Phantom Magic (Dragon's Gift: The Seeker Book 5)

by Linsey Hall

  “Draka!” I screamed.

  An answering screech sent joy streaking through me. I looked up to see Draka, her massive blue body sweeping down from the sky. Beside her were the other three Phantom dragons. They plunged into the crowd of demons that surrounded us, scattering them.

  Claire whirled with her sword, cutting down the demons that remained. Connor continued to hurl acid bombs, and I shot my icicles. Roarke and Aidan swooped down from the sky, yanking the climbing demons away from the platform. Cade joined them, and Emile charged Prince Louie up to the platform.

  The two-headed dog—strangely, one head was a white poodle and the other some kind of golden retriever—opened its jaws and breathed smoky green breath onto a pile of demons who were attempting to reach me. The demons shrieked and writhed, toppling to the ground as the poison killed them. Fortunately, the green breath didn’t waft over me.

  All the while, Prince Louie’s tail wagged like mad. Apparently, he enjoyed a good demon killing.

  The tide was turning. The platform was almost free of demons, and Roarke and Aidan were taking care of those that breached our defenses.

  But then my gaze caught on a sight that sent ice through my veins.

  The Shadows.

  They drifted across the field, their dark gray forms cutting a path through the mass of fighting bodies like they were a couple of Moseses parting the Red Sea.

  “Incoming,” I said.

  “I see them.” Nix fired an arrow straight at the first Shadow. As expected it flew through him, doing no damage.

  Cass blasted a demon with a fire jet, then shouted over her shoulder, “We’ll try to hold one off while you take care of the first. Then you can do the last.”

  “Connor and I will keep the demons off your back.” Claire stabbed a red demon through the gut. “And don’t forget Roarke and Aidan will take care of the sky.”

  As I waited for the Shadow to reach the platform, I plowed an icicle through the chest of a slender gray demon with huge horns and fangs like a saber-toothed tiger. “Thanks guys.”

  It was the last thing I had a chance to say. The first Shadow was on the platform a moment later, having quickly climbed over the pile of demons that Roarke and Aidan were steadily decimating.

  The Shadow drifted right toward me, his dark cloak drifting in the wind. The world grew silent around me. Though the battle continued to rage, I heard nothing and felt only the malevolence radiating from the Shadow drifting toward me.

  “Looking for me?” I walked backward toward the other side of the platform, drawing the Shadow away from my friends. Emile and Prince Louie were stationed at the base of this side, taking care of any demons who might try to come for my back.

  “I would think that is obvious.” The Shadow’s voice was a sibilant hiss.

  I grinned, though my insides were actually churning, and held my sword out in front of me. Slowly, he drew his own blade. It was made of black shadow, the only one of its kind that I had ever seen.

  “That’s a nice sword,” I said. “But I’m going to take it from you.”

  The Shadow hissed.

  Behind him, the other Shadow climbed onto the platform. Cass raced to the amplifying stone, Nix at her side. Cass lay her hand on the stone, then thrust out her palm and created a wall of pure white flame between us and the second Shadow. The Shadow tried to pass through it, but the stone had created some kind of super strong flame that he couldn’t cross.

  Quick thinking, Cass.

  The trapped Shadow raised a hand and flicked out a small tentacle of pure electricity, clearly testing the strength of the fire. It darted through the fire, creating a small hole.

  Shit.

  As my Shadow slowly drifted toward me, Nix conjured a gleaming golden shield, taking up her position in front of Cass, who kept feeding her magic to the wall of flame. If she took her hand off the amplifier stone, her magic flame would lose its enhancement, and the Shadow could break through.

  Their Shadow sent out a whip of electricity. Nix thrust out her shield, ducking her head. The electricity collided with it, sounding like a hammer beating a tin drum, and Nix shook from the force. A rotten scent filled the air.

  Poison? Was the Shadow’s whip made of electricity and poison? Whatever it was, it was deadly. We couldn’t let it touch us.

  Together, she and Cass held off the Shadow as he slowly broke down the magical flame. Around us, Connor and Claire fought the other demons.

  The Shadow who watched me finally lunged, his blade outstretched. He was fast as a snake. I barely managed to get my own sword up in time. Our blades clashed, the magical metals clanging. A shiver went up my arm, as if his blade imparted a poison to my own.

  I whirled away, ducking as he swiped out for me.

  “Is this how you thought your plan would go down?” I taunted.

  Rage drifted off him, a distinct feeling on the air that made me pray he wouldn’t be able to use it against me.

  “You traitorous bitch,” he growled.

  “At your service.” I slashed out with my blade, slicing his cloak. He hissed in pain and jerked back, but was quick to recover.

  Behind him, the other Shadow was breaking down the flame wall, his gaze intent on me. Every time he lashed a whip of electricity at Nix, she appeared to weaken. But she and Cass held strong, giving me time to defeat the Shadow with the blade.

  He whirled, his cloak obscuring his movements, and darted right, catching me by surprise. I fended off his blow, but the next strike landed. His sword swiped over my arm, sending pain flaring through my bicep.

  At least it wasn’t my sword arm. I darted for him, sinking my sword into his side. He shrieked, but didn’t go down. Somehow, he moved faster.

  Fear chilled my skin. I couldn’t beat this Shadow. He was a better swordsman than me, faster and stronger. As if proving my point, he darted toward me and sliced his blade across my upper thigh. The cut was so deep that I stumbled, blood pouring out of the wound.

  I tried to right myself, but was slow and clumsy. My leg could barely hold my weight.

  Now I truly couldn’t beat this Shadow. It was only a matter of time before he finished me.

  Cold sweat broke out all over my body.

  I need help.

  As if she’d heard my plea, Pond Flower appeared right behind the Shadow, just inches from the back of his legs. Her red eyes gleamed as she stared hard at me.

  Taking her cue, I threw myself at my enemy. I stumbled on my injured leg, but it worked. The threat of my oncoming blade made the Shadow step back. He tripped over Pond Flower, whose protective black flame made the Shadow hiss in pain.

  I leapt onto him, clumsily straddling him as my weakened leg slowed me down. I thrust my sword through his chest. Viciously, I twisted the blade.

  The evil life force that propelled him disappeared almost immediately.

  Dead.

  One down, one to go. I stood, my wound still pouring blood, and looked toward my deirfiúr.

  At that moment, the Shadow broke through the enhanced flame barrier. The fire fizzled and disappeared, leaving us open to his attack. He didn’t spare a glance for Nix or Cass. Instead, he shot his electric whip out at me. It glowed brilliant white and was thick as a telephone pole.

  Without having to feel it, I knew the strike would be deadly. Even in my Phantom form. And with my wound, I was too slow to save myself. Pond Flower turned, as if to throw herself between me and the electric whip, but Nix was faster.

  She lunged between me and the weapon, taking the hit full-on. Her shield was no good, and his electricity wrapped around her like a snake.

  Horror opened a chasm in my chest as I watched it light her up. Strength that I shouldn’t have had welled within me and I charged, slicing through the electric cable with my Phantom blade. Nix dropped to the ground.

  Before the Shadow could recover, I lunged for him, flying across the platform on pure adrenaline and rage. I sunk the blade through his chest, then kicked him in the stomach,
dislodging him from my sword.

  As he fell, I could feel the life force drift out of him. He collapsed like a rag doll. He was dead.

  I whirled and raced for Nix, who lay on the ground, broken. Cass was beside her, tears streaming down her cheeks. Nix’s face was pale and her fingertips burned. Darkness spread up her arms like ash, slowly creeping toward her face.

  Was it the poison from the Shadow’s electric whip?

  I crashed to my knees beside her.

  “Nix!” Tears poured down my face. Pain like I’d never felt tore through me, the claws of a giant tiger.

  Nix’s eyes fluttered open, a duller green than I’d ever seen.

  Draka landed beside us, shifting into her human form. She knelt, touching Nix, then looked up at me, sadness on her timeless face. “Poison. She will die.”

  No. An icy wasteland opened up inside my chest. I leaned over Nix, weeping.

