I prayed to the Gods that Blade would get up, but he laid there unmoving and my heart sank. Calex continued to try to melt the ice around my throat but it was impervious to even his hellfire. Fear rose in me, the amount of power that Frost had to have to be stronger than even Calex was unthinkable. It was then that he looked at me with panic in his eyes and we both knew the likelihood of us making out alive was slim.
“I love you,” I wheezed as I met his eyes. “Get everyone else out,” I begged.
“We won’t leave you,” a tear slid from his eye and he stopped trying to undo the ice. Instead he looked at Jaxon, “Let’s give her what we can. She has to keep fighting.” I felt their warm hands against my skin and the blackness that threatened to take me under receded.
Frost dropped me and sneered from across the room, “Isn’t this cute? They are trying to overpower me.” I gasped for air as I focused again on both balls of power inside of me, each growing stronger as I coaxed them forward. I knew I needed to use both at the same time, if we were to have any hope of stopping him. I only prayed I could figure it out in the short time I had before he would overtake me again.
I would have to focus and throw it all out at once, endangering everyone around me. “Please leave. I have to do what I did before. I can only do this if I know you are all safe. Just get to the door, please.”
Una pulled at them, forcing them to back, “Trust her powers, guys. We have to. We don’t have any other choice.” She pushed at them and they backed out, not taking their eyes from me.
He shot his tendril out again and caught me around the throat, this time lifting me a few inches from the ground. “How sad, even your friends have abandoned you and know that it’s over,” Frost said triumphantly. “I’ll overlook our little spat this time. You just have to say the words.”
“Can’t,” I rasped out pointing to the rope that was wrapped around my throat.
“Can’t or won't?,” he asked, amused. “I’ll make this easy. Nod your head if you are ready to beg for my forgiveness.”
I nodded and he gave my throat another tight squeeze, making me lightheaded before releasing me. I fell to the floor and took hungry gasps of breath to soothe my burning lungs. He didn’t give me much time to recover as he grabbed my hair and dragged me to my feet. Pulling my head back to look at him, he smiled, “Good choice. You and I are going to do great things together.”
I nodded, unable to speak as I worked on connecting my two powers, one of which I had no clue how to control. He gripped my arm as he led me out to the hallway. My stomach sank as I didn’t see my men or my friends anywhere. I could feel Calex close but I didn’t know where he was. I just hoped they were far out of reach when I exploded.
He dragged me further and I almost had it. I just needed a little bit more time. He increased his speed toward the doors that led to the caves, and I knew I was running out of time. I needed to do this as soon as possible because if I let it out underground, the whole building might collapse on top of us. I didn’t care about myself at this point, I just wanted the others to make it out alive.
I wished in that moment that the bond had allowed us to communicate words in our heads. I still felt Calex close as if he were stalking us and I didn’t think I could let it out yet even though the doors loomed closer. I was caught between a rock and a hard place and scrambled to come up with another plan.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar came toward us, and, in his shock, the headmaster let me go. I had no clue what was coming but I ran, knowing that it was not only my life that depended on it.
Chapter Thirty-One
While I knew for her to be able to overtake Frost we had to go, it killed me to leave her. I felt helpless like never before when Una dragged us out the door, only letting us stop for me to pick up Blade and carry him out.
I felt my heart breaking, a heart that I didn’t know I had until Eva came into my life. Without her, I would be nothing. There was no point in us winning if we lost her. The power of the headmaster was more than any of us had ever expected, even Jaxon, and all of our carefully laid plans were falling apart.
“I can’t lose her,” I cried out, my knees almost buckling from the sheer emotional pain that overtook me.
Una stopped and grabbed the sides of my face forcing me to look at her. “We will not let her die. We will save her. I have a plan and I need you to pull your shit together Raven Prince.”
How she could be so calm was beyond me, yet her sassy use of one of the many nicknames she had for me pulled me out of my stupor. “Tell me,” I growled. “Make me believe you.”
“No one has ever seen what I can do,” she admitted. “We need the others to get to Sebastian.” She slapped Blade across his furry cheek, “Wake up pussy! Your woman needs you.”
He huffed out a breath but didn’t seem to stir anymore than that. She continued to prod at him until he finally shook his head and his eyes opened. I put him down carefully as he started to growl at Una. “Shut it pussy. Get your ass up to Sebastian, let him know plans have just been moved up. Jaxon, go with him. Calex and Jet, you’re coming with me.”
Everyone scrambled to follow her instructions, yet I didn’t like not knowing what was going on. “Tell me sea witch, what is your plan?” I demanded.
“Jet, I need you to be behind me in case I use too much and pass out. Bird Prince, you need to hide us in the shadows. Keep us out of sight of the headmaster and Eva. She will know you are near and that will be enough for her to follow her instincts. The rest... well, we just have to play it by ear. The most important thing is to get her out of here one way or another.”
Even though it didn’t sit right with me, I knew that at least she had something, whereas I had nothing. I had no choice but to follow. I called upon the shadows and hid us from sight. We were still right there in the middle of the hallway but I bent the darkness around us so that we couldn’t be seen. It was a power that no one knew about, one that I used to collect secrets, and I wondered briefly how Una knew.
