Page 89 of Of Flames and Crows

The floor trembled violently beneath them.

Vlad’s heart lurched as a familiar power raised the hairs of his nape. He twisted around and stared toward the center of the training ground.

Mae!

CHAPTER37

The soundof detonating spell bombs filled Mae’s ears as she burst out of the crack in the middle of the arena with Nikolai, the globe of white magic that had returned them to the surface fizzing out around them.

Warmth pulsed through her body as Brimstone’s core resonated brightly with hers.

“My witch!”

Relief laced the fox’s voice behind her. Mae whirled around. Her heart stuttered.

Rage blossomed within her.

Blood dripped down Brimstone’s flanks and his enormous head where he crouched protectively over Ludmila. The Vissarion matriarch was leaning heavily on her cane in his shadow, the witch’s chest heaving with her breaths while her salamander clung limply to her shoulder.

Those two are almost out of magic!Mae’s pulse quickened when her gaze found Violet, Miles, and Klara where they were barely managing to manifest the divine shield protecting Roman and the sorcerers and witches on their side.So are they!

She scanned the area for the source of the corrupt energy washing across her skin and spotted Oscar engaging Marlena and Julius to the far left.

“Watch out!” Roman shouted.

Hellreaver shot out of her hand and placed himself between her and the black lightning dropping from the sky.

Mae’s eyes widened.No!

Heat scorched her veins and blazed across her bond with Hellreaver and Brimstone.Devourbloomed above the weapon a heartbeat before Barquiel’s attack could smash into him.

The spell swallowed the corrupt bolt with aglomp.

Yeesh!Hellreaver shuddered as he returned to her side.I thought I was toast there for a second!

Barquiel roared angrily where he floated high above the amphitheater.

Mae clenched her jaw. A crimson storm burst around her as she levitated in the air.

“How about you go take care of your brother while I get rid of this asshole?!” she growled at Nikolai.

The sorcerer’s pupils brightened with white magic. “With pleasure.”

He made his way toward the other side of the amphitheater with Alastair.

Barquiel shot back to a safe distance when Mae rose to his level. He glanced at the floor of the arena, fury and confusion warring in his scarlet gaze. “Where’s the Hellfire Magic?! I could smell it a moment ago!”

“Oh, that?” Mae cocked her head. “Azazel helped me seal it.”

Barquiel recoiled, his pupils flaring. “What?!”

“You heard me right the first time, shit for brains.” She cracked her knuckles, her eyes shrinking into slits. “Now, how about I rearrange your face for what you did to my fox?”

* * *

Oscar’sloathsome gaze found Nikolai as he approached.

“Stand down,” Nikolai told Marlena and Julius.

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