Page 89 of The Sins of Silas

"If Era comes out, let her know I'm down there. In case she's looking for me."

Hendry nodded, and I rushed down the steps with Taira. Already injured Forsmontian soldiers were stumbling in, wishing to be treated by my sister. Sweat dripped down Elowen's forehead as she hurried to heal them. As gifted as my sister was, her magic could still be drained as any Mages’ could.

I can’t worry about that right now.

I bolted to where Edmund and Roland were fighting two Otacian men, and I shot my arm forward, freezing the one in front of Edmund completely, just as Taira shot an ice bolt right into the other's eyeball. He fell back, shrieking in agony as his face dripped red.

"Holy fuck," Roland respired.

Edmund's head shot toward mine. "Thanks, man!"

I offered him a curt nod and resumed my assault, willing the frigid magic to course into my veins. Anytime I used my ice, I thought of my mother. I thought of her final years of life…of how miserable she was. I thought of how skinny she became, having no willto eat.

I thought of the moment I found her body hanging still with a noose tied around her neck.

I allowed that sorrow to run through me, using it as fuel. I bellowed as I struck.

One. Three. Ten. Twenty-four. Thirty-seven.

I killed and killed and killed, and just as Silas had said before, I did it without remorse. I did it to protect. I did it to preserve. Shutting my gift off from feeling the onslaught of horrific emotions around me became easy as I used all my power for my ice.

Taira and I were breathing heavily, weakened from such high magic usage. But we were reaching the opening the Otacians had created, where their soldiers continued to flood in.

"We need to take out the catapult," Taira panted.

My eyes darted to Lena, who was fighting off soldiers with grace…and with rage. She engulfed one after another in flame, their screeches from their burning skin causing half their men to flee and half to charge for her.

Fuck me and my gift that I couldn't seem to get control of. My eyes darted to Silas, whose emotions began to bleed into mine. He was panting heavily…eyes widening at the burning soldiers.

I felt like I was going to vomit. I felt panic and terror flood through me like never before as I clutched my chest.

The Prince was having a panic attack, and his emotions were giving me one as well.

Lena's eyes flashed to his, sensing his unease. She rushed toward him, electrocuting those that separated them.

"Merrick!" Taira wailed just as an Otacian was about to behead me. She was too preoccupied with the one in front of her and couldn't stop the impending blow coming my way.

There was no time. Not even to use a forcefield.

This was it. I was dead.

My eyes squeezed shut, but the sound of an arrow whizzing by, followed by a grunt, had my eyes shooting open. The man before me fell with a thud, and when I whirled at the castle balcony, I saw her.

Erabella. She lowered her bow, panting heavily.

The Otacian Princess came out to fight after all.

And she saved my life.

There was no time for me to shoot her a smile. I whirled my head back and continued killing my way through.

Chapter Twenty-Four

SILAS

One by one, I struck my men. Men I had trained alongside, men I had trained myself. The looks of respect and admiration were no longer present on any of their faces as they aimed to strike me down.

It would appear the King did not wish to take me prisoner.

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