Page 28 of Storm of Shadows

“How?”

“They deactivated the Aether Tower.”

“I’m not blind,” he retorts. “My question is how did they deactivate it? Even Kazhul the Lich was unable to overpower Nolderan’s Aether Tower, as it is fueled by the cluster of nexuses beneath the island.”

“They forced the Grandmage to turn it off,” I say through my teeth.

He pauses, considering this for a brief moment. “Why would he be stupid enough to do that?”

Blood hums in my ears at his remark, but I swallow back my rage. I will not let him see how easily his words rile me. “As I said, they left him no choice.”

“And why is it the only survivor is a weak little mage?”

“That’s none of your business,” I snap.

“I ask only to better understand my enemies.”

“Don’t you meanmyenemies? Or are you now resigned to your fate?”

He doesn’t reply, but I feel the heat of his glare.

“And why don’t we carry on talking about whyyoudestroyed your city? If you truly were such a powerful High Enchanter, why would you need to sell your soul and the souls of your entire kingdom to the Void King?”

I dare to glance at him. Anger blazes in his crimson eyes. “Mortal,” he seethes, “you know not what you speak of—”

An arrow whizzes past us.

It darts so close it almost scrapes Natharius’s cheek, but he leans back before it cuts him. Zephyr gives a frightful growl and ducks behind us.

The arrow slams into the nearest tree trunk. Its ivory white head digs into the bark. All of the arrow is made from the same white substance.

My stomach twists.

Bone.

Natharius’s jaw tightens. “Goblins.”

nine

Aflurryofarrowsraces for us.

Natharius leaps from our mare in a single, fluid movement and lands as gracefully as a cat. He raises his hands, and dark magic swells. It forms a formidable storm of shadows, and the arrows bounce off it. They race back toward the trees, where they came from.

There are a few cries, but not as many as I’d like to hear.

Another volley is launched from the left. Our horse rears beneath me and charges in the opposite direction. I jump off, but not nearly as elegantly as Natharius. I miss my footing and tumble to the ground. Loose stones graze my hands and dig into my back. But I barely register the pain. Three bone arrows descend on me.

There’s no time to roll away.

I thrust out both hands. Aether surges.

“Muriz!”

A shield encases me. Two arrows hit it and fall to the ground. But I’m not fast enough to block the third.

Just as the violet light spreads over my left arm, the third arrow slips through. I lurch away. The arrow misses my shoulder but skims the top of my arm. The sharpened bone tears through my robes and my flesh, cutting deeply enough to draw blood. My focus is shattered, and my shield fizzles out.

I hiss in pain and clasp my injury, my fingers coated in blood. At least it isn’t too deep.

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