—but the blade stops short. Hovers.
Glowing.
What the?—
It’s me. My energy. Instinctive, raw, wild. The dagger vibrates, caught in the shimmer of gold-blue light emanating from my palm.
“Sonny!”Kael’s voice hits my mind, sharp with warning but also awe.
I don’t have time to think. I push. The dagger flings back towards its wielder, knocking them off balance.
I exhale hard. “Okay. That’s new.”
“Stay focussed,” Kael growls, slamming his opponent against the wall with bone-crunching force. “But yes. That was… impressive.”
Another attacker lunges at Kael’s back. I fling my hand towards them, the energy responding to my panic—arcing across the space like a whip and slamming into them mid-leap. They drop like a stone.
I blink. “Holy shit.”
Kael sends another sprawling with a kick that makes the walls shake. His eyes flash to mine, blazing. “We’ll talk later.”
Yeah. We will.
But first, we survive this.
The corridor’s still filled with enemies—I’m pretty sure more have joined Zeyv’s ranks—but something’s shifted. Zeyv’s eyes narrow, uncertainty flickering.
He should be scared. He really,reallyshould.
But that’s when the rest of his little gang crashes in from the outside. Three more—armed and clearly ready for blood—burst through the exterior gate. It swings open wide enough to flood the corridor with harsh daylight.
We’re boxed in.
Zeyv makes his move, darting forwards with a twisted smile. And this time, I don’t hold back. He’s strong—but I took him down once. I strike with brutal precision, low and fast, darting between bodies, slicing his thigh, cutting shallow across his ribs.
He roars and throws a punch I barely duck. I spin, drive my elbow into his gut, but he grabs me, slamming me into the wall.
Kael bellows my name, his fury tangible through the bond while Zeyv throws something. I don’t know what it is until it’s midair.
It’s a weapon. Sharp. Spinning.
Headed straight for Kael.
Time slows.
Kael’s occupied, his back turned as he wrestles a female attacker with claws and too many teeth. He won’t see it.
But I do.
I don’t think. I move.
I fling my hand forwards, energy surging before I’ve even formed a thought. It crackles out of me, a shimmering arc thatblasts the weapon off course. It slams into the wall and embeds deep in the plaster.
Zeyv’s eyes go wide.
Kael turns, eyes blazing. Then he turns back to Zeyv.
Kael moves like a force of nature. His body blurs, energy whipping around him like a storm. He hits Zeyv so hard, the air is knocked from the corridor. Zeyv stumbles, but Kael’s not done.
