Rowan hissed at me. “You’re weakened, Ana.”
“R-Rowan,” I choked out, realizing he was right. “G-Get to my father. Please. Hurry. My father will die. I-I can’t…” I fell forward, coughing, grabbing my head as it screamed in pain.
Luckily, Rowan didn’t question me and raced toward my father. I didn’t know if he’d make it in time. Another soldier approached, moving to stand guard over me.
I shook my head, terrified, trying to clear it. My heart hammered painfully in my chest. There was silence all around us, with the exception of the blowing wind.
“Will you not submit?” Mortae shouted over the wind. He waited, peering at me intently, so much like my Calix, but not. When I didn’t respond, he said, “Then you leave me with no choice.”
A chill ran up my spine as his maniacal cackle reached my ears. The black army rushed forward and crashed into our troops who’d gathered outside of the gates. I covered my ears as the clang of metal and death surrounded me. Kellin and the bowmen launched volleys of arrows down on the enemy army, knocking many to the ground. Those who died seemed to be replaced by ten more each.
Kellin’s storm blew in and tossed many opposing men aside, and even managed to take out a slew of Chimera as they stalked the outer edges, picking off stragglers.
My attention was drawn to my brother who fought at the front alongside my own father. He looked tired as he turned and pivoted, his strikes hitting their targets, causing men to fall dead at his feet. He pushed forward, his mask drawn over his face, the brilliant blue plumes waving in the wind.
Soran wasn’t going to last much longer. Neither would. I already knew this. I pushed myself forward, needing to get to them, needing to save our father. They were talented warriors and strong Fae, but they weren’t miracle workers. They needed me.
I pushed past men as I tried to get out of the gate and was stopped by a rough pull on my arm which nearly knocked me to the ground. A solider from the Dark Army had seized me. I pushed him off with a wave of my hand, the wind knocking him into more of his comrades, sending them all to the ground far from my father and Soran, who’d fallen as he struggled to fight off more men than he could handle.
He quickly got his wits about him, climbed back to his feet, and continued to exterminate any who came near him. But I’d had enough when I saw my father kill five, only for them to be replaced by another five. My family wouldn’t die for me. I wouldn’t allow it.
“Analia,” Mortae whispered on the wind. “Come to me, my love. I’ll end this now, and your family will survive.”
I was knocked to the ground by another soldier from the Dark Army, and I let out a groan as the air left my lungs from the impact. I rolled quickly as he tried to pushed his sword into me. He narrowly missed, and it dug into the ground. I took that opportunity to send a gust of wind at him. It tossed him violently back, and he hit the ground many feet away, taking out at least ten Dark Army soldiers. I climbed shakily to my feet, and I looked to my brother and father who continued to fight, Rowan beside them. I wouldn’t let them die for me. I tore my gaze away as I felt that ugly pull hit the center of my chest. I glanced up at the moon. It hung above us now, a red stain in the sky.
The ash is born beneath the red.
It was time.
Chapter 62
Slowly, I approached Calix as he stood in the center of the fray, nothing touching him. He smiled a slow, lazy smile at me and cocked his head as I approached. When I stopped, a circle had been made around us, troops backing up from both sides, some stopping their fight completely to just watch us.
I lifted my hand, and a circle of fire erupted around us, keeping others firmly away.
“I like how you think,” the Mortae spoke, his sword in his hand.
I heard Kellin shouting out for me and saw as he tried making his way forward. Rowan caught him around the middle and dragged him back.
“You used to like a lot of things about me,” I murmured, looking him in the eye.
“What makes you think that