Page 92 of Oath of War
Battle mages stood at the forefront of the infantry and tore through their opposition with blades and elemental spells, while those with paladin traits protected the wounded and light fae healers under shield spells. Light fae healers refused to commit violence but wouldn’t hesitate to dart into the thicket, fighting to pull out injured soldiers.
But what the dark fae did could turn even the strongest warriors’ stomachs. Their necromancers went into battle alone, though it never took long for them to be surrounded by the enslaved undead, forming both shields and blades, while violet aether chained them to their masters.
‘Just concentrate on your own orders,’ Reynard said, heading for his horse. ‘I have a bad feeling about this.’
I mentally called for Vahin. ‘What can you see?’
‘Spectrae are coming,’ he answered grimly as dragons rose into the air, one after the other. ‘It’s not just them. Every type of winged monster under the sun is heading in our direction. We need my Little Flame, but she is too weak ... I won’t take her on my back. This would kill her.’
‘I’m not asking you to,’ I muttered, fighting that same fear.
The enemy had come.
I’d lost my necromancer, and my Nivale would be in danger if she joined the fight. I was ready to die in this battle but livingwithout Annika and Alaric—if I lost them both ... my brother would be digging three graves.
‘You know Ani won’t forgive us for leaving her on the ground,’ I said, grasping the pommel of Vahin’s war saddle.
‘I can deal with her anger. This is the right decision, and if needs be, blame it on me,’ Vahin answered, and for a moment, I could hear the spark of humour in his hissing voice. The damned lizard knew Ani would forgive him for anything.
Just as we were about to take off, a powerful spasm shook the ground. Vahin roared, snapping his wings open and raising them in challenge to the sky. In the distance, a fountain of dirt erupted high into the air, and three glistening olgoi worms screeched in reply to my dragon’s defiance before burrowing back into the earth.
The Battle of the Rift had begun, and I prayed to the All-Father, once again, that we would emerge victorious.
Bryna laughed as the first striga1 breached the shield wall, swinging her hammer against the monster’s skull. At the sickening crunch, she howled in triumph, turning to her female warriors to shout her encouragement. They roared in answer and braced their spears. Some of them were already wounded, but not a single one retreated from the overwhelming forces.
‘C’mon you fuckers, who wants to live forever!’ she shouted, and the women pushed forward, skewering the monsters attacking them. I didn’t know who taught them to fight in a phalanx formation, an ancient military technique where warriors moved as one behind a wall of shields, but it was impressive to watch. However, it wasn’t enough, and at the sight of so much death, I felt a dark fury rise inside me.
Fire, my natural element, came easily to me, and soon, not just my hands but the air around me burned with my rage.
‘Annika, no! Your job is to get to the sigil!’ Katja shouted whenI pushed forward, but I felt like a woman possessed. Vahin’s pain radiated through the bond, and the sounds of dying and the metallic stench of blood permeated the air, releasing the hatred of the women who’d sacrificed themselves, a hatred that cared little for my safety.
I blasted aethereal fire into the horde of monsters, destroying those closest to my protectors. An echo of my power travelled to the leech attached to Alaric’s Anchor, and I felt a flash of surprise followed by her pain.
Rowena had dared to use my Ari, the man who’d been foolishly caring enough to want to rescue her when he could have been here protecting his friends.
Eat that, bitch,I thought, laughing at the unexpected discovery.Gods, we could have used Ari’s help.
A swarm of half-rotten remnants, ghouls, and other grave fodder covered the battlefield. They fought, uncaring of wounds or missing limbs, until their complete destruction. I saw fae necromancers freezing the undead in place so soldiers could crush the monsters’ skulls, but there weren’t enough of them. A thought came to me in a flash of inspiration.
Can I do it?
I wasn’t just Anchored to Alaric, we were blood-bonded. I was sure that was how Rowena got to me, so if the link was still there ...
Fire raged around me as I closed my eyes, trusting my companions to keep me safe. I dived into the Anchor bond, leaving a blazing trail of dragon fire, and reached for the corrupted connection.Hello sister-in-law, you owe me one,I jeered, tracing the connection with the little aether I had at my disposal.
Alaric’s magic was there, a vast reservoir of spells and skills untouched by the Lich King. I called for it, not expecting it to work, but I was willing to try anything. Knowledge flooded mymind, his unique talent merging with mine, infusing my core with a surge of power.
Alaric had given himself to me with complete trust, as did his magic, recognising me.
I knew what I had to do.
When I opened my eyes to view the battlefield, I saw it bathed in the violet colour of necromancy. I recognised the patterns, and my new knowledge tripped off my tongue. I reached for the aether, drawing from the bond that burned in my soul.
‘Rashta!’2
The surrounding undead immediately dropped to their knees, their heads bowing in submission as I held them.
‘Kill them! Aim for the head!’ I ordered, giving my she-wolf army their fill of blood.
