Page 267 of Emylia

In one swift movement, my sword ripped skin and bone as I gutted the second one from throat to groin. Fuck, I was fast. I was like a friggin’ warrior Goddess.

Three more warriors surrounded me. They attacked me as I wielded my blade with unrelenting fury. I was clearly outnumbered and hesitant to use any magik just in case I needed the small store I had left from visiting Xayreia. Maalikai was stuck in his own skirmish several feet away, he wouldn’t be able to save my arse, if I needed.

Seriously, guys, calm down and give a girl a chance.

As quick as lightning, one of the warriors brought his sword towards my right arm, still parrying a different attack; I was unable to defend myself.

Fuck this was going to hurt.

The warrior collapsed without a sound–dropped like a stone, dead before his knees hit the earth, a blade jutting from the soft hollow beneath his throat. Maalikai had killed him without hesitation, without mercy, without apology. .

Okay, so maybe I’d been wrong. Maalikai was a fucking weapon and nothing would stand in his way, when it came to me. A split second later, we had both rendered the last two remaining warriors dead.

In an instant, Maalikai was by my side, cupping my cheek with his hand and searching my eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. You?” I panted from the exertion and wiped the sweat from my brow.

“Not a scratch.” He winked at me.

A relieved breath escaped me. “They came out of nowhere. Are they everywhere in the forest?”

Maalikai looked to the tree line. “Where are all Ophelia’s guards? They were here when we entered.”

I whipped around. No one but us and the dead warriors littering the field.

Where were they?

The galloping of our horses stole my immediate attention as I turned to look at them; my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. Their eyes were frenzied, wild. Maalikai grabbed Jet, patting him, trying to keep him calm. I did the same for Stormfire, running my hand along her head. The whites of Stormfire’s eyes were crazed as she stepped unsteadily. Something had spooked them, something more than the fighting.

The smell hit me before I saw it. The undeniable stench of burning wood. Acrid smoke burnt the inside of my nostrils, bringing tears to my eyes. Something was on fire. But where?

I spun in a full circle trying to find the source of the smoke.

Dark, billowing clouds stained the sky, almost choking out the sun. There was so much of it. Thick. Black. Oppressing. How was that even possible? The fire was miles away. For this much smoke to block the sky, the fire had to be huge. Devastating.

Squinting, I examined the source of the flames. Confusion clouded my mind. There were no trees that way. No forest that would fuel that amount of destruction. The only thing that was back there was Ophelia.

Shit.

Maalikai must’ve realized the same moment I had. Without a second’s hesitation, he grabbed his bag, bow, and sheathed his sword and mounted Jet. “Hurry.”

He didn’t need to tell me twice. Before he had finished speaking, I was already on Stormfire, my bow and quiver safely secured on my back, my sword in its sheath at my side.

I had never pushed Stormfire as hard and fast as I did now, my mare on the hoofs of Jet. Even before we reached Ophelia, my sight blurred, shrouded in a haze of smog. Tears welled in my eyes, stinging like a bitch. There was no reprieve; it didn’t matter, we had to keep going.

As we caught our first proper glimpse of Ophelia, the world came to an obliterating halt. Pure horror curdled my stomach. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

What could I say?

There were no words for this.

The village I had grown up in was fully immersed in flames. Fire licked every part of it, engulfing the homes of family and friends. Blood rushed to my head, pulsing like it was going to explode.

Gently, Maalikai placed a hand on my shoulder. “Princess.”

Instantly, I was brought back to reality. Tears stung my eyes in a fresh onslaught of sorrow as I gazed up at him. The pain I felt was reflected in his own features.

“Ophelia is under attack.”

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