Page 279 of The Lands Defying
A rogure has me, ragging me like a doll.
“Rhea!” Josh shouts in a panic but I can’t respond as agony licks up my spine.
Calling my magic, I try to aim for it on a gritted scream, feeling the burning in my back, but I miss, and the rogure doesn’t let up.
But then it suddenly stops, the snarling growls turning to painful screeches.
Panting into the snow face-first, I get my hands under me, crying out in pain at the wounds on my back and side from its claws. I don’t think it bit me, it just managed to grab hold of my cloak and armor as it dragged me around, but its claws definitely sunk in.
I send my power to it, needing to heal so I can get back into the fight. Turning my head to make sure I’m safe to do so, I see Drax on the rogure, tearing into it with furious bites.
Relief fills me, my head pounding as I watch him.
The black-like flames cover his body, then spread onto the rogure and I lean back on my knees with shaky breaths as I wait for my power to heal me.
“It’s okay, Drax.” I swallow over my dry throat and cough. “He’s dead.” He stops, coming to me.
I’m not scared of the mist-like flames as I welcome him into my neck. He won’t hurt me.
“I’m okay, thank you.” I rub in between his eyes and pull back, holding on to him as I stand.
The noise of snarls and cries penetrates my mind, and I want to put my hands over my ears to cover them, wanting to take these people all away from danger.
But we can’t.
“Where is your keeper,” I say to Drax, and he huffs into my neck. I try down the link we have, but it feels fuzzy.
“Go help Runa,” I tell Drax, and he runs off as Runa takes on another beast.
There are so many of them.
Gods, Darius, please hurry.
Rolling my shoulders, I pick up a blade from the ground, seeing unseeing eyes stare back at me as I look to the battlements. Look at Aldus.
He looks on over the battle, a smirk upon his face as he watches hounds tear apart his people.
Bad blood.
Aldus was the one in Eridian who handed Darius the memory stone. Aldus was the one who taught Edward things, who hurt Kade. Sam said he smelled like bad blood, and if the beasts do…
Then they are connected.
But how?
The Higher’s guards are now fighting the rogures, fighting for their lives as those in the battlements or behind the gates come to their aid.
They are left to the slaughter, nothing but fodder for the beasts.
I attack a guard, coming up behind him and ramming my blade through his back. I dodge another sword that comes slicing my way, and I sweep my legs under the male. He cries outin alarm as he hits the ground next to a dead body, but my blade goes through his chest next to quiet him.
I look into the mass of people to find my pack, spotting a few villagers holding their own against two guards. Anna has her hands out next to Belldame’s, chanting toward the Higher’s witches.
They must be doing okay as no other lightning comes to strike down upon us again.
I see Josh fighting with a rogure to the left, sidestepping an attack and ramming a blade through its temple. When I look further right, Seb just took down a rogure, the hound still twitching at his feet as he looks down at it, his chest heaving. I try to look for Taylor, Hudson and Colten, but I can’t see them.
I head Seb’s way, cutting a path through and that’s when I see a guard come up behind him. Everything slows, but I’m running, pushing and shoving my way through anyone in my way.
