovable force. He didn’t balk at the numbers and neither did Talon nor the other seasoned warriors positioned along the wall. Arianna was certain their steadiness was the only thing keeping the others from fleeing. They trusted their commanders. Which was exactly what they needed if they hoped to win.

She jolted again when a male’s voice pierced the air and several Fae standing among them raised their arms. Rion squeezed her hand again. She’d been with them when they’d gone over the plans, but her heart was racing too much to remember everything.

Wind tore through the air, whipping her braided hair around, before it converged in a wave and shot out, slamming into the flying creatures so hard, they were shoved back into the others.

Wings folded in on themselves and they plummeted to the ground, screeching the whole way before they landed in a heap of crunching bones. The beasts snapped their jaws at one another, some going so far as to tear their comrades to shreds as if they were the cause for the sudden outburst.

Animals. They were nothing more than animals.

She watched them scramble to their feet and howl in frustration and pain when their wings wouldn’t respond. How had Niall directed them at all? They clearly held no intelligence of their own, or maybe the male had corralled them somehow, or planted a scent no one could detect.

Another blast of wind went out, striking the flying creatures again. They rained down, landing on their comrades. Some didn’t rise again.

Hope began blossoming in her chest. If they could take them all out from a distance, then—part of the outer wall Rion had erected came crashing down. One second it was standing, the next large chunks of rock were falling as it crumbled apart.

Dark Fae were crushed beneath the weight of the stones but more were spilling through. So many more. The sheer mass of them continued to pull the wall apart, crumbling it bit by bit.

A collective gasp went through those beside her. One stepped back as if he might run.

“Steady,” Rion called again. The command echoed down the line.

Arianna could scent their fear rising, but none turned to flee.

Pits swallowed creatures as they scrambled to avoid the strengthening fires. Arianna knew the bottom of those pits contained spikes and poisonous plants. The Dark Fae’s howls proved they were effective.

Another gust of wind pushed forward, hitting another line of the flying creatures.

Those below were closing in fast.

The fires erupted outward, sparks scattering as the flames shifted into great beasts of prey that consumed everything in their path. Shadow creatures joined them, singeing flesh and melting bodies before her eyes.

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