Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nick stopped halfway between Conemar and me. He formed a fireball in his hand and threw it at me.
I shot an ice one at it. The flames froze and dropped to the ground, shattering into a hundred pieces.
He sent an electric bolt at me that I stopped with a stun globe.
The rage in his eyes stunned me to my spot. He threw a series of electric charges, and I blocked them with my shield.
The crowd behind me shifted and called out my name. A horn sounded somewhere to my right. I didn’t dare look, but the cheers coming from the Mystiks and the look on Conemar’s face told me it had to be something in our favor.
Nick took several heavy steps forward. His jaw tensed. He closed his eyes tight and dropped his head.
I held my fighting stance, readying for his next move.
His head flew up before he sprinted the rest of the way to me, pushing his body against mine. “Gia.” He struggled to say my name, his voice deep and shaky. “I can’t fight it. Kill me.”
“No.” I shook my head hard. “I can’t. Fight, Nick, or they’ll all die. Afton will die.”
The muscles in his face tensed. “I love you, Gia. You’re my family.” He flinched and groaned. “Whatever happens, know that.”
“I feel the same way,” I said. “I love you. My death won’t be your fault. It’s on Conemar.”
A cracking sound came from his body as Bastien regained control of him. I took the opportunity to quickly back away from Nick.
Conemar’s stare on the hill caused me to take a quick look. The rebels from Veilig had arrived for the fight. Above their heads, flocks of Greyhillians circled the sky. The shock on Conemar’s face turned to anger. To their right, I could make out Pia with the Santara rebels. Doylis and others like him pounded down the hill.
“Tetrad, earthquake!” Conemar pointed at the hill.
The Tetrad straightened, and the Boar Man roared and shot his hand in the direction of the hill, and it split in half. Many Veiligicans and Santarans tumbled into the fissure. Greyhillians dove and rescued several of them. It didn’t stop Doylis and his team. They continued.
Conemar’s army passed Nick and me, charging at the Mystiks behind me.
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.
I pulled my attention from the battle of the beasts. Conemar was distracted—this was my chance. I sprinted for him. Coming at him from behind, I thrust my sword into his back, just as his guard had done to Uncle Philip. I yanked it out, and he turned to face me with a surprised expression. An electric sphere balanced on his hand.
“Gianna, I’m impressed.” Blood spread across his white shirt. He whirled around and fired the electric charge in his hands with so much force a bolt flew high and far. My eyes followed it.
Arik had Nick backed against the edge of the cliff, and it was heading for them.
“Arik! Behind you,” I yelled.
He spun around, spotted it, and dived to the ground. The charge hit Nick in the arm and knocked him off the edge.
I was numb. Nick was gone, and I couldn’t feel. I wanted to cry. Scream. But nothing came. Staring at the spot he went over, I expected him to jump up and say he was only joking around. He was okay.
But he wasn’t. He was gone.
My numbness was replaced by a boiling anger, and I faced Conemar. He was struggling to stay standing.
The werehounds attacked the guards surrounding Pop and the others, their teeth sinking into legs and arms. Heavy paws hit the earth as the largest of the pack chased the guard who cut down Uncle Philip.
Another charge left Conemar’s hands and hit me in the shoulder. I landed hard on my back. My flesh felt on fire, and I rolled to my side, screaming. A fire globe whizzed by and hit Conemar.
He howled and stumbled back.
I shot a glance over my shoulder. Arik had another fire globe dancing on his palm.
Rada’s prophecy repeated in my head. What I see is possible outcomes. It depends on the choices you make, and those of the ones around you, whether good wins over evil or not. I will say that you must put aside your emotions at the end. Think with your head. Take a life without hesitation. For in that moment, you could lose it all.
I had been distracted when Nick went over the edge, and Conemar bested me.
Rage overtook me, and I struggled to my feet. Conemar rocked on his feet, and I charged him, burying my sword into his belly, delivering him the final blow. He staggered back, and I watched him. Watched as he collapsed to the ground and the life left his body. I watched him die for all those he took from me. For those he took from others.
I watched him take his last breath.