Page 70 of A Dance With Fire
“Let me go, you bastard!” She struggled harder, but it was futile. She was burnt out. Had this been the price of her magic? She didn’t know.
She only wished she had more of it.
If only to burn one last human to the ground.
Her eyes stayed on Orna’s lifeless body as he pulled her away. She forced herself to stare at her friend.
This is your fault,her mind screamed irrationally. It was always her fault. Perhaps it’d be better if they just gave her to the emperor—No! Her thoughts halted that direction.
The emperor despised the Fae, despisedher,and he wanted her for a reason. The emperor was responsible for this, for this death and destruction.
And it was looking into the dark eyes of her friend that Shula realized that she could not give up so easily.
That there was still revenge to wreak.
She kicked out vigorously, ignoring the screaming pain in her limbs. She cried out, screaming for anyone who would hear. For anyone who could come. And she prayed like hell they would.
* * *
The blade pierced his flesh,and agony ricocheted up his entire body. Ryker grunted, the only sign he’d show that he was in pain. His whole body burned like the fires Shula trailed behind her as she ran away, obliterating every human in her wake.
Ryker wrapped his hand around the blade stuck in his side and pulled, shoving the human back as he did so. The human looked determined and afraid in equal measure. He should be afraid. He should be afraid because Ryker was a warrior before he was a healer, which meant that he had no qualms about taking a life.
He raised the sword in his own arm, metal clashing against iron. He gritted his teeth and nearly doubled over. The iron must have left traces inside him; Ryker knew he only had moments before he was completely weakened. But he couldn’t afford to let himself fall. Shula had rushed away and somehow his gut told him that the Fire Dancer would find Orna. And he had to get to them both.
With a fierce cry, he pushed the human backwards, but didn’t get the chance to end his life himself, because Clay appeared behind the human and held his hand up.
And when the human next opened his mouth, he crumbled to the ground as Clay drained him of his life force.
Clay opened his mouth and blood spilled from it, from his nose, and his eyes went bloodshot from the use of his power. Using the back of his hand to wipe his nose with impatience, he gestured at Ryker.
“Let’s go,” he demanded. “Shula went that way!”
Ryker’s booted feet pounded against the warm ground as he followed Clay through dying embers of fire and Shula’s madness. He ignored the wince of pain every step had him grinding his teeth and breathing through his nose. He knew he was losing blood and fast, but he had to push his discomfort aside.
They followed the trail of fire until they reached a cage. The first thing that hit Ryker was the stench of melted iron, followed by death. Death smelled cold and sweet. There was no other way to describe it. It was the lack of warmth, complete stillness that made the hairs over his arms stand on end.
It was then he knew they’d been too late for Orna.
But just in time to see a soldier holding the Fire Dancer to his chest with a sword pressed to her neck as he tried pulling her towards the copse of trees.
The human caught sight of them and pressed the blade tighter.
Blood dripped down her neck, and the sight of it had Ryker growling in a rage that was so sudden it surprised him. Her body sagged against him, and Ryker was old enough now to recognize the sight of a Fae with depleted power.
“Let her go,” Clay ordered. His hand tightened around the sword in his hand as he took a step forward but stopped when the Fire Dancer cried out in pain.
“Clay!” Ryker’s voice barked out in warning. A warning his friend read all too clearly in the sharp tone of his voice.
He’s mine.
Ryker saw this man with his knife against a Fae, and his blood boiled and thirsted for vengeance.
He wanted to be the one to kill him.
“That’s it,” the human purred. “Stay right where you are. If any of you get close, I’ll slit her fucking throat.”
Ryker saw the moment fear flashed in the Fire Dancer’s eyes. He let his eyes lock on hers and held her stare.
