Galeran attempted to follow Isobel, but I tackled him from behind. The world spun, but I wrapped my arms around him, and wound my fingers into his hair as my beast renewed its attack.
As Talakai battled the remaining Bellatis, Matt offered me what he could. But the bloodpower coursing through Galeran fought me, drawing power from the corrupt web linking him to others. It wrestled my efforts, pushing back on my beast as he again swung his spiral sword to stab at me. Its teeth skidded across my arm braces.
And suddenly, slim, agile hands landed on my shoulders. I was no longer alone in my head. Black fog and red lightning surged as Nikolai’s maelstrom power blasted through Lucas and into me.
“Don’t hold on to it!” Lucas shouted, but his voice wasn’t his own. Deeper, and resonating with power. “Let it flow through you!”
I struggled to obey, as the vicious energy scorched through me in its search for the ultimate target.
And found it.
Galeran screamed as it surged into him, and so did I. This was not a power meant to be controlled by anything that lived, not even Nikolai. Certainly not a Morph or academy recruit. I sensed Galeran’s desperate attempt to divert it—to channel it, just like Lucas and me.
But Nikolai wasn’t about to let that happen. Pain vibrated through all of us as he sent the maelstrom directly into Galeran. It spread through the Bellati like a raging wildfire, and blew every cell to pieces.
Galeran screamed again. A horrible, tearing sound.
LET HIM GO, Anna!
It was a combined yell. Matt and Talakai, and I thought it echoed from Sebastian too.
I pulled my hands away. The second I released him, he crumpled to the ground. Wisps of black fog drifted off me, but what issued from Galeran was real smoke. His eyes remained open, but only a burned-out husk remained of the man inside.
My legs shook so hard that they couldn’t hold me—both Lucas and I collapsed in a tangled heap. From somewhere in the network of tunnels came a psychic scream, a wave of tainted energy filled with rage and grief, powerful enough to make us all flinch.
Isobel. Maybe others? It was hard to tell.
As the last living Bellati bolted from the room, strong arms lifted me off the ground. Talakai’s wings spread to arch up over me. Trix ran to me, licking my hand.
“Are you okay?” The Dragon gently caressed my cheek.
“I’m fine, thank you,” came a voice from near our feet. Lucas rose to a kneeling position and rubbed his temples. Trix transferred her wet tongue to his face.
A small trickle of blood ran from one nostril. “I might love the guy,” Lucas complained, “but he packs one helluva punch.”
Sounds of fighting carried through the castle. “Is she getting away?” I asked.
Talakai’s mouth pulled straight. “Yeah.”
I pushed away from him. “To hell with Isobel. We need to get to Sebastian.”
59
Matt
Through the link, I felt Galeran die.
The energy surging through Anna from Lucas terrified me. I screamedLet goto her at the same time the Dragon did.
And for once, she listened.
The entire castle shook again, harder this time. Strewth. Mari and Wyatt were going to bring the whole bloody place down around our ears. Chunks of stone rained on us. The three coven members had been berating the mercenary helpers to bring the containers as they packed up the finished crystals. Now they all stood, frozen, staring back up the tunnels.
Maddy still had us blocked from view, but then a mercenary ran to Sebastian. He peered into the container and lifted the tube—
And it fell free from beneath the thick mane.
Which was when shouts rang down the tunnel, and Emmanuel galloped into the courtyard, swinging an enormous sword. Right behind him, Maddy’s three Dires crashed into the mercenaries that rose to meet them.
