Midnight Truth (Shifter Island #4) - Leia Stone Page 0,18
face and then was dowsed as the blast of my air extinguished it. Like blowing out birthday candles.
Only … the high mage tossed another fireball and then another.
I huffed and puffed, but the balls of flames kept coming. I dodged to the left, to the right—I even did an awkward attempt at an army roll. He was fast, and I couldn’t think straight. Wind wasn’t going to cut it. I needed water.
I sent out my feelers until I felt the cool rush of water—and then without even looking, I drew it to me. There was a cracking noise, but I couldn’t afford to take my attention away from the constant barrage of fire to see where the source of my salvation was coming from.
Stars danced in my peripheral vision as I persisted in blowing out each fireball with my air magic…
And then, he let loose with the grand finale.
It had to be.
A wall of fire six feet high blasted toward me.
The air was sucked from my lungs. I stumbled backward, all the while reaching for the water I sensed. As the trickle of water flowed toward me, it grew to a stream, floating into the air to my aid. I threw my arms out.
Come on! All the water! Come to me!
Oh. My. Mage.
My eyes widened as a freaking river soared through the air. Like watching a dam burst, I stood frozen as the water gushed over the high mage and crashed into the wall of fire with an angry hiss.
As soon as the wall of flame was gone, the remaining water crashed into me. I fell hard, and the water followed, tumbling over me. But the force of the wave waned, and the river became a creek before I could sit up in the hugest mud puddle I’d ever seen.
Giggling, I climbed to my feet, but my laughter dried up as I faced the angry snarl of the high mage.
“You ruined my house!” he yelled while smoke curled up in white and gray tendrils around his head as he pointed to the castle.
I followed his gaze to the nearest wall, the flaming marble stone now cracked, with water gushing from a broken pipe within.
“Uh … sorry?” I shrugged then proceeded to wring out the singed and shredded hem of Rey’s ruined shirt. After running my hands over the rest of my tattered clothes, I finally gave up. Between the dirt, tornado, and fire, they were ruined.
Facing the mage, I asked, “Did I pass?”
He blinked and then shook his head.
“No?” I drew in a sharp breath.
“You passed,” he muttered. “Now … get out of here.”
I shot out of there like an arrow and booked it across the quad. As soon as I spotted Reyna, I raised my hands in victory.
“Four down and one to go! Woohoo,” I told her as she held out a bottle of water. “No thanks,” I added, waving away the drink. “I don’t know if you can tell, but I’ve had plenty of H2O.”
But I swallowed my snickers as I examined my friend. She looked off. Sad or, at least, serious … and her eyes glistened with emotion.
“What’s wrong?” I skidded to a stop as my heart leapt into my throat.
She swallowed hard, and wiping at her eyes, she shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Reyna, don’t do that.” I closed the distance until I stood toe-to-toe with her. “You can tell me. Is it my grandfather?” My elation turned to dread with the thought. “Is he okay?”
Why else would she be upset?
Reyna sighed. “It’s just … I feel all of his pain. As his shield, I take everything.”
Oh. Oh. I thought of all the times she must’ve shouldered his burden, and my respect for her grew. “Is he in pain now?”
She just nodded. “I’m not sure how much time we have left.”
I frowned. We. Oh. My. Mage. “Wait … Reyna, when he dies, you won’t … you won’t die too, right?”
She cleared her throat and straightened. “Being your grandfather’s shield has been my life’s greatest honor. Don’t you dare pity me. Now, let’s go. He’s waiting.”
Holy crap. She didn’t answer me. Did that mean yes? She … she was going to die too?
I couldn’t even … I had no way to process that right now. I could only hope she was wrong.
I walked behind her with a lot less pep in my step. My mind spun with questions. Did Kaja and the other Harvest girls know? Was there any way I could possibly save Rey?