Page 208 of Of Masks and Fury

“Get them out of here,” Thorne gasped, his eyes finding mine. “Get them to safety.”

Levar surged through the Skathes, searing a path that burst into ashes, Lakast right behind.

“Thorne, no!” Isi tried to break free of Addie’s grasp, but her sister held tight.

I backed toward them, Pherin and Gavelle with me while Dare thrashed through the few Skathes that had escaped dragon fire.

“We have to go,” I shouted. “Isi, we can’t stay.”

Thorne gave me a single nod before he toppled sideways, hitting the ground with a thud.

Racing to the women, I scooped Addie into my arms, ignoring the fire that ripped through my wounded shoulder. “Isi, move.”

Pherin roared flames while Gavelle guarded our rear. We sprinted the remaining distance to Kyreth as Lakast landed beside her. A glance back showed more Skathes surging from the woods.

Kyreth dropped low as we approached. I scrambled up the dragon’s side and settled Addie between the spine spikes.

“Fly. Get her to safety,” I called out as I slid to the ground.

Keek and Dare shifted into their smaller forms, darting up to join Addie on Kyreth’s back. Levar took to the air beside them. Wairen’s wings snapped out, and after blasting a pack of Skathes with fire, he surged up toward the sky.

“Go!” I growled, and Kyreth launched skyward, her wings thundering through the air.

Isi knelt beside Commander Thorne, stroking his face. Pherin stood guard over them, blasting fire at any Skathe that came near.

I rushed over and dragged her away, Gavelle growling by my side.

“We have to take his body,” she said, her voice breaking.

My heart shattered for her, but there was no time. Dozens of Skathes were racing across the lawn toward us.

“We can’t.”

Her eyes met mine, wild with pain. “He saved us.”

“We dishonor his sacrifice if we die here.”

“I can’t leave him,” she whispered.

“You must,” I said, the words gentle despite their harshness. “Sometimes living is the hardest choice.”

Lakast leaped over to crouch beside us, his wings half-extended. He blasted Skathes to his right with flames. We climbed onto his back, and I wrapped an arm around Isi’s waist as Gavelle and Pherin shifted into their bird forms and soared into the air.

The Skathes reached us just as Lakast’s powerful legs launched us skyward. They leaped, reaching up with their claws, but they couldn’t reach us. Isi’s body trembled against mine, grief shuddering through her form.

Lakast banked sharply, and I looked back at the manor grounds. Thorne’s body lay among the ashes of his final enemies scattered around him in a warrior’s tribute. The surviving Skathes watched us with uncanny stillness.

I pulled Isi closer, her tears wet on my neck. My vision blurred as I vowed to avenge the man who’d died protecting us.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered into her hair.

She said nothing, her body curving into mine as we soared higher. Below us, our sanctuary shrank in the distance, now tainted with death.

Ahead lay Syllavar and Caldrith, and the nearly impossible task we still had to complete.

And somewhere in the wasteland, our friends traveled in Skathe disguises, unaware that their task had just become infinitely more dangerous.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE