Page 203 of Red Ruin

Here we go.

We blink into chaos.

Lombardy Keep is carved out of a mountain. The five towers and high wall barely hold back swarms of zombie kobolds and the stampeding skeletons of massive, gold-tusk boars. Monsters pile and climb, pile and climb, while the fresh-risen kobold mages launch spectral missiles from far behind the vanguard.

I choke on smoke and decay and the roar of psychic pain from Sentinels fighting themselves instead of the enemy.

Hands steady me when I reel—one hot, one cool.

I clear my head of everything but what I need to do.

“His voice,” Remy says hoarsely. “The pull is stronger here.”

“Stay with me.” I cycle through his soul, leaving nowhere for the lich to grab hold. His shadows wobble, then steady.

“I’m with you.” Remy drags my hand to his mouth. His throat burns, but the feeling eases when he huffs between my fingers.

“Never left.” Vhex cups my mouth with semi-clawed fingers. My gut clenches.

“Keep a tight hold on Kevan,” I remind Remy as I press my badge to alert Cherise that reinforcements are here. “Take us down to the central tower.”

Remy drops the Deathguard squads on the other towers. He carefully lowers me and, by association, Vhex.

Kevan and Luca’s bodies fall and roll into a corner, bundled up like shadowy sacks of trash.

I can’t spare them any more thought.

Between clanging metal, clashing spells, the psychic agony of out-of-control Sentinels, and the eerie, deathly aura pressing down on the battlefield, I can barely spare enough attention to take a full breath.

I anchor into Vhex and Remy, letting their strength shield me from the chaos.

Once I’m grounded, I squeeze Vhex’s hand. “Clear the walls.”

Glee boils out as his hellfire rolls down the parapets. Kobolds aren’t his match, let alone the undead kind, but there areso fucking manyof them. Some are oozy fresh, and some are so ancient, they’re only walking bones.

Just as many skeletal boars charge within their ranks, but he’s already barbecued them once before.

Letting Vhex take over our defense, I wince and turn to Remy.

His throat burns hotter than the hellfire.

“Kneel for me,” I murmur, tugging him down.

Remy drops, letting me cover his face. Using my hand like an oxygen mask, he takes deep, dragging breaths that tickle between my fingers. His dark and flickery thought patterns smooth out as soon as he’s breathing my skin instead of the blood-soaked air.

When his shadows are calm, I put him to work. “Bring me the Sentinel over there.” I point the direction with my silks.

Remyhmms, and a foggy-eyed A-class Sentinel appears from a puff of darkness.

I latch into the woman’s soul while she’s dazed from the trip, not giving her time to attack.

The lich king’s energy stings more sharply now that we’re closer to its source. Jabs of pain slow down my purge, but I don’t dare free up my hands to make skin contact with the Sentinel.

I’d rather be a little slower than risk weakening the weave between me, Vhex, and Remy.

If I lose them, everything is lost.

I’m panting by the time the Sentinel’s eyes clear.

---