Page 201 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
They were quickly surrounded.
Soon, a shadow fell over Kallie, but there was nowhere for her to go. She ducked as the drakonis dove for her and braced for the inevitable impact. But it never came.
Before the beast had the chance to grab Kallie, it tumbled through the air, another form rolling on top of it. An angry roar filled Kallie’s ears.
Nyrri’s form was a blur as she struck the creature. Her talons ripped through the beast’s neck. The moment the drakonis fell, four winged soldiers spiraled toward Nyrri.
Kallie screamed out in horror.
A flash of metal whizzed through the air.
"Not my drakonis, you ass!" Ellie shouted, grabbing another throwing knife from her holster and taking aim.
The next blade drove into the soldier’s chest just as a flurry of stained ivory feathers whirled by, chasing after the third enemy. Laurince swung his sword with an inhuman ferocity. When his blade met its target, the Frenzian soldier bellowed. The two soldiers fell from the sky, crushing a pair of unsuspecting enemies.
"Kallie!" Terin called out.
She spun and gasped as a soldier rushed toward her, his sword raised, teeth bared, and eyes crazes.
Kallie braced against the attack, but her opponent broke free. As the soldier swung, Kallie spun to the right, dodging his sword.
Kallie drove her blade through his side.
Heart pounding, she scanned the rising chaos as destruction reigned, searching for Graeson.
To her right, Terin drove his short sword through an opening in a man’s armor. As the body dropped, he parried a blow from another soldier.
On the other side, Medenia and Ophelia fought back-to-back, their swords swinging in tandem as they fought off their opponents. Their movements were fluid like water and as smooth as the breeze.
But where was Graeson? Where?—
The bond hummed.
Kallie spun and found Graeson several yards ahead, clearing a path toward the castle, one winged guard at a time. Although his strength had yet to falter, even he was slowing down. Kallie could see it in the slight drag of his foot, the roll of his shoulder when he lifted his scimitar, the crack of his neck.
He was still alive. The Fates hadn’t won.
Yet,she reminded herself. The single word the only encouragement she needed to keep going.
Pushing past the growing ache in her bones, Kallie lifted the scimitar to block her opponent’s attack, again and again.
As sweat drippeddown Kallie’s back, Rian ran past her, weaving through the masses.
"Sebastian!" he bellowed.
Kallie glanced at him, her heart thundering.
"Go, Kals!" Terin shouted over the noise. "I got him!"
Kallie turned to her brother, who had made his way toward her. "But?—"
"Help Rian!"
Kallie nodded and ran. She slipped through the maze of bodies as she followed Rian. She was only a few yards away from him when her attention snapped to Sebastian. He drove his sword through an unarmored soldier’s back. Blood was smeared across Sebastian’s dragon-shaped helmet.
Kallie’s lip curled in disgust.
Sebastian was no dragon.
