Page 179 of A Flame of the Phoenix

Tauria wasn’t thinking about the impossible—she raced forward, lunging up onto the beast that lowered enough for her to use the wind for aid onto its back.

The vantage point flooded her with a sense of pride and power. The dark fae balked, but some began to resume their stances and brace for flight.

With another powerful rear, the stag launched forward, and Tauria’s legs clamped tighter around its body. It charged through the dark fae as though they were mere twigs under its giant hooves.

Ahead, Tauria couldn’t believe what she saw billowing over the heads of a force that headed over the hills toward them. When the moonlight caught the stag crest and revealed the vibrant green of the material, pride thundered in her chest like the stag’s hooves.

If Fenstead forces were here…had Nik brought them?

Tauria was so distracted she missed the dark fae that swooped down, knocking into her and sending her flying off the height. She slammed into the ground and screamed from the impact that dislocated her shoulder. Her will to survive numbed the agony, giving her enough adrenaline to swipe up her staff in her right hand and stand.

She faced off with Mordecai.

“It’s not too late for this Transition,” he seethed.

“Yes, it is.”

Tauria’s cry shook through the soils beneath her as she plunged deeper into her well of magick than she ever had before. She focused all her energy on the nature deep underground. The endless roots that connected far and wide. Tauria crouched, slamming her good hand to the trampled ground. The web of roots awoke, trembling as she asked them to grow; asked them to fight with her.

Then, shooting up from the soil, nature’s spears took their vengeance. One plunged through Mordecai’s chest, and he grunted, back arching over the root. Another speared his abdomen. Then a final one shot through his throat, killing him. Though he wasn’t truly dead.

Across the field, many cries rang out as the root continued to launch out violently and unexpectedly, spearing the enemy thatcouldn’t outrun it. She kept pushing her magick into the soil until her whole body tingled and the heat smothered her. Tauria had pushed beyond her limits, but she thought it was worth it.

When she channeled every last drop she had…Tauria fell onto her dislocated shoulder.

The pain made her black out, but the nauseating sound and feel made her believe the fall might have pushed her bone back into place. The stars came in and out of focus, and the sounds of fear and pain drifted away. For a moment, Tauria felt at peace.

Someone found her.

They kneeled, speaking to her, but their words were above water she didn’t know she was drowning in. She couldn’t breathe. Her eyes slipped shut.

“NIK!” the person yelled.

Nik…His name jolted through her like a demand to stay awake.

“Stay with me, Tauria.” She recognized this voice.

Lycus.

Tauria blinked a couple of times, but her heavy lids wanted to stay closed. She swallowed, but her throat was as dry as sand. She was outdoors…it was winter…but she was on fire.

The soil under her turned colder, as if answering her needs, and she moaned.

When she next opened her eyes, she was staring into the most beautiful set of emeralds.

“Nik,” she breathed.

Was this real?

“Oh, my love,” Nik said, panicked. He lifted her into his arms. “I’ve got you. At last I’ve got you back, and you’re not allowed to leave me again.”

Tauria burrowed into his chest more. She inhaled his scent, which brought her back to full clarity.

“Never,” she croaked.

“You’re hurt,” he said darkly. “We need to get you inside.”

“I’m okay. More than okay, now you’re with me.” She ran her hand down his abdomen, haunted by the last time she’d seen him with a sword through him. “I’m so sorry I left you when you needed me.”

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