Page 111 of Ransomed to the World
Annora glanced at the council members who stood so staunchly behind Daxion. “Before you side with him, you should know what he has planned—about how he wants to kill his wife and take her reaper abilities. Ask yourself this…why he would feel he needs more power?”
The captain pushed his way through the crowd to stand next to her and the guys. “He wants to dismantle the council and take over ruling the realm by himself. After he acquires her reaper abilities, he plans to let the others die out, so only he would be able to control the banished lands. He’s branding those who might cause trouble so no one can oppose him.”
“Don’t be absurd,” one of the older guys on the council blustered. “He still wouldn’t have enough power.”
Annora pushed herself forward, raising her brow as she faced off with the arrogant asshole. “Are you sure? What if he became a bridge?”
The old man’s eyes widened, and his mouth snapped shut. The council members behind him shifted uneasily, more than half of them shaking their heads and backing away.
“You fucking little brat,” Daxion snarled, his sword now shimmering green.
Spelled.
Fuck…he planned to take her powers right now.
He slipped through the darkness, raising his sword. She summoned her own blades, barely bringing them up in time to knock the edge of the sword away from taking her head.
And took a sharp slice to her arm that cut deep.
The wound burned more than a normal blade, and she sucked in a sharp breath. It was like all the darkness inside her began to freeze, slowly killing her senses.
And making him stronger.
Darkness swirled around him, like he couldn’t contain it all. His eyes flashed completely black, while black veins began to spider under his skin, up his neck, and across his face like a monster from one of those horror flicks the guys made her watch.
Fighting erupted around her, people screaming as the guards surged to protect the council. The reapers and her mates did their best to hold them back, but she knew time was limited. She had maybe a few minutes at most before he became stronger than her and finished her off.
Daxion locked his eyes on her with a savage smile. He strode toward her, vengeance darkening his face, when Edgar stepped between them in a swirl of darkness. Swords clashed, and they moved as a blur, both popping in and out of the afterworld.
They were exceptionally skilled, she could see why they were the best.
She fended off a few soldiers who got too close, swallowing down the dark matter that swirled around the room, doing her best to make sure the destructive spells didn’t land. Then her connection to the guys bloomed in her mind. They lingered in the back of her mind, alerting her to where they were in the room at all times. It was reassuring to know they were okay.
Camden and Xander fought back-to-back, ruthlessly taking down everyone who got within reach. Logan and Valen darted in and out of the crowd, targeting the magic users. Mason was in full troll form, his hair bristling as he did his best to keep the majority of the soldiers away from her.
Sadie, Cedwyn, and the captain worked like they were a team. A few soldiers stood with the reapers, working with them. The reapers were mostly smoke, only taking shape to strike blows or whisk the innocent people out of the way.
The fighting was fast and vicious, both sides surprisingly evenly matched.
The rebellion had officially begun.
She staggered as two phantoms combined their magic and threw it at her. A dark hole opened up beneath her, threatening to suck her into the dead zone. A savage howl filled the air, a shape rippling in the darkness, slashing at the wards, trying to sneak across the barrier.
She staggered under the effort to remain on her feet when dark tendrils wrapped around her ankles and tried to pull her through. She tipped, her knees banging hard enough against the floor that her joints creaked in protest. Annora lashed out with her blades, the beast’s screech of pain threatening to make her ears bleed.
The portal drained of power and gradually shrank. A paw clawed through the opening, tearing at the floor, trying to reach her, struggling for purchase, when the portal closed with a pop. The limb was sheared off, landed with a thump, then dissolved into smoke.
As Annora panted for air, trying to get to her feet, she saw Livia had followed her lead but was crumbling under the strain of diverting so much magic. A grimace distorted her features, the edges of her reaper form becoming jagged as the overload of magic literally tore her apart.
If the reapers fell, they would lose, and it would all be for nothing.
She couldn’t allow that to happen.
She needed to end this now.
Daxion needed to die.
Edgar leaned down and dragged Annora to her feet, barely saving her from being trampled. He blocked a blow that threatened to take off his arm, but couldn’t escape the kick to his stomach that sent him reeling. A second blow had him staggering, and Daxion brought up the hilt of his sword, slamming it into Edgar’s forehead.
