and bite my lip. The rest of the Dravians go statue still, and the only movement now is the fluttering of their hair as a gust of wind sweeps through the area.
“Brace yourselves!”
The shout has my heart pounding in answer as I search for the incoming threat. It does not take long to appear. Giant bats with fangs that are at least six inches long swoop down in droves, their screeches piercing my ears. Braxton immediately lets go of my hand and lifts his, expelling a blast of power. Several of the winged beasts slam into the trees, their bodies making thudding sounds on impact.
I follow Braxton’s lead, as do many other Dravians, and raise my hands, palms out. It doesn’t take but a millisecond for my gift to churn and gather, but then I’m releasing it. The satisfaction I get at seeing the creatures downed only lasts but a moment. The animals keep coming despite our defensive maneuvers, and the soldiers who do not possess the gift join the battle, their swords slicing through the furry bodies with ease. However, shouts and grunts of pain are heard throughout as the bats’ fangs tear through Dravian flesh.
Over and over I fling the creatures back, giving the males a chance to incapacitate the ones already within range. My arms shake, and my chest grows tight, but I don’t stop. And neither does Braxton, who has yet to hold his sword. He swipes his arms in a downward arc, essentially pulling a large portion of the bats from the air, only to slam them into the ground. Every attack from him is a grand display of jaw-dropping power. I had no idea he was so strong.
My admiration for him, although begrudging due to his past behavior, quickly increases. He is relentless as he incapacitates one beast after another, and I cannot imagine wielding that kind of power. But what I have, I use until my body quakes with the need to rest. I sway to the side, and Erix surprises me by keeping me upright. He and Braxton share a look, some type of understanding passing between them. Once I am secure on my feet, Erix releases me only to take up a defensive position in front of me. He uses his gift, and as amazing as his feats of strength are, they are nothing compared to Braxton’s.
The battle ends just as abruptly as it began, and from one blink to the next, I find myself in Braxton’s arms with him trailing his fingers down the side of my face.
“Are you close to burnout?” he asks, his voice gruff. When I shake my head, he exhales in relief. “Good. I know you want to be part of this mission, but if you overextend yourself, you will be useless, not to mention it would endanger you.”
“I know. I promise I stopped using my power the minute I grew tired.”
“Unfortunately there is no time for you to rest. However, you will eat and hydrate yourself, which will fuel your body, ergo, replenishing your gift.”
He releases me and digs through his backpack to hand me something that I can’t identify. It’s a fruit or vegetable of some kind. That’s my best guess anyway. I’ve eaten it before while aboard the ship but never asked what it was.
“Eat, Skylar.”
Then he takes my free hand in his and falls into step with the other soldiers, Erix trailing behind me. I munch greedily, happy that my body immediately responds to the food’s nutrients.
“Do you wish for another?” Braxton asks me, his lips twitching.
“Yup.”
He hands me another piece of fruit and then resumes his hold on my hand. “You did amazing back there.”
I swallow the food in my mouth before I choke on it. “Thank you. It’s becoming easier, more natural the longer I use it.”
“I suspected as much. It is innate, and now the only thing that needs to be mastered is knowing when to stop.”
“You weren’t too bad yourself,” I say.
“I concur.” Erix sidles up next to me, his gaze locked on Braxton. “I had no idea you possessed the gift.”
Braxton exhales, long and loud. “It is not something that is common knowledge.” Then there’s a wry twist to his lips when he says, “However, I think that is no longer the case.”
“Why did you hide it?” Erix asks.
“My father forbade me to use it once he discovered how strong it was. He and my mother thought that it would be best if I did not use