I dug my nails into the palm of my hand as a distraction against the throbbing pain in my side. I’d been fine all morning, but the second the portal opened, it started up again.
My body felt flushed, and each step made me dizzier than the last. I managed to hide the mark on my ribs from everyone, but eventually, Slade would figure out there was something wrong with me no matter how much I lied to him.
Warily, I let my gaze wander over the outskirts of the town. If Preston and Tank left the trail as they said, then where the hell was this Nikolai with his forces to attack? Any second now, we were going to lose our chance to capture Radnak’s second and prove to the other clan leaders once and for that this war was real.
Slade caught me looking, tilting his head in question, but I shrugged and took his hand briefly.
This wasn’t going to work, neither plan, and we would be returning to the mountain base all on our own, still.
I glared at the sky again, hating how much I wanted to be attacked.
Charlette had just finished telling the other leaders about her time with Radnak, and our heroics getting her and the others out.
Quinto huffed. “Fantasy, that’s all this is,” he muttered, and I wanted to smack him upside the head. How could anyone be this thick-headed? “What would Radnak want with our souls? What? There’s never been any ritual ever created that would use souls like that.”
“And as I have told you, it’s a nightmarish creation made by the priests. By the gods, it’s like talking to a brick wall,” Charlette growled. “A Black Diamond sits before you right now, and you refuse to believe your own eyes.”
“I refuse to be made a fool of.”
“Then you’re going to get yourself and the rest of your clan killed for your stupidity.”
Quinto drew his sword, and behind him, every Golden Sphinx did the same, but so did the Emerald Petites until two lines of guards stared each other down, ready to attack.
“And you, Orella? You can’t tell me you believe this farce.”
I thought she’d looked intimidating when she first walked through the portal, decked out in red and white armor, her red hair pulled back in a long braid that hung down her back, beaded and interwoven with leather straps. Those red eyes flared in annoyance, and the anger only deepened the frown lines on her face as she moved to stand beside Charlette.
“For too long we’ve let the Council blindly tell us what we should believe in regard to the Shadowguards and their ongoing hunt for them,” she stated. “I for one detest our part in killing them without cause for the past few hundred years. And Charlette has no reason to lie.”
“I never took you for being stupid.”
“Why else would I come out in the open?” Slade demanded. “Why? You think I want to be killed by your lot? You stand here, and you think you’re all so intimidating with your armies, but I tell you right now, if you can’t accept this truth, Radnak will come for you, and you won’t be able to stop him.”
“Son, my army is far stronger since the war,” Quinto argued.
Slade shook his head. “I’ve seen what these monsters have done to armies, Quinto. I’ve seen them tear the strongest of us down until we begged for death,” Slade said, each word sharp as he stalked closer to Quinto.
I moved with him, staying close in case the Sphinx decided to attack.
“Radnak doesn’t show mercy and those Priests? They’ve been using blood magic on the Black Diamonds. They can spew fire and ice and they can half-shift. Can your army stand against forces as powerful as that? Can they?”
Quinto’s eyes darted warily to the Black Diamond with us. “You’re lying.”
“Look me in the eye and tell me that the past twenty years of my life have not been filled with pain and suffering, of death and torture,” Slade hissed. “Tell me I’m lying.”
Quinto leered as he leaned in. “You are lying. I don’t give a damn if you are the Lost Heir or not. You are a Shadowguard, and you and your clan can all rot in hell. I’m taking my guard, and I’m leaving. Have fun dying,” he shot at Charlette and Orella. He pivoted harshly on his heel and waved his hand overhead. “Move out.”
“Quinto! If you walk through that portal, you can kiss any help from me goodbye,” Slade shouted. “Do you hear me? Radnak will come for your soul and your people, and I won’t lift a damned finger to stop him. You’re on your own.”
He waved a hand over his shoulder dismissing Slade and continued trudging toward the portal.
Slade’s hands curled into fists, and he started to go after him, but I grabbed his shoulder. “Let him go. If he wants to get his people killed that’s on him.”
“He doesn’t understand. His people, they’ll suffer just like mine have.”
I turned him around, forcing him to look at me. I wanted today to be easy, but even with the Black Diamond, I had my doubts. His angry gaze focused on me and then he sighed and rested his forehead against mine. “You can’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Not now.”
“Doesn’t help when you’re hiding things from me.” His gaze narrowed, and those intense blue eyes said one way or another, he’d get the truth out of me.
“I had no choice.”
“Yes you did, and you chose to lie to me, just like you’re doing with whatever else is happening to you.”
“Nothing is happening to me…” I frowned as a chill raced down my spine.
“You can’t keep acting like this. I never should’ve told you the truth… Everest? Great, now you’re just going to ignore me to my face?”
I shook my head, but that chill raced down my back again, and this time I turned, staring down the road. The necklace warmed against my skin, and I spotted the crimson tendrils of magic shooting toward us a second before I grabbed Slade by his shirt and yanked him to the ground with me.
