Assassin of Truths(64)

The noises of a battle exploded on the field.

"Hurricane," Conemar commanded the Tetrad again.

An electric charge hit my shoulder, and I flew back to the ground. I quickly rolled over and jumped to my feet just as another hit the ground to my right. The distraction cost me. I ignited a fire globe and threw it at Nick, hitting his leg.

The rain and wind rushed across the field in a violent fury, punching Mystiks and Conemar's fighters to the ground. It knocked me flat and pushed me across the mud. I'd lost my shield, and I could barely lift my head to view the destruction. Greyhillians dropped from the sky. Bastien was on his back. Pop and the others huddled together, hopeless with their hands bound.

I spotted Arik and Demos pushing through the rain and wind, trying to get to me.

It was over in minutes, but the damage was immense. Mystiks, wizards, and guards had been beaten down and struggled to their feet, while those not hurt aided the fallen.

Conemar pulled Bastien to his feet and turned him to view his mother. A guard held her, his dagger at her side. "Continue or she dies."

I met Bastien's gaze and nodded. "Do it."

Those tortured eyes of his, once bright blue, were almost a stormy gray. He closed them and Nick stood.

I thought of my stun globe, and without my saying the charm, it sprouted on my palm, and I lobbed it. The purple sphere soared through the air and smacked into Nick. He dropped to the ground, unmoving and gasping for air.

It was over. Nick was down. Unless I removed the stun, he would run out of air and die. The thought soured my stomach, and I stumbled forward, my knees slamming against the ground.

In my peripheral vision, I spotted Lei and Jaran flanking Royston.

They made it. I have to keep up the distraction. I staggered to my feet and tossed another stun globe on Nick, countering the one before.

He gasped for air.

"You are weak because you love, Gianna." Conemar turned to Nick. "Finish her."

Nick rolled to his hands and knees and pushed himself up from the muddy ground.

Conemar's downfall was his desire for revenge. He hated anyone getting the better of him, and I had beaten him in battles twice. He wasn't about to let me best him in a third. And I would use that weakness against him.

My foot slid across some pebbles and I glanced back. I hadn't realized we were so close to the cliffs. I was trapped between Nick and a deadly fall.         

     



 

A wide smile spread across Conemar's lips "You have nowhere to go, Gianna."

From where I stood, I could see the field better.

Arik and Demos were almost to Pop and the others. Lei and Jaran with Royston and Cadby were almost in range of the Tetrad. Lei shot her lightning spheres and blasted several of Conemar's guards blocking their way. Jaran tossed a water globe at another guard, a wave pushing the man across the muddy field.

The Red ran back and forth in front of the Mystiks yelling for them to attack Conemar's guards.

Near Pop and the others, Edgar lay facedown in a puddle, his blood mixing with the mud. He must've been cut down before he could reach them. My glare turned to Conemar.

"I will kill you," I cried out, created an ice globe, and hurled it at him.

Conemar shot a charge at the frozen sphere and it exploded, ice raining down and plunking into the puddles.

Distracted, I didn't see Nick coming until he tackled me. I slammed my fist into his side, but it didn't stop him. He rolled me over and sat on my chest. My head sank into the mud. Nick could never beat me in wrestling.

He swung his right fist at my face, and I blocked it with my arm. I hugged his neck and pulled him down against me, wrapping my right leg around his left. Bridging up with my left foot, I thrusted my hips forward and rotated him over onto his back.

"I'm sorry," I said before slamming my fist into his face and scrambling off him.

He was to his feet in a flash. Another fireball formed between his hands.

I backed up, watching his shoulders. His muscles in his neck tightened, and I readied for his throw. The flaming sphere rushed for me, and I dodged it. My foot slipped on the edge of the cliff-I hadn't realized we'd gotten that close to the fringe. Before Nick could reach me, I moved away from the drop off.

Needing a break, I slammed another stun globe against Nick, and he plummeted to the ground.

Fatigue was getting to me. I surveyed the situation on the field. Arik and Demos were back to back fighting Conemar's guards. The Red was on all fours. He sprang for a guard, his sharp canines puncturing the man's neck. Odil fought alongside Conemar's men; I hadn't noticed he was there. He shot fire at The Red, just missing his head. The Red swiped a sharp claw at Odil, cutting open his throat. Odil grabbed his neck and folded to the ground.