  “Do you know what you did?” I cried.

  “Of course.” Nix coughed. The black ash traveled up her shoulders, to her neck. “I love you. Del. Cass.”

  I wanted to squeeze her, to shake her, to force her to heal. But I could do none of it.

  “Aidan!” Cass screamed. Calling for his healing powers.

  I looked at Draka and begged, “Heal her.”

  “I don’t have that power.” Sadness was a mask over her normally calm expression.

  I looked back at Nix, whose eyes had closed. Her face was gray now, the Shadow’s poison having traveled through her entire body.

  Aidan landed heavily beside us, his golden wings casting a shadow over Nix. He shifted quickly, the flash of golden light giving way to his normal form. He knelt beside Nix, touched her arm gently.

  Then his shoulders sagged.

  A sob tore through my chest. I knew the words before he spoke them.

  “There’s nothing I can do. She is gone.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “No!” I leapt to my feet. “No!”

  Cass jumped up, her eyes wild and desperate.

  “I’m turning back time.” I called my magic to me, letting my gift over time coil in my chest.

  Draka rose quickly. “You mustn’t. It’s forbidden. Changing the past is too dangerous.”

  “It’s only a minute.” Cass’s voice was hard. “Do it.”

  “What if you die?” Draka asked. “The Shadow could hit you with the same magic. Your Phantom form won’t protect you.”

  I didn’t care. I’d risk hell or eternal damnation or whatever it took to save Nix.

  “I don’t care.” I met Cass’s wild gaze. “Stop Nix from running.”

  Cass nodded firmly, her gaze set. “Do it now.”

  I raced back to where I’d stood with the other Shadow, fear shivering through my veins. Cass returned to her spot, Aidan took to the sky.

  I met Draka’s gaze. “Go back to the sky. It will help.”

  Worry and anger warred in her gaze, but she nodded, then shifted back into dragon form and took off. I’d never turned back the past with me and my friends in it—I’d only ever done it to my surroundings. I hoped it would help if everyone were close to the same position they had been, because honestly, I was floundering here.

  But the sight of Nix’s body firmed my resolve.

  I dug deep for my magic, using my trick of envisioning at a ball of light inside my body. It was my mother’s trick, I now knew. As I gathered the magic to the surface, I replayed my sword fight with the Shadow. I was going to have to be faster this time—but I knew what moves he would make.

  Once I’d gathered up all my magic and all my control over time, I envisioned the moment before the Shadow cut my arm and my leg. I’d need all my strength and speed.

  The magic poured out of me, twisting time and the space around me.

  My skin chilled as time rewound itself. Shivers raced through me as I watched the world rewind. It happened in an instant, and then the Shadow with the sword was lunging for me.

  He’d go for my left arm, I knew that now. I had to avoid the wounds, or I wouldn’t be fast enough. I dodged right, narrowly avoiding his blow, and sank my blade deep into his gut.

  Pond Flower appeared a moment later, but she stood off to the side, as if she knew this moment was somehow different. I kicked the Shadow off of my blade. I had only seconds until the barrier dropped.

  The Shadow fell, crashing to the ground. I stabbed him one last time, through the neck, then looked up to see the other Shadow flicking his electric poisoned whip at the barrier of flame.

  This would be the blow that destroyed the wall of fire. I raced toward it, desperate to reach him before he could flick out the second strike that would kill Nix or me.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cass lunge for Nix and grab her. Cass’s faith that I could handle this gave me strength.

  As the barrier of flame dissipated fully, I lunged at the Shadow.

  He drew back his arm to throw the killing strike, but I was too close. As I had before, I plunged my sword into his chest, then kicked him off the blade. This time, I followed it up with a slice to the throat as he fell. He was probably already close to death, but I was pissed and scared and wanted to finish the drill.

  As he collapsed, his life force flowed away. I didn’t spare him a glance, instead spinning around to find Cass and Nix.

  Nix was struggling out of Cass’s bear hug, confusion and annoyance on her face.

  “What the hell, dude?” she demanded.

