Fires of War (War and Deceit #4) - Erin O'Kane Page 0,141
the impression she’s laughing at me.
Blowing out a breath, I raise both hands and place them against the wall. The effect is instant, the magic in the wall sucking at my strength as my gift tries to break it. This spell is huge. I knew it was going to be large, but I hadn’t taken it being a bubble and just how much more magic that would need to break into account. With dawning comprehension, I realise I’m not strong enough to handle that much magic. The pain quickly moves from my hands to the rest of my body, and my back arches, setting me into spasms. I need my mates. Why was I so foolish to think I could do this alone?
You are never alone, my beloved, the Mother whispers into my mind, lending me her strength and soothing my pain. Now that my pain has eased, an idea comes to me. The magic is like a bubble. I may not be strong enough to break the whole spell, but if I can unwrite enough of it, can I pop it? Stretching my awareness, I search for any weak spots, and after a few moments, I am rewarded. I focus all of my will and strength on that one spot, praying it’s enough.
A loud crack is the first indication that it’s working. I want to shout out my victory, but we’re not done yet, so I keep going. All of a sudden, my concentration is broken when the kelpie jerks me away from the wall, racing with all her speed up the river as I cling on with all my might. I’m a combination of emotions—excitement, fear, and trepidation. I’m destroying a city, the home of so many elves, yet the forsaken will obliterate us if I don’t do something about it.
Banging and roaring sounds behind us. We did it.
The kelpie stops and turns us in the water in time to see the dam fall. Dust and water billow into the air as the river drops and we start to get dragged towards the gaping hole I just created. Horror makes my blood run cold.
“No, take me to the shore!” I shout, desperate to be heard above the noise of the water and falling stone. The kelpie rises from the water, throwing her head back with a piercing shriek. Other kelpies rise from the water around us, the air shimmering with something that feels like…hope. Turning her head, the kelpie pushes a thought into my mind.
I won’t let you drown, beloved. Hold on tight. There is dark humour in her thoughts, but I trust her not to go back on her word. Leaning forward, I wrap my arms around her neck just in time as she rears back, her front legs coming out of the water as she neighs her triumph.
Leading the charge, she dashes towards the gap in the dam, and I can’t hold back my scream as we leap over the vertical edge—except we aren’t falling. They are literally running down the water. A flash catches my eye, and I see Vaeril racing along the cliff’s edge, trying to keep up. He’s fast, but not as fast as us.
We’ve almost caught up with the initial wave now. It’s huge, I just have to pray that the meeting place I arranged for our army is high enough so they are safe from the destruction of the flood. Riding through the valley, we round the corner, and I spot the ridge with the army waiting on it. Beyond that, in the bottom of the valley, are the city and the palace. Our army sees the wave first, then they spot me atop the kelpie and start cheering, waving their swords and shields as I speed past them.
The kelpie I’m on pulls back from the others, and I realise that’s because she carries me. The others race forward, surging with the waves, jumping and crashing through the spray. As we continue through the valley, we enter the city, and I begin to see the forsaken.
They’re everywhere. We wouldn’t have stood a chance. The wave takes out most of them, dragging them into the water and pulling down the buildings closest to the river’s edge. My heart breaks a little at the destruction of a city that meant so much to me, but buildings can be rebuilt. There’s no point in having a pristine city if there’s no one left to live in it.