I couldn’t let him do this alone.
Zaorak’s growl echoed through the tower, a chilling sound that sent shivers down my spine. He turned his head, his gaze finding mine unerringly, even in the darkness.
Kael twisted in Zaorak’s grip, wrenching himself free with a desperate shove, knocking Zaorak away from my hiding spot. The two men stumbled apart, circling each other like predators. The kitchen table lay between them, overturned and broken, the air filled with the sound of heavy breathing and the creak of floorboards.
“You cannot hide from me, little witch,” Zaorak called out to me, his eyes glowing in the dark. His voice was soft, almost singsong, but the malice in his tone made my blood run cold. “I will find you. And when I do, I’ll make yousuffer.”
Kael growled low in his throat, drawing Zaorak’s attention back to him. “Leave her out of this,” he said, his voice hard as steel. “Your fight is with me.”
Zaorak smirked. “Oh, Onyx. You think you can protect her? You couldn’t even protect yourself.”
Zaorak made another grab for him and Kael blocked him, before going on the offence. But Zaorak was ready for him, his movements fluid and effortless as he deflected Kael’s blows with ease. When Kael staggered back, Zaorak roared and lunged forward, but Kael managed to push him away. He rolled away, coming to his feet and keeping the kitchen table, now upside down, between them.
They stared at each other for a charged moment, before Zaorak laughed and vaulted the obstacle between them. Kael bent at the knees and leaped through the open window and disappeared into the darkness.
It seemed like it was too much for Zaorak to ignore his prey drive, he leaped in pursuit of Kael, driven to obey his animal instincts that had him chasing his quarry.
The silence that followed was deafening. My pulse thundered in my ears as I pushed open the larder door, peering into the now-destroyed kitchen. Shattered dishes and broken furniture lay scattered across the floor, the air heavy with the scent of sweat and adrenaline.
I stepped out cautiously, my bare feet crunching against fragments of ceramic. My eyes darted to the open window, searching the night for any sign of movement, but there was nothing.
Kael.
My heart clenched as I thought of him out there, alone, facing that monster. I had to help him. Somehow.
I turned and ran for the bedroom, my footsteps echoing in the empty tower. The mage’s notebook—it was the thing that had started all of this. If there was any hope of finding a way to stop Zaorak, it would be in those pages.
I threw myself onto the bed, yanking the mattress aside to reveal the book I had hidden beneath it. The leather cover was cool and smooth under my fingers, the black strap that held it closed still tightly fastened.
Carrying it back to the kitchen, I crouched by the firelight and flipped through the pages. My hands trembled as I scanned the dense script, staring at the diagrams and incantations scrawled in the mage’s precise hand, searching for something—anything—that could help.
A spell to enhance muscle mass?No—it required a live sacrifice, and I had neither the time nor the stomach for it.A spell for speed?Kael was already faster than any normal man, and it wouldn’t be enough against someone like Zaorak.
I slammed the book shut in frustration, my nails digging into the leather. Above me, the sound of a distant crash echoed through the tower, followed by a low, rumbling growl. Dust rained down from the rafters as the walls trembled.
What was happening up there? Was Kael alright?
Panic threatened to overwhelm me, but I forced it down. I couldn’t afford to fall apart now. Kael was counting on me.
I needed to do something.
I opened the book again, flipping through the pages with renewed determination. Finally, my eyes landed on a spell that promised light—a flash strong enough to blind an opponent. Perfect. My heart leaped with hope. It wasn’t much, but it was something.
Whispering the incantation under my breath, I practiced the spell, conjuring a small, flickering flame in the palm of my hand, as if I had struck a match. The light danced across the walls, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly. It was imperfect, but it would have to do.
A growl from above had me looking up. My light had drawn their attention. If the other dragon shifter grabbed me as a hostage, Kael would sacrifice himself for me, I just knew it. I didn’t have much time.
My hands shook as I closed the book and placed it on the counter. I clenched my fists, summoning every ounce of courage I had left.
“Kael!” I screamed, my voice cutting through the chaos. “Shut your eyes!”
I didn’t wait for a response. Raising my hands, I shouted the spell with every bit of power I could muster. I had strengthened the fire with my magic, a potency spell of my own devising that I used all the time to make the ingredients for my remedies more potent. My spell worked, as I knew it would, and the light flashed into the rafters of the roof like it was a bolt of lightning—quick, and equally blinding.
A chorus of roars followed, one of rage and another of triumph. The tower shook again as something heavy crashed to the ground. Dust filled the air, stinging my eyes and throat as I stumbled backward, my vision swimming.
When the light faded, I saw them: Kael and Zaorak, locked in a brutal melee on the floor. They were a blur of limbs, teeth, and claws, their movements almost too fast to follow. Blood splattered the walls and the floor, the metallic tang of it sharp in the air.
A spatter of blood struck me in the face and I gasped. I needed to get out of the way. As I crept away, the book still clutched in my hands, Zaorak’s eyes fell on me.
