Page 83 of Magic & Secrets
A murmur fell over the crowd. I suspected other Elven warriors were moving into place to prevent us from escaping.
As we hurried down the road, Calla looked up at me and smiled. “I can’t wait to see Mt. Elysium.”
“I’m curious how brightly your hair will shine at the mountain’s peak.”
“Well, I’m curious about how much of a commotion we can make.”
Chuckling, I glanced at the warriors moving into formation up ahead. “I’ve barely been able to kill anyone and reveal my talents to you. Today, we can both unleash what we’ve been holding back.”
We shared a kiss as the warriors created a meat wall between us and our escape. Admiring Calla’s smiling face, I witnessed no fear in her gaze. Like me, she ached to unchain her power.
Calla grudgingly removed her gaze from me and focused on the Elven warriors before us. “I have no malice in my heart for any of you. I only hope to leave in peace with Roque and travel to Mt. Elysium,” Calla stated in a raised voice before tapping her sword to her shield. “With that said, I am the spawn of Solme Divige. The ancient one seeks a bloodbath in her honor. Stand in our way and we will give my master what she desires.”
The Elves lifted their shields and leveled their swords. I witnessed no fear in their expressions. Many of these warriors had never seen my kind in action, while the Armgard were considered mere boogeymen to be destroyed.
These Elven warriors had chosen death rather than allowing us to leave in peace, meaning Solme Divige would enjoy her bloodbath.
My instincts took over, sending me leaping into the crowd of warriors. Shifting between human and beast, I lashed out at their throats. Stumbling over their fallen, the Elves scurried to move out of my way.
A sword lunged into my chest, striking my heart. I seized the Elf by his head and lifted him from the ground. My other hand slid the blade from my already healing body. I used his sword to remove his head from the rest of his body. Launching the head at Mali, I smiled at his horror.
As I tore through another group of Elven warriors, my gaze flashed to Calla making her way along a different path toward the bridge. Separating from her made my heart clench painfully. Strategically, breaking the hundreds of Elven warriors into smaller, more controllable numbers made sense.
Calla moved like she had in Pandorium Forest with the Serpent Shifters. Her feet barely touched the ground. She glided under swords and sailed past arrows. Despite her soft footwork, Calla didn’t hold back with her strikes. I watched with pride at how she slammed her shield into a group of Elves and sent themflying. Yet, I noticed how she only injured rather than killed her opponents.
We made our way, block by block, through hordes of sword-wielding Elven warriors. The elite force tried their best to stop us. Arrows rained from the sky. Swords sliced into my flesh repeatedly, never able to break my bones or slow me down.
Panic swept through the city as the death count climbed. Any sensible species would have allowed us to leave. The Elven Empire could regroup and fight another day, yet their honor and poor leadership pushed them to battle a force they couldn’t possibly defeat.
The Elven warriors finally fell back as we neared the Omni Bridge. I didn’t sense they had given up, as much as changed tactics.
The energy cannon was old news back when I was with the Murade. The Elven Empire had always been reluctant to use human-made weapons. Now, they rolled out the cannon and aimed it in my direction.
Mali hollered for them to fire the weapon despite knowing it could only annoy me.
His real plan was to keep Calla and me busy long enough for the New Armgard to arrive. I never wanted my mate to face her kind. Killing them would destroy a part of her heart.
Omni Bridge was within reach. Once we crossed it, Calla and I would have only a short run to the safety of Pandorium Forest.
Calla
TO BECOME A FEARSOMEwarrior required a potent bloodlust. Killing the Chauve Vampyres to protect innocent humans hadn’t bothered me, but I didn’t want to end the lives of these Elves.
Despite the carnage Roque left behind, he also held back. The Bane Shifter could have killed twice as many by now. I admired how much control my mate brandished, even as the Elves turned their energy cannon toward him. Roque wasn’t a mindless weapon. He valued honor and mercy.
The Elves repaid Roque’s leniency by firing the weapon and burning through his flesh. Our gazes met. I saw the pain in his eyes. His flesh seared hot. Fur and skin turned black and charred.
Roaring in pain and rage, Roque bolted across the bridge toward the Elves holding the weapon. The second blast from the energy weapon seemed stronger. The discharge hit Roque, forcing him to stagger backward as his flesh burned away.
Roque’s pain left me trembling. I ran in the direction of the weapon, needing to ease my mate’s suffering.
Roque also sprinted toward the ones hurting him. His eyes glowed pure silver. His body morphed between forms, dodging everything in his path.
The Elves fired a third blast, followed by a fourth. The last one knocked Roque over the side of the Omni Bridge and into the mist below.
The Elves turned their gazes to me in unison. I focused on Mali watching me smugly from a balcony overlooking the battle.
Fury burned through my fear and compassion. I imagined Roque’s burned body dropping into the darkness. My concern for anyone beyond my mate ceased.
