Page 31 of Bonded Chaos

“Kane,” I called, and the Earth Fae fell into step beside me.

“Does the earth speak to you?”

The man dropped to his knees and pressed his palm flat against the ground. His magic pulsed around him as he sent it into the dirt beneath our feet, searching.

After a moment, Kane lifted his gaze to mine, his eyes full of dread as he shook his head. “It’s as if everything inside these woods is dead.”

“Dead? How is that possible?”

“I don’t know,” he murmured. “Something is wrong.”

The Earth Fae rose from the ground and returned to his position. A moment later, Malesh emerged from the brush and took his place.

“I couldn’t find any trace of them, Ryker. I don’t like it. What if your father —”

Malesh’s words were cut off as an arrow whistled through the air and struck his flank with athud.Malesh grunted as he clutched his side, and blood coated his fingers in a torrent.

Then chaos erupted.

Arrows flew in every direction, and my men scrambled for cover, ducking behind tree trunks and diving to the ground.

I gripped Malesh by his bicep as I pulled my shadows around me and stepped through the inky mass. I closed the distance to a nearby tree, where I laid Malesh against the thick base.

“Wait here. I will return for you.”

With a pained grunt, Malesh acknowledged my command.

I returned to the fray and saw Eamon fending off a blow from one of the Wraith Borne, who had finally given up their position. He raised his sword above his head before bringing it down in an arc toward his assailant. The Wraith Borne sidestepped the blow and lunged for Eamon.

Eamon lifted his muscular leg and landed his boot in the center of his attacker’s chest. The man crumbled to the ground, a pained moan escaping him. The sound faded abruptly as Eamon swung his sword again, this time severing the man’s head in one swift blow. A crimson fountain erupted from the man’s neck, and Eamon stepped back to avoid the spray.

When he caught my eye, he gave me a curt nod to let me know he was unharmed before he lunged for his next opponent.

Another Wraith Borne leaped toward me, and I raised my sword to meet his.

I didn’t even glance in his direction. I was acting on instinct as my shadows whirled inside me, warning me of the impending danger.

Power thrummed through my body, and I sent an inky-black tendril sailing through the air toward him. It wrapped around his throat, and I squeezed.

The man dropped his sword as he clawed at his neck.

That only made me squeeze harder.

A loud crack echoed between us as the man’s head lolled to the side.

Fuck.

I hadn’t meant to break his neck. I’d wanted to drag it out a little longer.

Tossing the man aside, I studied the battle unfolding before me.

I saw one of my men sprawled out on the ground, unmoving. His body lay twisted and contorted, as if drained of every ounce of life. His withered skin clung to his bones, resembling old parchment left to shrivel with time.

His vacant eyes had sunken deep into their sockets, and his lips had been pulled into a tight line, with only the barest gap visible, as if his last breath had been violently wrenched from him. His fingers were curled into skeletal claws, forcing his knuckles to protrude against the gaunt, withered skin.

All that remained was a fragile husk, ready to crumble at the slightest touch.

Rage flooded my body, and I clenched my jaw tight.

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