I didn’t have any time to question her as I spotted the headmaster dragging Eva out of the cafeteria. My heart stuttered and I subconsciously took a step forward to go to her, thankful that she was no longer wrapped in his icy grip around her throat. Una put her hand out to stop me and leveled a warning look at me.
I knew Eva felt me as she tried to look for me. I resisted the burning desire to show myself, to show her I was right here. Instead, we followed them and I felt all hope escape as I saw where he was taking her to. The caves; the one place where she wouldn’t be able to escape.
My barrier didn’t stop sound from escaping, so we had to remain silent. I tapped Una on the shoulder and she shook her head at me and gave me a wink, her way of telling me she knew and was on top of it.
I saw the panic in Eva’s eyes as they grew closer to the basement door. Every part of me ached to swoop in and carry her away, but I knew we would both die if I tried that. Movement from Una at my side had me tearing my eyes away from my girl. I watched in fascination as her hands came together and water started swirling around between them.
It started out small, but quickly rose higher and higher, wider than I thought ever imaginable. I had never seen this kind of control of the element, not even with the most powerful fae. I wondered what she was and realized that I had never taken the time to find out. I kicked myself now as I had no choice but to put all of our lives in her hands.
Her brow was creased in concentration and sweat poured down her face as it continued to grow. It seemed like forever, but it was only a minute before it was a roaring riptide of water that she shot out towards the headmaster, the thunderous noise causing him to turn and loosen his grip on Eva.
She took full advantage and ran towards us, her bond with me guiding her to where I stood. The wave of water just barely missed her as it crashed into the headmaster, pushing him back against the wall. Una continued to pummel him as he tried to escape the force of the water.
Somehow he managed to gain
control at the last minute as he roared in rage. A bright light emanated from him and crept up the water lighting it as it moved up. “Una, watch out,” I shouted, but it was too late.
The water exploded around her, encasing her in a tornado that spun so quickly she couldn’t get out. I let my shadows go and grabbed Eva in my arms. “We have to go,” I urged her.
“No! I won’t leave Una!” she screamed. “We have to save her!”
It tore me apart to see her crying for her friend but the headmaster was working on getting out of the water and would be free soon. She ripped away from me and her power exploded out of her, a force that rivaled what I had seen from her the last time it happened. The water froze where it was, encasing not only the headmaster, but Una as well, in a solid block of ice.
“Shit, shit, shit. No! I didn’t mean to get Una in that. Fuck, help me Calex!” Eva shouted, panic lacing her voice as she rushed to her friend. “Jet, we need to get her out,” she cried, begging him to help.
I looked at the headmaster and saw a glow coming from within his block of ice, the water dripping down the sides as if he were melting it. “Eva, we have a problem,” I urged her to look.
“Fuck!” she swore, “Just let me get Una and we’ll go.” I gave her space and she shot more snow and ice at the headmaster, ensuring that she would have more time to work, while trying to pull the magic back in her from just where Una was encased.
It was working, but I could feel through our bond that she was fading fast. I had no more to give if we were to get out of here alive. I knew we still had the atrium filled with guards to contend with.
I held her as her legs shook and she was so close to falling. Una’s face was now free, her expression full of sorrow as she said, “You have to leave, Eva. Leave me here and go.”
“I can’t,” Eva sobbed as she tried to push harder and beat her fists on the ice, jagged cuts forming on her skin. She was on the edge of burn out, but she still kept trying.
“Eva, stop that shit right now. You get your ass out of here and go make babies with those hot men of yours. He doesn’t want me and I’ll be just fine. Go!” her voice quivered and tears rolled down her cheeks, the only display of emotion I had ever seen from her.
Jet, who was typically silent, spoke up, “I will take care of her. Just come back for us when you can.”
“We will,” I promised as I scooped Eva up in my arms and ran through the halls. Her body gave away as she passed out and I was thankful that for a short time I could concentrate on leaving instead of being paralyzed by the broken heart of my love.
I reached the atrium, and as I suspected, the guards were lined up blocking our path. I stopped and weighed my options, looking for a way out. I just needed to make it to the stairs and up to the roof, but guards blocked my way, each one holding a stick with a taser at the end. In normal circumstances, I could fight them all off, but not while I was holding Eva.
I looked up the soaring walls and followed them up to where I spotted a large window, the sun shining through leaving patterns on the stone walls across from it. It was risky but I had no better choice.
My wings spread out behind me and the guards took a step back. I gripped Eva tight against me as I jumped and flapped my powerful wings, taking flight. I pumped them hard as I rose up past the levels where the guards were all stationed looking at us wide-eyed.
Eva stirred in my arms and I held her tighter to me as I swooped around the atrium, picking up the speed I needed to pull it off. As I careened towards the window, I closed my eyes and quickly wrapped my wings around Eva as we spun, crashing through it to the outside.
I immediately spread my wings out and flapped them hard. The effort made them burn but I couldn't give up. I kept going higher and higher, my love for Eva spurring me on as we approached one of the highest turrets. The one I knew everyone should be waiting at by now. I called out for my brothers, knowing it would be hard for me to keep this pace up, scared that I would fail.
