Page 48 of Eluvonia
“Please,” she pleads, clutching at his arm. “That Fae chasing me—she’s a Dragon sympathizer. She kidnapped me and tried to make me her slave!”
The male’s dark eyes meet mine, his expression hardening. “Stay back, traitor,” he snaps, his voice like ice.
“I’m not!” I shout, throwing up my hands in desperation. “I swear, I was taken prisoner! I’m not with them!”
Esra turns, her face pale and streaked with dirt, but her eyes burn with hatred. “Liar,” she spits.
“Capture her,” the male commands.
Panic surges as Fae warriors close in. I lunge forward, my fist connecting with the nearest one’s jaw. The crunch of bone is satisfying but fleeting. Another grabs me from behind, their arm locking around my throat. I twist and slam my elbow into their ribs, breaking free, but there are too many.
A blade slashes across my arm, hot pain searing through me. I stagger, only to be kicked in the stomach, sending me sprawling. I try to push myself up, but a boot connects with my ribs, and I collapse again.
Blows rain down, each one stealing more of my strength. Blood fills my mouth, the metallic tang sharp against my tongue. I try to summon my magic, but it refuses to answer, leaving me defenseless. My vision blurs, the edges darkening as the beating continues.
Through the haze, a roar cuts through the chaos, shaking the very ground. “Aeris!” Kaida’s voice is raw, desperate. I lift my head weakly, catching a glimpse of him tearing throughthe crowd, his shadows lashing out like vengeful serpents.
Declan fights his way toward me, his face tight with fury as he slams his fist into another Fae. He’s shouting something, but the words are drowned out by the dull thud of my heartbeat.
The world narrows, the light fading until there’s nothing but darkness.
Chapter 18
KAIDA
My eyes catch on Aeris. She’s down, surrounded by her own kind. Her lithe frame twists under the blows of their fists and boots. Blood spills from her lips, and she turns her head, her gaze locking on mine. Those eyes, filled with a silent plea, cut through me like a blade.
“Aeris!” I roar her name, my voice cracking with fury. I charge forward, claws already extending from my fingers, but for every Fae I bring down, five more take their place. They’re everywhere, swarming like locusts.Dammit, why isn’t she using her powers?
Declan is holding his own not far from me, his blade flashing with bright light as he fends off another wave. I glance at him, hoping he might reach her, but he’s pinned down just like me.
“Declan!” I shout, desperation threading through my voice. “She needs help!”
“You think I don’t see that?” he barks back, slicing througha Fae trying to get the jump on him. Blood sprays, and the Fae collapses, but another immediately takes its place.
I look back to Aeris, and my stomach twists into a knot.Her own kind. Her own fucking kind are doing this to her.
A Fae punches her across the face, the impact snapping her head to the side, her hair whipping with the force. Another kicks her in the ribs, and she stumbles, gasping for air, but she fights to stay on her feet.
More Fae close in, surrounding her like wolves closing in on prey, each blow landing with brutal precision.
She swings her fists, trying to block and fight them off, but they keep coming, relentless. Every strike against her feels like it’s hitting me instead, my chest aching with each hit, the pain spreading like wildfire through my bones. Anger burns hotter than the fires around us, roaring in my chest, consuming every other thought.
I let it take me.
Bones crack, and pain lances through my body, but I welcome it. My spine lengthens, my shoulders broaden, and scales ripple across my skin, their edges sharp as steel. My jaw elongates, teeth growing into fangs that ache with the need to bite. The ground shakes as my legs thicken and claws sprout from my hands and feet. A guttural roar tears free from my throat as I complete the transformation, the sound reverberating across the battlefield.
Power surges through me, intoxicating and overwhelming. But the Fae aren’t deterred. They swarm me, scrambling up my legs, their tiny blades searching for gaps in my scales. I twist and thrash, my tail sweeping through the crowd, sending bodies flying. I bite down on a Fae in front of me, severing him clean in half. His upper body dangles from myjaws, and I spit it into the crowd with a growl of disgust.
I want to breathe fire, to scorch these insects into ash, but I can’t. Not with Aeris so close. Not with my people still fighting.
Why?I snarl to myself, crushing a Fae underfoot.Why do they keep attacking us?
We never strike first. We only defend, only retaliate. The king thought that if we showed restraint, if we avoided escalation, they’d give up eventually. But no. Instead, they call themselves rebels, claiming they’re defending Eluvonia from us. It’s bullshit. All of it.
I swipe at a Fae climbing my leg, sending him hurtling into the burning remains of a building. Another group scatters as I spit a small ball of fire near their feet, their screams piercing the air as flames catch on their tattered clothes. But no matter how many I kill, more keep coming.
Finally, the crowd around me thins, and I search frantically for Aeris.She’s gone.