“They’re here. We’re under attack,” I bellowed, and the old stone fountain the town square exploded as the magic meant for us struck it instead.
Stones rained down on us as Jenny and Preston called for our guard to move out.
Dragons roared and fell from the overcast sky. Black Diamonds, a lot of them. About damned time.
Quinto spun around, and if we weren’t about to face another battle, I would’ve laughed at the look of sheer shock on his face at the sight of more Black Diamonds dropping to the ground as the guards charged in to meet them head-on. That, and the red robed figures that sprinted down the street to be met by the forces we had hiding in the buildings all along the main drag. We told Slade we only had a small number with us, but we lied about that too, and now they poured out of the buildings more than ready to face this attack we planned for.
“Think he believes you now,” I muttered to Slade as he growled and scrambled back to his feet.
I could tell he was furious, seeing nearly the entire fighting force from the mountain instead of just a few, but there was no time to get into that now.
“I want you to get out of here,” he ordered as he started to shift. “Do it, Everest.”
“I am not leaving you.”
He flashed those violet-blue eyes at me, but threw his head back with a roar, and transformed into the massive dragon he was. His wings unfurled and with one more furious glare down at me, he turned his attention to the skies and launched himself at the first Black Diamond who came at him. Their bodies clashed overhead, but in his true form, Slade was far larger, and he bit down hard on the dragon’s neck, its body tumbling as it fell to the ground, taking out several buildings with it.
I cringed at the mess, knowing what this place meant to Slade, but Jenny yelled to me, and I spun around to see the Priests coming closer, staves in their hands, ready to fight. We’d discussed the potential of Priests showing up, but I’d hoped it would only be one or two. That would’ve been too easy.
There were five that I could see, but something told me more were on the way. I held my hands out, drawing on my power as violet mist filled my palms. I thought of a shield, something to block their attacks, and the mist spread out around me as well as Jenny and Preston who’d fallen in beside me while the rest of our number focused on whittling down the Black Diamond forces.
“Guess you left a good enough trail,” I muttered without turning to look at them, spreading the shield to cover the three of us as we continued to move down the street. “Think they brought enough bastards with them?”
Jenny’s glare conveyed quite clearly that she shared my sentiment, but Preston only had eyes for the Priests. “This is what we wanted, remember? Give us a chance to even the playing field.”
“Really? That’s what you’re going to go with?” Jenny glanced skyward as if praying for patience.
“I’ve got the shields,” I said, completely confident for once in my abilities. “Go kick some ass.”
I had no knives on me so if Jenny and Preston failed to kill the Priests and they came after me, the only defense I had was my magic. The necklace warmed again, and my confidence grew. I wasn’t alone at this moment. I had others with me, felt them boosting my power. A flush came over me, and I staggered forward a step at the sudden increase in firepower, but when the first Priest went after Jenny, the shield around her held strong, and she slashed him through with her blade before lunging after the next one.
They could’ve shifted, but it was much harder to hold a shield that large on two targets. We’d been practicing, without Slade knowing of course, so I could ensure my ability to keep him protected if it came down to a fight between him and Radnak. I chanced a look toward the skies to see him tearing through the Black Diamond forces, venting some pent-up anger.
On the ground near the square, the guards of the other clans fought those who had come charging down the alleys and side streets. This was not merely an ambush. Radnak had sent at least a hundred of his fighters to try and take us all out. Because we’d led them here and brought all the clan leaders together. The plan was working perfectly; a little too perfect in my opinion.
But, just as Charlette assured us, the guards of the clans had joined the fight, and as long as no more Black Diamonds charged into the town, we’d push them back and win without too much loss of life on our side.
I stared around, waiting for Radnak to appear and ready to curse this idea if he did. We hadn’t planned for him, but instead, another dragon was bashing his way through our forces.
I recognized him from the Fell Gates, and guessed this was Nikolai, the one we wanted to draw out. He attacked viciously, and I watched him take down three of our men before his eyes shot up to the sky—and Slade.
Nikolai shifted and threw himself into the clouds.
That was also not part of the plan. We were supposed to be able to capture him as soon as he appeared. Too late now.
“Slade,” I screamed, but there was no way he could hear me. “Damn it!”
I zeroed in on him, sweat breaking out on my brow as I kept the shields around Jenny and Preston while several more Priests attacked. I had to get a shield around Slade, to stop him from being blindsided by Nikolai.
“Come on, come on,” I whispered under my breath, even as my arms shook with the effort.
The necklace grew hot, nearly burning me, but that wasn’t what made me cry out in pain.
The mark on my side flared to life, and I screamed as it felt like I was being stabbed repeatedly in the ribs by thousands of needles.
I fell to my knees, the shield around me faltered, but I pushed it outward to stay on Jenny and Preston. Even as my vision grew blurry and all sound was muffled, I kept my gaze locked on Slade, feeling my power pushing further… pushing…
Nikolai was so close, jaws opened wide, ready to tear him apart.
