Sun Broken (The Wild Hunt #11) - Yasmine Galenorn Page 0,93
blinding pain hit, I tried to stand. The iron of the manacles was rubbing against my skin now, and I could feel welts beginning to rise up. I stumbled forward, landing near my sword and bow. I managed to get Brighid’s Flame out of the sheath, all the while the iron searing my wrists with pain.
I crawled toward the table where Raven was lying, and Pandora turned, her eyes narrowing. As she held out her hand, a bolt of energy came shooting my way. I groaned, shifting, and managed to swing Brighid’s Flame at just the perfect angle to deflect the attack. The bolt blasted the rock next to me. If it hadn’t been for my blade, I’d be a splat on the floor. As I slumped near the edge of the table, Pandora snorted as she turned her attention to Trinity.
And then…everything shifted.
The woman stepped out of the mist, carrying a massive sword made of crystal. She raised it and her voice reverberated through the room.
“Before you take another step, Pandora, you must first go through me. I somehow expect you haven’t fought a dragon before.”
As Pandora turned around, her face paled and she backed up a step. At that moment, there was a noise at the door and Morgana, Herne, and Merlin rushed through, followed by Kipa. Kipa made a beeline for Raven as Merlin lifted his staff and brought it crashing to the ground.
“Shield!” Morgana screamed. I fell to the ground, hiding my face as Merlin’s staff hit the ground.
“Grian!” he shouted, and a blinding flash filled the cavern. Pandora screamed long and hard, as everything else seemed to fall away.
Chapter Twenty-One
The world was spinning. My wrists were burning and one felt broken. I couldn’t see. My hip throbbed and I felt adrift, floating on an endless sea of pain. I could hear, far away, the sounds of chanting and then another shriek racing through the wind, though this time I had no idea whether it was Raven or Pandora, or even me.
The ocean crashed, tossing me on the rocks, and I moaned, wanting the ride to be over. I kept looking for the way out, but all around me, the waves were rolling wild, washing the searing pain from my wrists all the way through my body.
I reached out, searching for help. Then, as I was about to give into the pain, a hand reached through the fog. The energy around it felt soothing and safe, so I took it, and instantly the pain began to subside. I exhaled softly, embracing the cool chill. As the waves of comfort folded around me like a blanket, I felt like I was surfacing, and the next moment, I opened my eyes.
I found myself staring up into the face of the woman I had seen forming in the mists. She was massive—as tall as Viktor, but lean and slinky, and her skin was pale, almost on the bluish side. Her hair was the color of the spring sky at morning, and she wore a silver circlet around her forehead. She was dressed in a dress that flowed out from her body, the color of ice with streaks of pale blue and plum running through it.
“Sister of the Water, you are alive.” She reached out to stroke my cheek. “Your friend removed the instruments of torture from around your wrists.” She reached out and placed a hand behind my back, steadying me as I slowly sat up.
I glanced around the cavern. Trinity was kneeling beside her, a set of keys in his hand. My manacles were on the ground, as were his.
“Raven? Is she all right?”
“Raven is hurt, my love. We’re taking her back to Annwn so Ferosyn can help her,” Herne said, coming up beside the woman and kneeling next to her. “Morgana and Kipa have taken her there. Trinity freed you from your shackles.” He looked stricken. “I should have thought. I shouldn’t have sent you down here alone.”
“We thought Pandora was out. And you had to take care of those…” I paused, glancing up at the woman as I remembered that she had identified herself as a dragon.
“Dragons? Yes, Pandora has enlisted several white dragons to act as her servants. You may call me Ashera,” the woman said. “I’m a water dragon—a blue dragon.” She glanced at Herne. “Lord of the Forest, if you would allow me, I can move her to safety easier than you can, and with less pain to her.”