Page 66 of Fated for Dawn

A mass of corpses cornered a group of students, their faces pale with terror, their movements frantic.

Lucien sprinted toward them, hurling potions in rapid succession. The glass vials shattered on impact, creating bursts of magic that briefly held back the advancing undead. But one of the creatures moved faster. It grabbed Lucien’s arm, yanking him down with terrifying force. He hit the ground hard, and the dull thud of his body against the earth made my heart stop.

“Lucien!” I screamed, my voice raw as I charged toward him. I hacked through the nearest corpses with desperate swings.

Chad, still in hellhound form, broke away from the horde and barreled toward Lucien, his powerful legs launching him over the heads of the undead. With a deep, guttural growl, Chad sank his teeth into the arm of the corpse holding Lucien, ripping it away with a savage jerk.

Moments after, Lucien staggered to his feet, clutching his shoulder.

“He’s okay!” Chad shouted, his voice briefly human as he shifted back. “Go! Get the bitch!”

I turned back to Eris. She stood untouched amidst the chaos, her expression bored as if this was all a game to her.

I unfurled my wings, launching myself into the air. Flames licked at my sword as I hacked at the undead below. Eris watched me ascend, then lazily flicked her wrist. A wave of dark energy surged toward me.

I dodged—but not fast enough. An undead hand clamped around my leg, holding me in place as the energy hit. Pain tore through me as my wings shredded from my back.

A scream ripped from my throat as I plummeted to the ground, the agony white-hot and blinding.

The impact of the crash knocked the air from my lungs. My vision blurred, and through the haze of pain, I saw Adrien moving toward me as he conjured a shield, its magical barrier flickering with strain.

Chad was there seconds later, shifting back to human form.

“Little witch, are you okay?” he panted, wide eyes scanning me for injuries.

“I’m fine,” I lied, forcing myself upright.

The ground swayed beneath me, and I shoved the pain from my mind.

I can’t think about my wings right now. I need to end this.

Chad’s gaze darted to the horde still advancing. “They just keep coming. What do we do?”

“We have to take Eris down—she’s the one conjuring them,” I said.

“But you said you didn’t want to hurt Lia’s body.”

“I know. But Eris is playing dirty, and we have to protect the students.”

“Eris is a goddess; Lia’s body is strong enough to take some hits,” Adrien muttered, keeping the shield up around us. “Don’t hesitate when attacking.”

Chad nodded. “If you want to force Eris out of Lia, you need to knock her out.”

I got up with renewed energy. “Very well.” I grabbed Chad’s arm and pushed him behind me. “Stay there. Watch our backs in case Adrien’s shield falters.”

Resting a hand on Adrien’s shoulder, I met his gaze. “Can you hold the shield a little longer?”

Adrien nodded, his jaw tight. “I’ve got you, Evelyn. Do what you need to do.”

“Thank you,” I said before closing my eyes and reaching deep for the connection to my storm lineage.

Thunder echoed in the distance, and the air grew thick and sharp. My skin prickled in anticipation, tiny sparks of electricity gathered along my arms as….

“Little—” Chad’s voice cut through with alarm, saying something, but I didn’t listen or answer; I couldn’t afford to lose focus.

The energy built, surging through me like a river ready to burst. Thunder rolled closer, the sound vibrating through my bones.

I raised my arms toward the sky, feeling the energy coil within me. Then, with a crack, a lightning bolt struck me square in the chest. The impact jolted through me, setting my nerves on fire. My skin tingled, my hair lifted, and I felt alive with power.

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