Page 65 of Bound in Flames

I pressed a lingering kiss to her temple, my lips trembling against her skin. "I love you," I whispered, the words raw and desperate. My voice cracked, betraying the fear I couldn’t hide. "I swear, Cleo. I won’t let it end like this. I can't—" My throat closed around the unspoken words, choking on the sheer enormity of my failure.

Her fingers tracing slow, soothing patterns over my shoulder. She didn’t say anything—she didn’t have to. Her presence alone was enough to tether me to the moment, to keep me from spiraling too deep into guilt.

I knew, deep down, that no matter how fiercely I loved her, how tightly I held her, that fate had its own cruel design.

“Orcs are fierce because we learn to live with the uncertainty of life,” My words were strained with emotion. “We use it. We don’t run from it. I need you to be one of us tonight, Cleo.”

“I thought I already was.” She clutched my hand tighter with a sad smile.

I exhaled shakily, pressing another kiss to her forehead, silently pleading for more time. More stolen moments. More chances to hold her, love her, worship her in the quiet darkness of our shared space. Because I knew—no matter how hard I fought, how fiercely I swore to protect her—some battles couldn't be won. And losing her would break me in ways I could never repair. “Yes, you are, Cleo. We do this together, no matter what comes across these walls.”

Gods help anyone who tried to take her from me.

Chapter 33

Cleo

As night descended, the orcs gathered along the walls of the stronghold, their faces set with grim determination. The wind howled through the narrow mountain pass, carrying with it a foul stench—decay and rot—the unmistakable scent of darkness. My heart pounded as I stood among them and scanned the cave, searching for any sign of movement. It was only a matter of time before it revealed itself.

At first, it was nothing more than a flicker at the edge of my vision—a shadow moving unnaturally fast through the scattered rocks. Then more appeared, slithering and writhing over the rocky ground. These creatures, dark and twisted, were infused with the same malevolent energy I had felt before.

The creatures moved with terrifying speed, their twisted forms barely discernible in the night, but I could feel them—each one pulsing with dark magic. Their very presence sent a chill down my spine. They were stronger than anything I had faced before, and they were hungry.

A tremor ran through my hands as I reached for the magic within. I could feel it, the familiar hum pulsing beneath my skin.

Dex’s eyes were fixed on the swarming creatures below, his voice rang out across the murmured prayers. “No matter what comes, we hold!”

The orcs roared in response. The bass echoed through rock beneath them, as they prepared to face the oncoming horde. The sound sent adrenaline coursing through me, but it did little to ease the fear twisting in my gut. I met Dex’s beautiful eyes as he squeezed my shoulder—a comforting gesture, but fleeting. His hand slipped away as he moved to join his warriors, pulling his massive axe from its sheath with practiced ease, taking up their defensive positions on the wall.

The ground rumbled beneath us as the first of the shadows reached the walls, their twisted forms clawing at the stone, screeching in rage. The wall shuddered beneath the weight of them, stone cracking under their claws. I stumbled as a section of the rampart crumbled away, sending debris and shadows tumbling into the abyss below. My hand shot out, gripping the edge just in time to keep myself from falling, but the ground beneath us was as treacherous as the creatures themselves. They scaled the walls with dizzying speed, and the orcs launched at them with a ferocity that took my breath away—blades flashing in the moonlight, arrows whistling through the air. But for every creature they cut down, more appeared, their bodies surging forward like a endless tide.

I lifted my hands and called forth healing magic that vibrated through the air. Green light began to glow from my fingers, soft at first, but quickly growing brighter as I pushed more of my strength into it. I could feel the magic welling up inside me, spilling out in waves, spreading across the battlefield like a net. Magic surged, flowing into the orcs. Wherever the green light touched, wounds sealed as their flesh knitted back together, broken bones snapped into place. The power thrummed throughthe air, vibrant and alive, pushing away the dark magic with a force that was both gentle and fierce.

The orcs could feel the swell of my power. I could see it in their eyes. With their strength renewed, they threw themselves back into the fight, their weapons flashing as they met the onslaught of dark creatures with vigor.

But the magic took more from me than I was prepared for. Every time I pushed, I felt a piece of myself slip away. My body shook under the strain, the exhaustion creeping in. Holding the darkness at bay had my magic flaring wildly, and I could feel a burning sensation in my arms. I glanced down and saw my veins glowing—a faint green-silver light coursing beneath my skin, tracing the lines of my magic as it fought to escape my body. The sight of it made my stomach turn, the glow identical to the one in my vision. A metallic taste exploded across my tastebuds, my nose trickling crimson blood across my lips.

The battlefield roared. steel clashing, the cries of the wounded, the darker side of my magic begging to be unleashed. But all I could hear were Dex’s words.“I thought I could use you.”My chest tightened, my grip on my power faltering, and I shook myself for the mental strength to not victim to its call.

A monstrous creature, twice the size of any orc, scaled the wall with terrifying speed. Its skin was slick with dark energy, and its eyes glowed with malevolent light. It let out a guttural roar as it reached the top of the wall, its claws raking through the air toward me.

Before I could retreat, Dex moved like a storm, his axe gleaming as it struck the creature, knocking it back with a powerful blow. Its ear splitting screech of fury had me wincing, racing to cover my ears as Dex swung again, the axe biting deep into the creature’s chest, black blood spraying in an gruesome arc.

Dex’s eyes stayed locked on the creatures. “Stay close to me!” he shouted.

I stepped behind him, throwing my power to surround Gornak with healing light, his hands clutched at the wound, fear clouding his eyes. My body screamed in protest, the glow of my veins growing brighter, the burning sensation crept up my neck and into my chest.

Gritting my teeth, I flooded the older warrior with the purest magic I could muster, staving off his death. His artery knit together, the flesh melting back into place, leaving only the blood-soaked remnants of the battle on his armor. With a quick nod of thanks, Gornak grabbed his sword and threw himself back into the fray, pulling one of the dark creatures from Thorn dddand removing its head with a bone-chilling battle cry.

Dex fought beside me, his movements a blur of controlled fury as he cut down anything that came too close. But even I could see the strain on his face—the tension in his muscles as they tightened with each swing of his axe. He fought with brutal precision, his blade cutting through the chaos like a force of nature. I hated that I noticed—hated the pang in my chest at the sight of him putting himself in danger.The darkness whispered to me, its anger seductive.Why should I care? He’d lied to me, used me.

My eyes roamed the battlefield as panic clawed at my throat. In a moment of clarity, I saw the orcs fighting with everything they had, their face fierce with determination. Blood streaked their armor, and their muscles strained with each blow, but they didn’t hesitate. They stood side by side, holding the line. I felt frantic eyes searching for me, for a strength and reassurance that I feared I could not give.

I knew I was likely an equally terrifying sight. My eyes were glowing, the veins under my skin pulsing with light as I burned with my magic, the agony was clear on my face, the flickeringpulse of my magic growing faster, the more I channeled. But they didn’t turn away. I could see the recognition on their face, the knowledge that we would not last, but still they fought with everything they had.

Wiping the blood from my hands as I turned to face the battlefield again. The air was thick with screams as the dark magic swirled. I was terrified. But I couldn’t let them see I had lost hope.

Dex’s words echoed in my mind. “They need to see that you’re not afraid…”

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