need you. But it doesn’t mean I won’t cause you great pain.”
As I started to pass out, Bastien sprung to his feet, knocking my arm and causing the membrane to bust. My globe must have countered the stun on Bastien. He tackled Conemar, plucking his grip from my throat. I fell to my knees, gasping. Tears stung my eyes and my neck burned where Conemar’s nails dug into my skin.
My anger gave me the strength to push to my feet. I pulled my sword from its sheath, fuming. Bastien had Conemar pinned to the floor. Struggling to breathe and too weak to hold Conemar, Bastien lost his grip and rolled over gasping. I rushed over, placing the point of my sword to Conemar’s throat before he could get up. I glared down at him. “How does it feel to be cornered?” I pressed the point against his neck. A drop of blood beaded from his skin. “It sucks, doesn’t it?”
Conemar smirked. “Go ahead, kill me, and you’ll never see your father again.”
“Do you mean Carrig?” I spat. “I don’t even know him.”
Conemar paled. “Well then, kill me, if you have the nerve.” He tilted his head and light refracted against his face, again illuminating familiar-looking features and causing me to take a step back. Who was I? This wasn’t me. I couldn’t kill someone. I can’t do this. My hand shook and I almost lost the grip on my sword.
“I knew you hadn’t the heart for it,” Conemar said, scrambling to his feet.
Bastien had regained his breath and dived for Conemar.
A massive hound jumped up on the table beside us, and under its weight, the table crashed to the floor. I spun and lunged at it with my sword. I pushed hard to get the blade to pierce the creature’s neck. It was like pushing a toothpick into leather. I yanked the sword out and stabbed the hound again. It howled and dropped to the floor. I slumped, bile burning my throat. I could kill. The fear shook me. I wanted out of this nightmare.
A black globe landed at my feet and dark smoke exploded from its sphere, blinding me as it rolled over my head and engulfed the room. The sulfur smell was overwhelming. Bastien and Conemar scuffled somewhere within the smoke screen. Bastien grunted.
“Bastien!” I called out.
“I’m fine,” he answered back. “Keep alert. I lost Conemar.”
“Retreat!” Conemar yelled from within the smoke.
An explosion knocked me to my knees, whipping my hair across my face. The blast dispersed the smoke. As I gasped for air, Demos threw another wind globe, which cleared the other side of the room. Through the thinned smoke, I spotted Conemar searching the gateway book.
He readied to jump. I willed my pink globe to life and threw it in Conemar’s direction, hoping it would distract him. My anger made the globe soar. Just as the globe was about to hit Conemar, Kale stepped into its path as he charged after Conemar and it popped against his body.
Conemar rolled sizzling electric currents between his hands until an orb of energy formed. Kale raised his palm and spoke the charm to ignite his globe. Static zapped above his palm, but nothing formed. He looked at Conemar, and back to his palm, a quizzical expression twisting his face.
Lei drove her sword into a Writhe that blocked her way to Kale. She jerked her blade free, and the Writhe collapsed at her feet.
A sinister grin spread across the wizard’s lips as he cocked his hand back to fire the charge at Kale.
“No!” I screamed.
Before Lei reached Kale, Conemar shot the electric bolt into him, and Kale slumped to the floor. Lei dropped beside him and dragged him into her arms. Arik turned his fire globe into a whip and lashed it out at Conemar.
Veronique slid in front of him and blocked the whip with her shield, sparks ricocheting off metal. Using the distraction, Conemar plunged into the gateway book, the disturbing smile still plastered on his face. Veronique sailed in after him. Several cloaked figures followed. The rest of his men lay dead or injured on the floor. A few of Bastien’s guards were among the dead.
My breath froze in my chest and I stood there stunned. My heart pounded in my ears, drowning out all the noises around me. I’d never seen a dead body in real life before. The sight of so many made me sick. I bent over, holding my side and catching my breath.