Page 96 of Queen of Legends and Lies
Winged guards dash between the flames, blades flashing as they seek to tip the balance in our favor.
But the drachen are everywhere. A seething mass of darkness that obscures the sky. Our forces are hopelessly entangled with them, dragons and flying soldiers darting in and out of the fray.
We have no clear line of attack. No way to strike at our enemies without risking our own people.
Sterling and I hang back for a moment, unleashing torrents of fire and ice into the melee. The drachen shriek as our magic sears and freezes them, but they reform almost as quickly as we weaken them.
It’s like trying to beat back the tide with a broom.
A flicker of movement catches my eye. Terror races up my spine.
Agnar is surrounded. Dozens of drachen close in from all sides as he hurls the last of his stone ammunition. His face is set in grim lines, but I can read the desperation in his stance.
No. I won’t lose another friend. Not today.
I pivot toward Sterling, a plan crystallizing in my mind. A reckless, impossible plan, but it’s all we have. “We have to merge again. It’s the only way to stop them all at once.”
“It’s still unstable.” His furrowed brow smooths over as his eyes meet mine. “We’ve been training all day, Lark. We could burn out.”
“We don’t have a choice.” Despair hoarsens my voice. “If we don’t try, more people will die.”
Indecision wavers on his features for all of a second before he nods. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
As our hands meet and our powers begin to flow together once more, I send up a silent prayer to whatever deity deigns to listen.
In a dizzying rush of heat and cold, the merged magic surges through me. I grit my teeth, fighting to maintain control as the energies war within. Unleashing it all in one devastating blast would be so much easier. But that maelstrom would consume friend and foe alike.
Which is why I can’t let that happen. Not after everything we’ve fought for.
Despite Sterling’s unwavering faith in me, I don’t actually have a solid strategy.
I only know whatnotto do. “We have to separate them. Drive the drachen back and give our side room to maneuver.”
He nods, his jaw tight. “I’m on it.” Sterling’s voice rises above the chaos, a deep boom that shakes the very air. “Air forces, disengage! Range attacks only. Ground forces, stand steady.”
The battle freezes as all eyes settle on Sterling.
For a split second, I’m in awe of him. His complete faith in me. His love for this kingdom. The way people obey him without question.
Then, with a precision that speaks of long hours of training, the three dozen or so Tirene forces break away, soaring to the east and south to regroup beyond the reach of tooth and claw. His squad, several showing jagged wounds, are the first to react.
As one, the drachen lurch forward in a wave of malevolent hunger.
Sterling barks out his next command. “Flank the dragons! Don’t get in their way!”
The soldiers fly to obey, falling into formation with the speed and confidence of a well-oiled machine.
Streams of dragonfire blast through the air, with the Tirene guards safely at the sides. The elemental magic creates kill zones. Drachen falter, trapped between the retreating Tirenese and the wall of dragons.
For a precious instant, they’re clustered together, a seething knot of darkness against the pale sky.
Dirt and stones form cages and spikes to slow them. Fire blasts through, melting and burning them. Water surrounds individual drachen, preventing them from merging into larger forms. Winds toss them around, keeping them in a tight kill zone.
In the midst of it all, dragons spew out blasts of lethal flames.
It’s now or never.
Below, several air wielders have collapsed, too drained to keep standing. In their midst, Alannah is a pillar of strength.
