Page 186 of Curse of Darkness
Thiago’s power cuts through entire files of goblins, and yet, more of them keep pouring down the hill toward us. It’s like the enemy knows our plans and doesn’t care how many goblins we cut down. They just keep throwing them at us.
And Thiago can’t leave us.
Goblins throng us on all sides.
Gwydion slams into me as he’s shoved back. Evernight’s warriors strive madly, feeling their leader’s desperation.
I summon my thorns, and they tear through the first line of warriors descending upon us, but the others merely leap over their fallen brethren. Over my thorns.
An arrow arcs toward me. Gwydion shoves his shield between us, and I scream as the head of it punches through it, pausing an inch from my nose. Far too close for comfort.
Despite everything—Eris walking out onto the field of battle and Thiago unleashing himself—there are simply so many of them.
“Follow the prince!” Baylor bellows, surging forward after Thiago. The enormous broadsword in his hand swings, and three heads go rolling. Loyal to the last breath.
Thiago glances over his shoulder toward his warlord, his dark eyes smoky.
“We have to fall back,” Baylor yells at him, turning and cleaving a goblin from chest to groin. He spins again, going down on one knee, and entrails spill as his sword completes its arc.
And Thiago looks toward me.
I see it in his eyes. I see all of it.
If we turn back, we fall.
If we turn back, they’ll come for us.
Everything we’ve fought for will fall. They’ll raze Ceres. Topple the Seelie Alliance. Kill us both. And Amaya….
Thiago’s lips move. Even from this distance, I can make out his words: “I will wait for you in the Darkness.”
And then he’s gone.
Enormous shadowy wings lash out from his back. Darkness consumes him. It plunges over the entire battle, leaving only a thin circle of light that surrounds us.
I can’t see a cursed thing, but I can hear the screams.
Suddenly, the goblins breaking through that wall of shadow aren’t trying to attack us. They’re trying to escape.
Thiago cuts a channel right through Urach’s horde.
A single path, with firelight winking off fallen swords and armor.
It’s like the seas have parted, but they’re a sea of darkness, and something tells me not to enter it.
“Vi?” Baylor cuts me a desperate look.
“Stick to the light. Get me to the Hallow,” I say, my voice not daring to tremble. It’s so close I can see the sentinel stones. I can feel it humming through my blood, tempting me to use its stored power. But I have to wait. I only have one shot at this. “We have to follow him. We have to make it. We have to—”
Light blazes. Punching through the sky like an arrow that has been launched at the moon. A fireball so bright and hissing that it lights up the encroaching darkness as it sizzles into the sky.
“What isthat?” Gwydion demands.
I step forward, breathless with incredulousness.
My heart fluttering with hope.
“It’s the First Flame of Asturia.” I’ve never seen the flames in action outside of the training center, but Iknowit. It’s a spell taught only to the royal line of Asturia. Exhilaration floods through me.Hope. “It’sAndraste.”
