I gave him speed.
Once again, he let me take the sword, and I staggered backward. I turned quickly to fight back the shadow that had started to pool around me, killing three of the entity’s creatures in one motion. Then, with a battle cry, I leapt forward—the tip of my sword aiming for his chest. Just before I came into contact with his skin, the blade was once again caught—held easily in both his palms, as if he were at prayer.
I gave him new life.
This time, I was the first to release the sword, taking a dagger from my belt. Derek, Ben and Aiden appeared out of the mist, cutting through the shadow as they both launched themselves toward Jenus. Derek leapt toward him, aiming for his throat, but Jenus batted him backward. His body was flung into the gloom. Ben roared, running at full speed toward Jenus, a sword in either hand.
Child of the fae, your fight will come later.
The entity laughed, batting away Ben’s advances as it had done mine. Derek returned from the mist and gloom to see his son being knocked back on the floor, and rushed once again at the entity. He slammed into him, the force sounding like great boulders collapsing in an avalanche, but still my brother just laughed.
Three of the dragons started circling above, coming from the forest where they’d been trying to ambush the shadow from the rear. Their claws reached down, trying to get a grip on Jenus. When that failed, they scorched the air—great balls of red-hot fire blasting from their mouths. Jenus was engulfed completely, his form disappearing behind the licks of flame. Before I could even hope that this meant victory, Jenus stepped forward again. His body blistering and burnt, but alive. The shadow hadn’t abated.
“We need to retreat!” I shouted. The flames didn’t even look like they’d weakened him. Either the entity was invincible, or we needed to find another method of destroying it. Force wasn’t going to help.
“Retreat!” Ben echoed my call, and I heard it going up behind us—the guards and ministers and GASP calling it out.
We had been defeated.
“Take them and go!” I yelled to Derek. “Get out of here. Head for the castle.”
“Follow my lead!” Derek called out to the guards. “Don’t be far behind,” the man called to me as he departed. I nodded, telling Ben and Aiden to join him. They would have fought alongside me till the end, but Hazel was going to survive this battle and I needed all the force in Nevertide to protect her in the coming days. I heard the growls of reluctance from some of the fighters and guards that refused to go, and then the sudden silence as the witches vanished most of the army.
Once they had left, I backed away from Jenus. My fast-draining strength and my dagger were the only things I had to protect the few ministers and GASP members who had refused to leave my side.
Jenus smiled at me, taking a step forward.
It was the end.
I could feel the shadow drawing in.
Suddenly, a wall of flame shot up before me. It was white and cold, instantly chilling the sweat that dripped off my brow. Before I could speak, the jinni queen appeared.
“Ice flames. More potent than even dragon fire.” She smiled. “Let us hope it buys us some time.”
The ministers started to build a barrier to contain the shadow, and I could feel them draining the last ounces of energy away from me. I raised my arms to help fortify it, relieved to see that the shadow was shrinking back from the flame.
Then Jenus stepped out of the fire.
His blisters were now frozen and dusted with ice, but still his figure remained upright, seemingly unbothered by the attack.
After all this time, do you think the tricks of the jinni would frighten me?
He stepped closer, running a finger down the barrier. It rippled slightly, showing just how flimsy it was against his power. He laughed.
“Run!” I cried to the rest of them. Perhaps I could hold him off long enough to allow the rest to get far enough away.
“I won’t leave you,” replied Nuriya.
“You will. They need you!” I urged.
She exhaled, lowering her eyelids for a brief moment. “Then we will never forget you, Tejus of Hellswan.” A second later, she was gone.
Alone again, then. Is it bravery, or foolishness, Tejus? Or is your self-hatred so great that you might willingly give up your life just for a chance to escape yourself?
The barrier shook again. I tried to maintain it as best as I could, but I had moments or less till it collapsed completely.
“I do it for her,” I whispered, “that she might have a chance.”
“TEJUS! TEJUS!”
A familiar voice screamed out my name.
“Hazel, NO!”
Jenus smiled slowly. I turned to glance at her; she was running toward me, her eyes wild and panicked.