The moment he made contact, a bright violet explosion lit the dark storm clouds, and I collapsed to the ground, shaking uncontrollably, but I saw Nikolai thrown back.
I grinned briefly as I watched Slade whip his body around and go after him before they disappeared into the clouds.
Rain pattered the ground around me, the drops cold on my face.
I lifted my head enough to see more Black Diamonds rushing into the town, but they barely a moment passed before they were turning tail and running.
Quinto, Orella, and Charlette had all shifted and led their guards in a fresh assault as more dragons burst through the portal they’d come through.
Seems our plan was working after all.
I managed a grin before I hauled myself up to a sitting position, my arms limp at my sides and the town spinning madly around me.
Jenny and Preston chased off the last few Priests before they turned their gazes toward the sky, waiting.
Two competing roars thundered above us, drowning out the rumbling thunder as the rain pounded harder against the pavement.
Lightning lit up the dark clouds, and two massive winged beasts were duking it out with each flash.
A burst of shadowy flames tore through the storm, and a few seconds later, a dragon screamed as it rolled over itself and slammed into the earth, shaking the very ground beneath the town.
Its body took out the whole side of a street before it shifted and was Nikolai again. He was bloodied and attempted to get up, but Slade was landing on the street, and the rest of the leaders moved in to flank him.
“Be better if you stayed down,” Slade growled in warning.
Nikolai cackled, spitting at his feet. “There’s nothing you can do to me that’ll make me talk.”
“We’ll just have to see now, won’t we?”
As Slade reached down to yank Nikolai to his feet, hands reached out to pull me to mine.
“Everest?” Jenny asked. “We need to get you back to base.”
“I’m good, just a little weak is all,” I said, but when I went to step, I collapsed against her. “Crap, maybe weak isn’t the right word.”
“Drained is more like it. You pushed yourself too hard.”
“I had to. Nikolai was going to hurt him,” I murmured, fighting to keep my eyes open.
This wasn’t just a drain on the power I used. That damned mark at my side was sucking the life from me. I felt it, like a parasite, and didn’t argue when she called out to get the wounded back to base and let the leaders have their discussion.
Slade’s eyes met mine for a brief moment, but it was long enough for me to know I was in some deep trouble with him. But then Orella was talking to him, and he turned his back to me.
At the moment, that was just fine. The less contact with him the better, at least until I could figure out a way to get rid of this mark.
I was escorted to the portal for our base by Jenny and helped through by another dragon. The second I stepped into the light, Amelie was there to put my arm around her shoulders and steady me.
“What happened?” she demanded. “Jared?”
“Jared’s fine,” I assured her, remembering him talking with Aiden after the fight. “Might have a black eye, but he’s fine.”
“And? The few that came through already said it worked.”
I shrugged. “They’d be right.”
“Slade pissed?”
I managed a laugh until it hurt too much to do it. “Yeah, but not nearly as much as he will be when he realizes we set up everything to capture Nikolai and not just the simple matter of capturing a Black Diamond without him. Gah,” I gasped when my side bumped hers as she helped me to my cot.
“Are you injured?” she asked and started to reach, but I stopped her hands.
“No, just bruised is all. Took a few hits,” I lied. “I’ll be fine after I get some rest. Go help the others, huh?”
She seemed uncertain, but then another witched called out to her, and after promising she’d be back to check on me, she rushed away to go help another wounded dragon coming down the short hall that led to the portal.
I let my head fall back to my pillow and shut my eyes against the weird numbing sensation flooding my body. Each breath only made the pain in my side worse, but I stopped myself every time from reaching up and holding my side. I begged for sleep to come, but after a few more minutes, my eyes opened wide, and I swung my legs around, managed to stand upright, and stumbled to the bathrooms.
It was empty when I got there and biting my cheek, so I wouldn’t cry out in pain, I lifted my shirt to stare at the angry burn.
“Shit,” I breathed, not even able to get near it with my hand before it flared in pain so bad I doubled over, falling into the sink.
This mark was made to drain Slade completely of his strength, and instead, it was doing that to me. Except I wasn’t a clan leader. I was a Descendant, and I couldn’t figure out if that made this worse or better. Probably worse.
Clan leaders were far harder to kill, which explained why Slade had been able to survive such grievous wounds and healed much faster than everyone else.
My breathing ragged, I looked at the burn again and swore I heard chanting through my head until it was drowned out by several sets of boots headed my way. Quickly, I dropped my shirt and acted like I was washing off my hands and my face. I smiled at the three witches who came in then ducked out. I wandered around the base, keeping as far away from everyone else as I could.
There was a spot Slade liked to go, a small outlook over the inner main chamber of the base. I went there now, just wanting to be alone.
With my back to the wall, I slid down and stared at every Shadowguard or witch and warlock who came through the portal, waiting for the moment a specific pair of blue eyes would appear, searching for me.
Probably ready to rip me a new one.
And no, no I couldn’t blame him at all.