Page 207 of The Lands Defying
“But they will be closer to Eridian.”
“So be it.”
“They will not take that from you.” His eyes are wild as he says it, so determined. “Nothing,” he growls. “Is getting taken from you ever again.”
My heart swells with emotion. “We won’t let them take it, but they also cannot take you.”
We eye each other for a moment, then he looks to the trees. “Fall back into the forest.” His men do so on command, turning and sprinting.
Drax turns and then we are moving. Darius runs behind us and Runa stays by his side.
I look back, watching as the beasts and rogures begin their hunt, and at their speed, I know we are not going to make it in time, even with Darius’s power wrapping around them from below.
I look at Darius and he knows it too, I can see it in his eyes.
Think Rhea, think.
I slice my palm and let my blood drip down. “Va ka reidu, lec fa dienn.”
The ground begins to glow a subtle blue, and some of the rogues whimper, affected by my protection, but the beasts are undeterred.
What do we do, what do we do?
We hit the protection barrier, and some are halted at that, but some aren’t. Elites get dragged under their paws, screams echoing as they are left to be slaughtered.
Some Elites turn wolf next, turning to defend their Alpha, and then they are locked in battle with them as arrows fly from the side. Leo shoots as fast as he can while Zaide throws knives. Jerrod helps two young males who are injured, and Maverick turns wolf and helps.
And then the worst thing that we could imagine happening right now becomes a reality.
The protection barrier breaks.
Darius uses his power to put his own up, but he can’t cast it as wide, and too many are getting in, the cracks form immediately.
Drax snarls as I look at the dying lilk trees, thinking back to the moment before when I created a barrier around the beast.
Then I remember how the barrier came to be.
What if…
“Darius,” I say. “I have an idea, I don’t know if it will work.” The scream of an Elite being ripped apart by a rogure has his whole body tensing. But he’s doing what he said, he would walk past everything for me and he is by making sure I’m safe.
“Tell me what to do,” he says instantly.
“Cut your hand.” He does without hesitation, and I look ahead. Nearly there. “The lilk trees. They became the pillars for the barrier around Eridian. The barrier is made from a sacrifice. From blood.” I lean forward on Drax, readying to dismount. “Please work, please work,” I chant.
One.
Two.
I dismount from Drax, and he turns, ready for attack with Runa at his side. Darius is with me in the next second, as we slap our palms on the rotting white bark.
More screams, more snarks and shrieks and— Gods, it’s not working.
“It’s not working,” I whisper, my eyes going to Darius. “Is this it?
“No, stronger, again,” Darius demands, his other hand toward the oncoming attack, creating a new barrier every time his breaks to keep them back.
With his eyes on me, I pour my power into the tree, more forcefully this time as my blood paints it.