Sabine cried out before bowing her head and sobbing. My heart split in two watching her. She loved her son, even though he'd turned bad. I pulled my gaze away, not able to watch her pain.

Jaran held the vial with the black liquid as Lei poured the heirs' blood into it. She shook it before handing it to Royston.

Bastien's face was drawn, his shoulders stooped. He was burning his life span, and I wasn't sure how much time he had left. Uncle Philip approached Conemar. He was yelling and flinging his arms. Conemar watched him intently.

No, no, no. What is he doing?

Before Nick was completely out of air, I dropped a stun globe on him and took off for Uncle Philip. My chest burned as I pushed myself to move faster. Conemar played with an electric charge, bouncing it between his hands.

"Stop!"

Conemar glanced at me.

It was déjà vu. The memory of Conemar hitting Gian with a charge and killing him smacked my heart. My foot slipped in the mud, and I fell to my knees. A guard behind Uncle Philip thrust his sword into Uncle Philip's back and he collapsed.

"No!" ripped from my throat. I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

"Gia!" Pop shouted. "He's coming for you."

Pop's desperate cry caused me to look up, but I couldn't move. I was frozen with grief or fear or both.

Deidre, her sword drawn, reached Pop and the others. A guard cut her off, swinging his weapon at her. She parried it and buried her sword in his gut. Emily headed toward them, moving her hands as she mumbled charms to control the earth. She manipulated rocks, hitting the guards hard with them.

Arik slid behind me with his shield and blocked Nick's electric charge from hitting me. "Get up," he snapped. "You quit, we lose."

I stood, cold and covered in mud.

Another charge dinged against his shield. He flew backward, smacking against the hard clay.

Emily darted in front of Arik and stretched her hands out. With her fingers spread wide, she mumbled a charm and a wall of mud shot up and flew at Nick, knocking him over.

"Get up. Get up," she said to Arik. "Don't just lie there."

"Hey, stop worrying." He pushed to his feet. "I just needed a breather."

She hit his shoulder. "Well, do that later. You scared me."

Arik quirked a smile at her. "I like you, too. So will you get to a safer spot, please?"         

     



 

"Since you put it like that, I will." She rushed off, heading for the outer side of the battle.

He gave me a once-over. "You hurt?"

"No. I'm good."

"I have your back," he said, just before an electric charge hit his leg. He yelped and toppled a little before straightening. "That smarts."

Anger replaced my fear, and I held up both hands, two fire globes springing to life on my palms.

"Impressive." Arik winked.

"Thanks."

"You may have to kill Nick. Stay strong."

Nick matched my fire globes with a large storm of lightning bolts between his hands.

"How about you take Nick and don't kill him," I said. "The only way to end this is for me to take down Conemar."

I hit Nick with my globes, and he screamed in pain, dropping the charge in his hands. His knees crashed to the ground.

"Are you certain?" Arik glanced back.

I followed his gaze. Conemar had lost track of Nick and me. He was yelling at his guards, who were losing to the Mystiks.

"Yeah," I said. "Try not to kill Nick."

I took off for Conemar, dodging guards on my way. Before I reached him, he had turned, spotting Royston drinking down the potion.

"Tetrad, attack!"

The four beasts looked at once to where Conemar was pointing, and like a thundering stampede, they ran for Royston. Lei rapid-fired her lightning globes at the Tetrad. One hit the Boar Man on the shoulder, and he threw his head back and screeched. The Lion Man roared when one grazed his neck.

Royston screamed as his body contorted and grew. The sound of popping bones and growing flesh curdled my stomach.

Everyone in the battle froze. Conemar stood with his mouth wide. I couldn't move, either. But the Tetrad kept going.

Jaran threw a water globe and knocked the Tetrad to the ground. They slipped in the mud trying to get back to their feet.

When Royston had fully changed, he was as tall and wide as the Tetrad. A monster like the Writhes, his skin became thick and leathery, his teeth sharp, his hands clawed.

The Tetrad finally made it to their feet and collided with Royston. The Lion Man swiped his nails at Royston, and he wailed. It was as if the world's biggest siren went off.

The pain hit my ears, and I covered them.

Somewhere on the battlefield, the werehounds howled.