Page 47 of Eluvonia
I freeze, my brows furrowing as I try to process her accusations. “What? What are you talking about?” I ask, my voice trembling with disbelief.
“You sold us out!” she screams, her voice rising above the chaos. “You gave us all to the Dragons so you could live in luxury! I knew you were always spoiled but to kill our whole clan!”
I grab her by the arms, desperate to quiet her, to prove her wrong. “No… No, that’s not true. You don’t know the full story!”
She scoffs, pulling away sharply, turning her face away from me. “I thought the same until I saw you,” she says bitterly, her voice thick with emotion. “Look at you! You’re dressed in their clothes, you obviously haven’t missed a meal, you’re clean—”she turns back, tears flooding her face.
“You do not speak to her that way.” Kaida growls.
Esra glares at him and then turns back to me, “And look, your boyfriend even bought you a new plaything! Am I a gift for you to boss around, like I always was back in the cave?”
The words hit me like a blow, and I drop my hands from her arms, stepping back in stunned silence. Kaida places a firm hand on my back, his expression hard as he tries to intervene.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says firmly.
Esra snaps, her voice seething. “Oh, I’m sorry, master, did I speak out of turn?” she mocks, her voice laced with venom.
“It’s best we go home,” Declan offers softly. “We can settle this in private. Too many eyes here.”
I sniffle, nodding in agreement. Declan places a hand lightly on Esra’s shoulder, his touch gentle. “Would you mind coming with us?”
Esra sighs deeply, her shoulders slumping. “You act as if I have a choice.”
“You don’t,” Kaida grunts, his voice low.
He leads me away, back down the street, while I try to absorb the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. “Come on, Fae,” Kaida says softly. “I promised you some shoes.”
In silence, we walk through the bustling streets, looking for a shop. But then a scream pierces the stillness, sharp and echoing through the air. More screams follow, urgent and terrified, as Dragons rush past, their expressions frantic.
“What’s going on?” Declan asks, his brow furrowing in concern.
Kaida shakes his head, his eyes scanning the destruction. Smoke rises above the buildings, dark and thick, mixing with the sounds of panic.
“Let’s go,” Kaida says grimly, taking off at a run. I sprint after him, the world blurring as we round a corner into chaos.
Chapter 17
AERIS
The moment we round the corner, it feels like stepping into the maw of a storm. The world erupts in chaos. The large wooden gates to the city hang twisted and broken, flung open like the jaws of a beast as hundreds of Fae warriors pour through, their movements unnervingly fluid and calculated. Their eyes reflect the fires consuming the buildings around them, casting eerie shadows on the carnage below.
Screams pierce the air, each one clawing at my chest. Dragons and Fae clash violently, their bodies tangling in a mess of blood, fire, and raw fury. The ground is slick with crimson, the once clean dirt street now uneven with debris and corpses. Flames lick at the edges of shattered buildings, the heat searing my skin even from a distance. Smoke claws at my throat, burning with every breath.
Kaida doesn’t hesitate. His shadows lash out like living creatures, coiling around a Fae warrior and yanking themoff their feet before snapping their neck with a sickening crack. Another Fae charges him, but Kaida sidesteps with predatory grace, his shadows seizing the attacker’s sword mid-swing and driving it back into their chest. The battlefield is chaos, but Kaida moves through it like a storm, every motion calculated, every strike lethal.
My eyes lock on him as he charges forward, fire and shadows swirling around him, cutting a path toward a child crumpled on the ground. The boy can’t be more than seven, his cries shrill and heart-wrenching as a Fae looms over him, dagger raised.
Kaida roars, his voice a thunderclap. He barrels into the Fae, his body a battering ram of muscle and fury. The impact sends the attacker flying, their weapon clattering to the ground. Without missing a beat, Kaida’s claws tear through the Fae’s chest, blood splattering his face, but he doesn’t flinch.
“Stay down,” he commands the child, his voice rough but steady as he crouches to push the boy behind a chunk of rubble. His hands linger for a fraction of a second, ensuring the child is safe before he spins back into the fray.
Behind me, Esra struggles against Declan, her blonde hair wild and streaked with grime. She twists and thrashes, her voice sharp with desperation. “Let me go!”
Declan’s jaw tightens, his arms like iron around her. “You’re going to get yourself killed,” he growls, but she squirms free with a sharp jab of her elbow, sending him staggering.
She bolts toward the chaos, her hands waving frantically. “They’ll protect me!” she screams.
“Esra, no!” My voice is raw as I chase after her, the ground slick with blood beneath my boots. I glance back in time tosee Declan curse and fend off a Fae with brutal efficiency, his blade slicing clean through his opponent. I don’t have time to watch. My focus is on Esra as she stops in front of a tall male Fae, his silver hair catching the light of the flames.