  She’d just broken free when I hurtled toward her, throwing my arms around her and hugging her tight.

  “Uh, thanks?” she said. Then she shoved me away.

  I landed hard, crashing to my butt. Nix leapt over me and kicked a gray, muscular demon hard in the chest. He had a knife raised, as if he’d planned to stab me in the back. As he fell, Nix grabbed the knife, then followed him down to the ground, stabbing him in the neck. Blood sprayed her face, a gruesome war paint that somehow suited her.

  I scrambled to my feet. The battle wasn’t over. There were still demons left to fight. With the magical flame barrier gone, we were now exposed.

  I powered up an icicle and sent it through the chest of a demon who was climbing over the edge of the platform. It plowed through his neck and sent him flying through the air. He disappeared far below.

  Cass was throwing fireballs at the demons surrounding Claire, who fought like a banshee, her sword whirling so fast that it was a gray streak on the air. I joined in, hitting one with an icicle and another with a massive ball of ice to the head. He flew off the platform, his skull crushed.

  On the other side of the platform, Connor was out of potion bombs. He fought with his infrequently-used sword, doing a pretty damned good job against a dark blue demon who was armed with an axe.

  Airborne, Roarke and Aidan were polishing off the last of the demons who tried to climb onto the platform.

  In the valley beyond, our side was winning.

  By a landslide.

  The demon bodies piled up, disappearing at different speeds as they returned to the Underworld where they belonged. Most of the living ones—a hundred at most—were disappearing one at a time, using teleportation or transport charms. It was as if the Shadows’ deaths and the carnage made them realize that this was just too damned dangerous.

  On the western tundra, Mordaca and Aerdeca looted the bodies of the fallen demons. So did the rest of the Darklaners. I couldn’t blame them. There was good loot to be found, and they deserved it. The Swamp Supes were doing the same, polishing off the last demons and searching the corpses before they disappeared. Some of the Order police looked on disapprovingly—anything found on the bodies should go to the Order, in their opinion—but they said nothing.

  Today wasn’t a day for sticking to the rules.

  In the south, the monsters had started eating the demons. Prince Louie looked delighted, with blood flecking the curly white fur of one head and straight golden fur of the other as he chowed down on the corpses at his
feet. I imagined that I saw bloodthirsty glee in the eyes of Ralph and Rufus, but they were too far away to confirm my suspicions.

  Claire killed the last demon on the platform, and I joined Cass and Nix at the southern edge, where the last of the demons still fought. There were a few down below, at the very base, but the FireSouls were polishing them off.

  I looked toward the mountains, grateful to see the healers moving onto the battlefield. There were at least a hundred and fifty of them, along with their assistants. Probably three hundred in total. It had been Roarke’s idea to hire every healer we could find and bring them for the aftermath. They swarmed across the tundra, headed for the wounded.

  “I think we’ve won,” I said.

  Cass looped an arm around my shoulder. “I think we have.”

  Nix grinned at us, her face painted with blood. “Good job, everyone!”

  Cass winced and pointed to her cheek. “You’ve got a little something there. And there. And there.”

  “That demon had it coming.”

  Cass glanced at me. “Looks like Nix was determined to save you no matter what.”

  She had a point. And maybe that was the thing about changing the past. You couldn’t change it very much. I’d only shifted it back a minute, but Nix had still found a way to save my life.

  At least this time, she hadn’t died.

  I owed her a big thank you, and she didn’t even realize. Or did she?

  “Do you remember what happened?” I asked. If she did, she certainly wasn’t making a big deal about it.

  “With you saving me?” Nix said. “Yeah. I mean, I was confused at first. Then I realized you must have turned back time. I was dead, so I didn’t see it. But I remember the rest of it. The poison, Cass hugging me weirdly.”

  “Thank you. You saved my life.” Tears pricked my eyes.

  She shrugged, but her gaze was fierce. “Or course.”

  She wasn’t making a big deal about it. But I wasn’t surprised. I’d done something similar over the summer and hadn’t thought twice. It was just what we did for each other.

  All the same, I reached out and hugged them both.