Page 33 of To Claim a King

It had waited for them, that much was clear. Why, otherwise, wouldn’t it have made its move until now?

“All in formation,” the King called, as a hooded dark figure advanced from the woods, a mile out of Norda.

It was only one person, and he shouldn’t have felt such dread, but he did, and he wasn’t going to ignore it.

He, Nathos, Vincent, and Xandrie may be the only ones who knew to fear what was happening when a dark mist appeared, projected out of the stranger’s hand. His own frame was lit in gold - just what Vincent had described when he’d told them how their walls had been breached. They’d walked right into a trap.

“He wanted me here,” Rhey guessed. “This… he means to kill us all.”

He turned to Nathos, the only person with knowledge of such things. Could Shadow kill? Maim? Drive them insane? Whatever he’d planned, it wouldn’t be good. He didn’t want to find out.

“The bulk of us have to flee. If - when - it reaches us, it will be too late. Demelza, change and take Xandrie out of here; ride south, don’t look behind.”

If he stayed, he’d give the rest of them enough time.

He was surprised and relieved when the women obeyed without protesting; Elza turned gold and the woman he would never have jumped on her back.

Rhey breathed easy for about ten seconds, but then, he yelled as hard as he could, screaming at the two damn idiots who were going to get themselves killed. He should have seen this coming. Neither woman was good at listening to orders.

Instead of going south, Elza went north, landing atop of the guard tower, glowering, her scales turning black as they did when she was ready to spit fire.

“Stay where you are,” Xandrie yelled above them all. “You’re not welcome here.”

The shadow walked forth, ignoring her; a chilled laugh filled the air.

Elza spit her dragonfire right at the advancing figure, but while it burned the plain, the stranger remained unharmed, its shadows keeping the fire at bay.

Shit.

Then, something did stop it.

Gold.

A fine golden myst, flying from the same direction the flames had come from; Rhey found Xandrie surrounded by dark clouds, and pushing Aether right at their enemy.

It was working. Not for long, though.

Unlike the stranger, Xandrie couldn’t keep at it for long.

“She needs time and strength. Demelza can share some of hers, but that won’t be enough - she’s an apprentice without guidance going against a master,” Nathos looked like he might burst if he attempted to think any harder. “Chants. That won’t help for long but positive energy may help.”

“You’re proposing we cheer on her?”

“You have abetteridea?” Rhey roared at Vincent, who shook his head.

“Nope. Singing sounds great. Let’s get to it guys.”

They sang ballads and lullabies, feeling helpless each time Xandrie stopped holding on, needing to catch her breath for a second. Each time, the hooded mage and its shadow advanced. To their credit, none of their men left, although they could have run south.

All of a sudden, Demelza took flight, heading west. Before she’d even cleared half of the distance, Rhey knew exactly what the two dumb women were up to.

“No.”

He’d lost his mother to this damn wall. Not again.

Xandrie couldn’t hold the mage away and she knew it - they were all going to die if she did nothing, so she’d chosen to give her life instead. It made sense; he just didn’t want to fucking accept it.

Damn woman. He shifted and let the erratic tiger crying after his mistress jump on his back, before following after Demelza, flying right next to them; he knew exactly what he wanted to do - bully Demelza into turning back - but now he’d given in to his beast, his instincts told him a very different thing. Instead of shepherding them back to Norda like he should have, Rhey found himself floating alongside them, quieting his own heart, his own everything, and pushing as much energy as he could through the link he felt there. The link shouldn’t have existed yet, without a mating bond. But it was inside him - and his beast had known it.

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