Page 29 of Midnight Star

The shadow recoils, its form twisting violently, and then a creature—half man, half caribou—is lying dead on the ground in its place. It looks so human—well, half human—that guilt twists in my chest at the sight of its mangled form.

“One down,” Riven says, his sword at the ready, his body and blade buzzing with magic and determination. “Five to go.”

Sapphire

Another shadow lunges at me,and I react on instinct, thrusting my palm forward and summoning a blast of air.

The gust ripples through the forest, scattering snow and forcing the shadow to retreat.

“Good,” Riven says, slicing through another shadow that veers too close. “But don’t waste your strength on wide attacks. Focus your power. Your magic. Your dagger.”

“I’m trying,” I snap, ducking as another shadow darts at my legs.

Ghost intercepts it, his jaws snapping shut on empty air.

The shadow recoils, reforming behind him.

It all happens so quickly that it’s hard to keep up. Yet, somehow, Riven and I move together as if we’ve beenfighting side by side our whole lives, keeping each other safe as the shadows dart in and out of the trees like phantoms in the night.

When the next shadow lunges, I summon tiny orbs of water from the humidity in the air and hurl them at it like bullets.

They strike true, pushing the shadow back, catching it by surprise.

I use the moment of opportunity to launch myself at the shadow and slice through it with my dagger.

Just like that, another dead caribou man appears in the shadow’s place and falls to the ground.

“That’s more like it,” Riven says, sharp with approval.

I glance over my shoulder at him as his sword arcs through the air, frost spreading along the blade as he dispatches another shadow. His movements are precise, calculated, and beautiful—like a dance perfected throughout the decades.

Then, a shadow lunges at his blind spot.

“Behind you!” I shout, but he’s already turning, his blade cutting through the darkness and taking the creature down.

Still, another shadow seizes the opportunity, aiming for his side.

It’s fast.

Toofast.

In less than a second, I’m moving, my air magic carrying me across the snow with a burst of speed. A scream tears from my throat as I throw myself into the shadow’s path, raising my dagger and slashing it through its chest.

It lets out a hollow screech, dissolving into a half-man, half-caribou corpse at my feet, so close that I nearly trip over it.

I’m still centering myself when a shadow lunges from my left, its claws raking across my arm.

Pain explodes through me. It’s hot and sharp, and I stagger back, clutching the wound. It takes everything in me to not lose hold of my dagger.

“Sapphire!” Riven’s voice cuts through the chaos.

“I’m fine!” I shout back, the adrenaline surging through my veins keeping me moving.

Plus, thanks to my supernatural healing, the gash is already starting to close.

Riven takes another shadow down, and the half-caribou corpse slumps to the ground, joining the growing pile of their fallen.

Now, the remaining two shadows circle us, their movements faster and more erratic, as if realizing their numbers are dwindling. The air feels alive with tension, my magic thrumming under my skin as I brace for their next move.

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