Page 57 of Fate Promised

Ozone flooded the air, coating his tongue with its dense tang. Not good.

He sprinted, the trees, the path, a blur. The path ended, and he burst out onto the open expanse of cliffs. He wheeled to a stop and scanned. “Didn’t Koschei say his people made homes in the cliffs?”

“Yes, but only a bird could fly in and out of them.”

He swore. The wind whipped, pushing him so hard he had to step sideways to steady himself. If he put Triska down, she’d fly into the air.

Juri turned back toward the path. Where were Koschei and Fergal? Had they followed him or found somewhere else to take cover?

Rain spattered the cliffs like tiny arrows, pelting him and Triska with sharp raps. He hiked her farther up his chest and hunched to cover her as much as possible. The rain pelted, the drops pinging off his arms and back.

Not rain. Hail.

He studied the storm above him. Anvil clouds like the ones overhead, were the harbingers of storms and signs always appeared before they did. A change in the wind. Drops in the temperature. This storm didn’t have any of those. His stomach lurched. High in the clouds was the dark form of a large raven. An ala.

She was the source of the storm, and the hail.

“We need to find somewhere safe,” Triska said, hugging him harder. “Do you think Koschei and—”

Wind hit them hard. Brush and ripped branches tumbled along the smooth cliff, swirling around the charred circle which puffed green smoke. It clogged the air with sulfur, stinging his eyes.

The funnel cloud reared up over the cliff, a thin mass of churning dark air. Green flashed from its center, and in one motion it spread out over the cliffs toward them. Juri wheeled around to run toward the center of the island.

“Juri, look!”

He whirled around. The funnel cloud had centered directly over the charred circle where Koschei’s staircase had once been, circling slowly but moving no farther. And inside the cloud, Hoyt dropped to the ground.

He faced Juri and sneered. “Of course you’re here.” Green lightning flashed, a bolt whizzing past his arm. Triska screamed.

Hoyt flung another bolt, and Juri leaped, but it hit Triska in the chest. She slumped motionless in his arms.

Juri roared. His own chest burned as if he’d been hit too, and he staggered. His vision turned red.

“Triska! Speak to me!”

She moaned, but remained limp. He’d kill the necromancer. Tear him limb from limb. He cradled Triska against him and turned towards Hoyt.

Hoyt stood with his legs spread, battling against the wind. His lips moved, but Juri couldn’t hear what Hoyt said over the whistling in his ears. Smoke puffed from the charred circle. It rippled and split open, revealing the staircase within. Hoyt leaped back, staying clear of the entry down to Peklo.

Not good.

Hoyt raised his arms. “Good. Good. See this, vulk? The channel from this realm to the underworld is open.”

He needed to stop Hoyt, yet he also needed to take Triska as far from here as possible and make sure she was alright. He bared his teeth and crouched. How could he attack while keeping her safe in his arms?

Another bolt of lightning flashed toward him. Juri spun, clutching Triska to his chest and it hit his arm. White-hot pain burned up his bicep. He gritted his teeth and glanced down at Triska’s face. Her eyes were closed, and she was pale. Motionless. Did she still breathe? He had to get her to safety.

A second flash and he hopped sideways, the lightning hitting where he’d stood. The wind gusted, and Juri reeled, fighting to stay upright while Hoyt staggered backward.

Arrow crashed through the underbrush, smashing through a small tree. He held Fergal in his mouth, and Koschei ran at his side. Hoyt turned, his palms turning green. Roaring, Juri sprang forward, holding Triska tight.

As he slammed his shoulder into Hoyt, the necromancer released his spell. It missed the dragon and smashed into the ground. The blast was like a thunderclap, and rock sprayed into the air. A wave of air lifted Juri backward off his feet.

Juri twisted, trying to find his balance, but there was only empty air beneath him. No! He flung out one arm, but it was useless. They were falling backwards down the hole Hoyt had opened in the cliffs. Silvery blue flashed as Arrow leaped after him, Koschei hanging onto one of the large spines on his back.

They were all falling down the stairs into Peklo.

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