Relief flooded me when I landed on the side of the stone wall, and Blade grabbed one wing, while Jaxon and Sebastian pulled the other, hauling us up the rest of the way. Jaxon took Eva as I shook from the effort, the flying that I hadn't done in so long.
Sebastian took charge, rearranging our previous plan for seating arrangements as he pulled out a pill for me to take, “This will help you get your energy back. Jaxon is giving one to Eva right now.”
I swallowed it as I watched a large black dragon land on the roof. I hadn’t been this close to one in a long time and it’s sheer size was unnerving. I hoped that it was safe and could only trust Sebastian in his judgement.
“No! What are you doing here?” Sebastian shouted and I wondered why he was so upset; I thought our plan had involved using the dragon to escape.
He landed and I watched as his big head turned toward Eva. I stumbled to my feet, determined to keep her safe, even from this creature.
He puffed out a breath against her face and nudged her. “Stop him,” I shouted at Sebastian, knowing in my weakened state I wouldn’t get there in time. My jaw dropped to the floor as Eva reached out and stroked the dragon’s nose, causing it to rumble as if it were purring. I heard the tinkle of her laughter and stood astonished at the sight before me. This woman would never cease to amaze me.
Chapter Thirty-Two
My friend was back and I loved the way he felt as he nuzzled me and did his dragon version of a purr. He lessened the heartbreak of not being able to save Una. “You need a name gorgeous,” I told him sweetly. “How about Cronan?” He nudged me with his nose and I assumed he liked it.
“Eva, he has to move. We can’t all ride him. We need the red dragon and he won’t be able to land with this one here,” Sebastian’s voice was full of frustration but I knew it wasn’t directed at me. He was just panicked about the urgency of the situation and we needed to get moving.
I nodded at him and turned to ask the dragon to go, but something caught my attention on the path leading to the castle.
Two large guards held a pixie between them, limp and unconscious as they carried her up the stone walkway. Her short, blonde hair hung over her eyes, and I couldn’t make out any of her features, only that she was small and delicate looking. Her once tailored, green skirt was torn to shreds, her wings no longer full, but sad and dragging the ground. “We have to help her,” I turned back to Sebastian.
“If we don’t get out of here, we can’t help anyone. We’ll come back,” he stated as he scanned the sky for the red dragon.
I gave the pixie one last look, sorrow filling my heart at the fate that waited for her in those walls. I vowed to come back and help those we had to leave behind that didn’t deserve this. I turned back to Cronan and asked him to leave so I wouldn’t be in danger anymore. His chest rumbled and he wrapped his neck around me in a sort of a hug. “You have to let me go, Cronan.”
Instead of moving, he put his large front foot down as he did when I rode with Sebastian and then nudged me to it. “You want to take me?” I asked and he responded by nudging me towards his leg again.
“Sebastian, I think I have no choice but to fly with him. I’ll be safe with him. You were concerned about the other dragon being able to hold us anyway.”
Swear words flew out of Sebastian’s mouth like none I’d heard from him before and I stared at him astonished as Calex made his way over to us, looking like he finally had more energy back. “I’ll ride with her. This stubborn mule is obviously not going to move and we don’t know how much longer we have. Every minute we argue increases our chances of getting caught,” Calex reasoned.
Sebastian stared at me, still as astonished as I was but he agreed, “Only if you still have Calex with you as a backup. He’s a young dragon, and I won’t take the chances.”
“Cronan, I would be honored to ride with you, but you have to let my friend ride with me. I’m not strong enough to stay on your back.” He focused his eyes on Calex and nudged me again. I only hoped that meant he agree
d. I climbed on with Calex following behind me, talking soothingly to the dragon as we took our seats. He made no move that made me think Calex would be in danger.
“Do we know where we are going?” I shouted down to the remaining guys.
“I didn’t have enough time to figure it out before we had to leave. We may have to make a stop in a druid temple that will have more information for me,” Sebastian looked frustrated with this lack of time to plan.
Jaxon spoke up, “I know a place where we will never be found. Just follow us and we will be fine.” His cryptic response made me wonder what he was up to. “Just trust me and let it be a surprise,” he added with a wink.
I nodded and then turned my attention to Cronan. “Let’s go,” I told him as I patted his back. His powerful wings flapped and we rose above the turrets slowly. I gasped when I saw an even larger dragon, with red scales glistening in the sun, take the place of where we just were on the roof. “Holy fuck.”
“You got that right, Ice,” Calex spoke in my ear behind me, his breath warm against my skin and tickling my ear.
I watched as the others climbed up on the red dragon and settled themselves before it flapped its giant wings and took off in the sky. His pace was more rapid than Cronan’s and I only hoped that we would be able to keep up.
I took one last longing look at the castle below us, the prison where I had met my family and lost a friend that was more of a sister to me than my own blood. Tears ran down my face as I sniffled “Goodbye Una.”
Calex squeezed me tighter, “We’ll come back for her. I swear on my life that we will find a way to save her.”
Wintertide Page 30