Ruins of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms #3) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,118

Knox didn’t stop. He moved through the masses that continued in a sea of bodies that rushed toward him.

Blood painted my face, and I turned slowly, finding Killian standing beside a headless body that dropped to the ground next to me. My eyes rose to his, and he lifted his blade as if I would be his next target.

Closing my eyes, I exhaled, waiting for the strike to come. Something bumped into me, and I turned, staring at the three-horned creature wielding a blade, only for Killian to deflect the blow before it could reach me. I moved back, my breathing labored and uneven while the coppery tang of blood filled the air, and the sound of metal meeting steel filled the night.

Three creatures joined the fight, and Killian deflected the blows easily, though they outnumbered him. I looked around the ground, grabbing a fallen warrior’s blade, swiping it into the air while twisting my body to severe a head, spinning to shove it through the head of another. I watched it drop to the ground, only to lift my head as a sword blade touched my chin.

Killian glared at me, and I dropped the sword before he realized what I’d done. His eyes narrowed, but something moved behind him, and he spun, dispatching it. I turned back to search for Knox, finding him watching me with his head tilted while surrounded by dead bodies littering the ground, all headless. Shivering, I stared at the dark witches above that continued releasing black magic as I shuffled through the dead toward Knox.

I was almost to him when the dead started to rise. My hackles rose as power exploded through the courtyard. Turning around, something whizzed by me, and I winced as a blade struck my chest plate, sending me flying backward. I stared at the sky, pain throbbing through my chest.

A sword rushed toward me, and I rolled, pushing off the ground to stand. I drew a blade from the ground, frowning when I found no one there. I hated that I couldn’t wield enough magic to matter as war raged around me.

I turned to Knox as a creature sneaked up behind him. I lifted my blade, and he watched me through the slits of his armor. I hefted it over my head, sending it sailing through the air as uncertainty filled his eyes. He sidestepped it easily, turning to look over his shoulder where it impaled his would-be assassin. Knox lifted his blade, and he removed the head in a swift swing that sent it rolling across the bloodied ground.

I stood there amid the battle without fear, lifting my eyes to the battlement where shadows moved in and out of sight. I rushed toward Knox, dodging blades. I watched him dispatching a giant as if it was nothing more than a nuisance.

The ground trembled, and I turned to see a large, winged beast rushing the gates of the stronghold. It had horns covering its head and screeched out a howl. Its skin was wrinkly, with a leather-like coat that appeared to have been in the water, way too long. Knox uttered a single word, which, I was pretty certain, consisted of four letters.

I lifted my hands and hissed before sending a burst of magic toward the creature, and when my magic hit it, it grew. Knox reached for my hands, aiming them at the monster, and it exploded into a fine mist. I stared with my mouth open, pulling back my hands, still holding Knox’s, staring at them. Above us, the dark witches howled, and creatures began flowing out around us, cutting us off from the army. I turned toward Knox with worry burning in my eyes.

“Are you ready to stop playing around, woman?” he asked, gripping my waist as he yanked me up against him.

“I have decided that I am not great at melee fights,” I laughed nervously, watching his eyes narrow on me.

“I thought you were rather great at it when you were being tossed about, dodging attacks. In fact, you were very sexy, and while rather fucking clumsy, it was endearing to watch you try to pull it off and act badass while in your unicorn suit.”

Growling sounded from all around us, sending the hair on my nape up in awareness of the power accumulating. I glared at Knox, slamming my hands down as he mirrored the action, sending his power down onto mine. Blood sloshed over the ground, painting it red as a wicked grin flitted