Page 115 of Phoenix Falling
Fucking Jacob! I thrust my sword upward into the neck of the next Anigma soldier I came too, pretending it was my fellow Warrior’s Council member. The spark of electricity that flashed when I managed to sever his spinal cord filled me with satisfaction.
Now if only I could find the real thing.
Basile fought alongside me. The big basilisk had given up on his sword in such a narrow passage, resorting to breaking heads, spines, and limbs with his massively powerful hands as he plowed through the enemy. Our warriors backed us, streaming down the hall, but there was only so much room. Basile grunted as he took a strike to his beefy arm, then grasped the Anigma soldier’s sword hand and snapped the wrist like kindling. Seeing an opportunity, I swung my sword in that direction and took the soldier’s head as Basile held him in place. Ashes covered the both of us.
“Throne room just ahead,” I shouted.
We squared off with the soldiers that had taken the dead ones’ places.
When would I finally make it to my mate?“Imogen!”
* * *
SUN
“I’m almost there, Sun!”
My mate’s voice sounded ragged, as if she was breathing heavily, even though the words were only in her mind. “Which door?”
She sent me a mental image. I hurried to the far end of the room. “Open it!”
Doran didn’t hesitate. As soon as a gap appeared, Rissa rolled beneath the door. “Close it!”
An Anigma soldier managed to get his arm beneath the dropping door, grasping Rissa’s ankle as the heavy weight landed on his shoulder. The arm tore loose as my mate scrambled to stand. Unfortunately the hand was still attached to her leg, so she spent precious moments dancing around, kicking at the arm to get it away from her. “Gross! Gross! Gross!”
I grasped her arms and turned her around to face me. “It’s all right!”
Tears covered her reddened face. “It’s not! Imogen is still back there.”
My heart sank. “What happened?”
“They were coming through the door. She pushed me through and closed it.”
She’d sacrificed herself for my mate? I clutched Rissa’s shaking body to mine. “It’s going to be all right. Demetri’s almost to the throne room.”
She shook her head. “There are so many of them. Jacob— I just can’t believe—”
I was finding it difficult to wrap my head around as well, but there was no time for that now. “We’ve got to get you out.”
She raised her head, glanced around. “Where are the other women?”
“I’ve sent them ahead to the dorms. You’re going too.”
“No, I can be useful—”
A shout rose amid the crowd. One of the warriors stood toward the back of the room. He glanced around frantically, and when he spotted Rissa, he waved her toward him. “Help!”
We rushed in that direction. As we got closer, I saw a thick table against one wall. The male pointed in that direction. “There’s a little girl…”
No! I hurried forward.
Rissa was right beside me. “Clara!”
The little girl’s dress was torn, her face marred with tears. “Where’s Immy? I want Immy!”
“Imogen’s not here,” Rissa said, going to her knees. She held out a hand. “Let me help you, Clara.”
“No! No! I want Immy!”
