Page 75 of Magic Hunted
I darted into the closest tunnel, my mates flanking me. Once again, the darkened earth closed around us. Golden bubbles erupted around us, fizzing along the ceiling, lighting the darkness. I glanced over my shoulder to see Anise chanting in a language that was becoming familiar to me. She flicked the most beautiful wand I’d ever seen, and the golden bubble moved to keep pace with us, before tucking it back into the sash tied around her waist.
Sweat formed on my coat and exhaustion pinged my limbs as we bolted down the endless tunnel, until damp dirt gave way to solid stone. My claws scraped against the rough-hewn rock. We pushed onwards, reaching the tail end of the warbugs, their pincers pounding the rock and shattering it with great sweeps of their heads. My nose was clogged with fine particles and the parts of rock that the bugs hadn’t smashed pebbled under my feet.
And still we ran.
We ran until the bugs shifted upwards and smashed through the last layer of earth. The muted light of dusk illuminated the tunnel and I leapt from the hole in the earth to land on gritty sand that stretched horizon to horizon with a few rocks to mark the landscape of the Wastelands and the deep purple sunset merging with the dark blue night sky.
My mates stood close to me, panting and sweaty. My mouth was drier than the sand I stood on. The grit popped with my claws as I moved to make way for the wolf alphas and their warriors pouring through.
Serafine’s white wolf was ethereally beautiful and her white fur almost glowed in the deepening light. She nudged me with her nose and I followed her line of sight, my heart catching in my throat when I saw the outline of a lion’s head in a cave system rising along the horizon.
“Is that the cave?” Taredd asked, his feet crunching over the sand.
I nodded my head because it was exactly as I’d seen it in the drawing. Sharp jagged rocks had formed beneath the cave opening, giving the impression of teeth and a pair of enormous fangs. Loose rocks and rubble framed the opening, crumbling around it suggesting masses of hair.
Inside was velvety black, but a spark of grimy-yellowed light began to glow, growing brighter with each passing second until it burned behind the rock teeth.
“They’re beginning!” Shanyirra called.
Taredd cursed under his breath, calling to the elves. “Stop them, using any means possible.”
Serafine and her mates darted across the sand toward the cave. Anise and the dragon alphas leapt from their draugrs, the air sizzling around them as they formed four massive dragons. Their scales shimmered like jewels in the waning light, but their eyes glowed with the light of a brilliant midday sun.
A growl rattled my chest, mirrored by my mates as we charged toward the cave. Adrenaline flooded my system, burning away my exhaustion. A golden thread appeared before me, shining a path straight to the cave. A ley-line. I leapt onto it. Energy burst through my paws and seared a path through my body.
My heart spiked as raw power shot through me. I dug my claws into the earth. The sharp points giving me purchase as I pushed myself harder. Faster. I streaked across the sand to the sound of my pounding feet and ragged breathing. I pulled ahead so fast I overtook the warbugs.
I leapt over the rubble and into the thick darkness of the cave to see a magical pulsing light hovering above four figures. Four hated members of The Six. A cord of dull light from their chests attached each of the four to the light.
They held hands, their heads thrown back and eyes closed as they chanted the ancient words a part of me recognized as the same Anise had whispered. The Fae words given weight, power and life through the magic they’d stolen and corrupted into their bodies.
I landed lightly on the rock shelf above their heads, my panther’s stealth barely making a sound. A wave of intense hatred welled in me as I took in Titan’s imposing form. Towering over the others, the light of the magic shone off his burnished skin. I’d only seen the others from afar, but their faces were imprinted into my mind.
Christian with his short cropped ice-blond hair. The chiseled planes of his face held only cruelty. His shirt was open to where it was tucked into black, form-fitting pants. His skin was stretched over a toned chest and stomach without an ounce of softness on him.
Britheva was stunning. Her golden locks flowed down her back in abundant waves, accentuating her slim figure and plentiful breasts. Her full pink lips were parted and her dark lashes swept over high cheekbones and flawless pale skin. She wore a white silk dress that flowed over her curves to her feet. She was barely five feet tall. The epitome of femininity that was only skin deep. She was nothing but poison.
Atrus was an alluring mix of beautiful and handsome. His black hair swept off his forehead in spikes and short-cropped sides. The tips of the tattooed wings of a bird were just visible beneath his open collar, the feathers grazing the sides of his neck. His beard traced the outline of his cut jaw and carved cheeks. His eyes when open, were a brilliant blue. He was ethereal in his beauty. But as stunning as he was on the outside, he was nothing but black on the inside.
All four were gods among humans and I’d witnessed their brutality all my life. The rage inside me burned for the people they’d killed. The lives they’d ruined.
For the parents I’d lost and the innocence I’d been forced to give up.
I would see them torn apart under my claws and would bleed them until their veins ran dry. I would sever their heads and incinerate whatever was left so they had no way to return to this earth.
A film of red covered my vision. My claws popped through rock and my teeth dripped with saliva in anticipation of the blood that would coat my tongue.
I leapt from the ledge.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
My paws struck Titan’s chest as I barreled into him. His eyes flared wide as the weight of my enormous body and the sheer power of my leap forced him to the ground. The scent of burning hide stung my nostrils as the magical cord connecting Titan to the ball of corrupted magic charred my fur.
I didn’t care if my whole body went up in flames as long as I took him out first. I lunged at his throat, baring my razor-sharp canines. My teeth barely grazed his neck when he slammed his open fist into my chest. Titan’s magic lit up the slave studs and punched blinding agony through my bones. I flew backwards with the force, my head snapping back as I crumpled onto the rock cave floor. White-hot flames melted my bones. I lost hold of my panther form and the protection of her fur on the cold hard rock.
Magic zapped throughout the cave as Atrus, Britheva and Christian lashed balls of power at the elven warriors and warbugs flooding into the cave and descending on them. They shouldn’t have magic, yet they were as strong as ever. I’d either misjudged their conclave or we were too late. Elves cried in anger and pain. Wolves snarled and the draugrs roared so loud it shook dirt from the cave roof.
All of that became secondary when Titan’s silhouette wavered in my watery vision as he loomed over me. Blue magic crackled and danced between his fingers. Streaks of it tore toward me and agony burst through me when the slave studs ignited again with magic. An invisible band locked about my chest making it impossible to breathe. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t roll over. Couldn’tthinkpast the agony coursing through me.
