Our group reassembled. Lucas, Anna, and Rafael with Havoc and Anna’s two other mates.
I raised my arms, and they all took hold of them.
“Ready?” I asked.
I waited for the chorus of affirmations, and then I closed my eyes and recaptured the image Tareal had sent me. With my heart pounding, I certainly didn’t have to search for the emotional surge. The second I reached for my power, the white noise took over.
Snap.
Miracle of miracles, we landed on our feet. Maybe it was the group-hug thing working for us. They released my arms the second the golden light cleared. I’d brought us in on the far side of the activity, behind Brock’s body, the coven, and Isobel.
Go, Dreambit,Havoc urged. We’re good.
I caught the merest glimpse of the room, before I reached again, and took myself back.
I blinked against the light. Strong hands gripped my shoulders, and I looked up at Marcus. “They’re with her,” I whispered. Two-thirds of my heart now faced the Sorceress and her coven.
Isobitch,Havoc agreed from the room above us.I need to kill something.
You always need to kill something,Marcus replied. Out loud, he added, “That’s our cue to leave.”
Beyond him were Talakai, Kiko, and Vali. My retrieval team.
From his safe berth in Cara’s treehouse, Tareal relayed to me the visual of the hall outside his mate’s cell.
I raised my arms. They were almost fully clothed in deep-black scales. Took an instant to admire them, before saying, “Let’s do this.”
Kiko tilted her head as she closed her fingers over my scales. “Is that another of your silly life-affirming statements?”
“Take it any way you want,” I said, and thought of hallways.
46
Rafael
I caught the merest glimmer of Riley’s worried gaze, and then she was gone.
My pulse raced. She’d Jumped us to a perfect location—behind Isobel and the coven. Our position was partly blocked by Brock’s inert body. Although it radiated the blood energy, I sensed no life within it.
Our sudden arrival surprised the Bellatis along the back wall, but they were trained warriors and reacted quickly.
Fortunately, so did Sebastian and Havoc.
In an instant, Sebastian’s spiral sword became a blur of graceful and calculated motions. Whereas Havoc roared as his body writhed its way to Dragon. He charged into them, talons flashing in the light. Body pieces flew through the air.
Matt stayed with us, his back to Anna, talons extended, body in a half-crouch. And then my gut clenched as I spotted Finn emerge from a passageway behind the coven. The Torshin blasted red energy bolts toward Havoc, but he saw them coming. Havoc grabbed an approaching mercenary, and threw him into the onslaught. There was an explosion of blood and tissue, and the red Dragon dropped the mess before selecting another.
“Rafael!” Isobel turned away from the cage. She gestured to Aurora, who stood on the other side of her. “Keep going,” she commanded.
Aurora raised her hands and increased the flood of red energy toward the form in the cage. I fought to stay calm as Isobel stalked toward us.
Isobel’s eyes glowed red. Her hair floated freely, as though it had come to life.
I now saw her for what she truly was. Evil incarnate. And she was going down.
Lucas’s life essence buzzed with both fear and determination as he joined hands with Anna. Who projected nothing but a calm, cold kind of anger.
Isobel’s gaze moved from me to them.
