Page 120 of Captive of the Stolen Empire

My grip tightened as my throat dried. Whatever came through that door, it would not bode well for us. Not with so few, even if two were skilled fighters and talented wielders of magic.

Another crash sent the doors rushing inward. Kasida followed in their wake. Her high-pitched laugh caused my teeth to grind together, so much so that I almost missed the soft whoosh of air that zipped past my cheek.

Elin’s arrow struck Kasida’s mask just below her eye, sending her laughter into a growl of outrage. A touch higher and she’d have killed her with one blow.

“Little bitch!” Kasida spewed, charging into the room.

Another arrow zipped past, but this one Kasida saw coming and knocked away with a flick of one of her twin short swords. Swords wreathed in fire.

“Her magic?” I asked.

“She channeled Orson’s fire onto their weapons,” Warren answered, never taking his eyes off the woman across the room or the cluster of Ryszard’s men slinking in behind her, each with blades exposed and alight.

“And a broken bird, how quaint,” Kasida sneered as she caught sight of Zurina, edging toward her.

Zurina pushed Reyna toward the wall at her back as she advanced on her former comrade, drawing her attention. Kasida and Zurina faced off, metal ringing as their blades connected.

Elin felled one soldier with an arrow to the neck. His weapon clattered to the ground, burning where it lay.

I’d never felt more useless, watching my young friend fight while I stood to the side. I adjusted my grip on the sword, trying to recall my lessons from Nyke cycles ago, but the panic coursing through my veins kept the memories just out of reach.

“Hold on to something!”

Warren’s warning didn’t have time to sink in before the ground rumbled beneath our feet. A great crack opened outside the doors like a gaping mouth. Several of the emperor’s men tumbled into the pit with screams that died as suddenly as they began.

The manor rumbled. Dust rained down to mix with the smoke from the flaming swords. Wood groaned. Small chunks of the ceiling thumped to the ground across the room.

“You’ll bring the place down!” Zurina yelled.

The chasm outside closed like a wave crashing to the shore, leaving a dirty scar behind. The shaking stopped, though it had been enough to throw off our attackers. Warren drew his sword and engaged the four remaining soldiers.

Kasida’s furious blows sent Zurina stumbling backward. A particularly nasty stroke drew a line of red across her exposed shoulder.

Reyna jumped into the fray, wielding a narrow blade with more speed and precision than I would have expected. Between the two, they kept her distracted—for the moment.

Elin shot another arrow but missed her mark. “Almost out!”

I swallowed my fear. “Let’s go.” I shot Gabriel a look and gestured toward Warren. We couldn’t be the only ones doing nothing. Gabriel rushed ahead, drawing the attention of a middle-aged man with dark hair.

“Filthy traitors,” the man spat. He swung his flaming sword toward me.

Heat buffeted me as the arcing blow whispered far too near my middle. A surge of energy rushed through my veins.Focus, Ilya.

Gabriel engaged the man, swords clashing.

Patience. Careful. Strike!

I lashed out with my blade, the tip pulling heavily against the man’s chainmail armor and earning a grunt of frustration.

He whirled on me, striking out with his blade again. I barely raised my own in time to block the downward swing. My arms cried out from the impact. A whimper slipped through my lips as I braced my feet and held back the sharp point edging toward my face. A fetid odor filled my nose as flames from the blade singed loose strands of hair near my face.

All at once, the pressure fled. The man gurgled and spat blood as Gabriel pulled his sword free from the man’s back.

Gabriel kicked the body off his sword, sending the fallen soldier tumbling to the floor. Blood dripped from his blade as I stared at the sight, unable to move. A buzzing hum filled my ears. I’d seen blood and death, more than I cared to remember. But never so close, and not one I’d had a direct hand in.

“Snap out of it!” He grabbed my arm, shaking me back to my senses.

Another soldier lay bloody at Warren’s feet. He engaged the last two, deflecting blows with practiced precision while keeping the women he faced on their heels. His blade caught one, sending her stumbling back as he focused on the other.

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