Page 111 of A Bond So Deadly

“Mhmmm?”

“Do try not to die, won’t you?” I repeat the words he’d said to me when I’d entered the graduation games.

I don’t know how to explain it, but I swear I can feel him smiling through our connection. “Don’t worry, treasure, after this is over, I’ll be making you scream with pleasure for many more years to come.”

I grin, but my smile doesn’t last. There’s a sound like thunder as two of the largest xalfrets I’ve ever seen, break through the academy gate, twisting the metal bars like they’re nothing more than a giant chew toy. Working together, they toss the gate to the side, and it clatters against the ground, creating a plume of dust that clouds the entrance.

There’s more cheering, and I hear the first wave of Xalgrith warriors before I see them. They let out a garbled war cry before they surge through the opening, pouring onto academy grounds.

“Remember, students!” Thane’s shadow whisper is a harsh bark against my ears, and I know he’s speaking to all the students at once. “You are shadow warriors! Leverage your shadow gifts and stand together. The Xalgrith will not enter your mind unless you let them. You’ve trained for this, and the time has come for you to prove your worth. Victory means survival, and we will survive together!”

I lift my chin, pretending to be brave even though I’m on the verge of throwing up. I struggle to swallow the bile in my throat and attempt to calm my nerves, gripping my crossbow tighter. You can do this, Shade. Just relax. It’ll be totally fine. Blake and the demon army will turn up any second now. I’m guessing that’s who Emorie was talking about when she said help will be here soon.

We all wait silently as the Xalgrith warriors surge forward toward where the spikes are cloaked, and power fills the air, moisture beading on my skin as clouds gather inside the dome.

“Hold.” Thane’s voice is soft in my head this time, and even though I hear him, I know he’s speaking to himself.

The Xalgrith warriors charge forward, spilling onto the grass, heading in the direction of the academy building. Toward the spikes, and toward where my mates and some of the students are cloaked.

“Hold,” Thane growls again.

Their armor clatters as the Xalgrith warriors run, their swords and axes brandished before them, all too ready to spill blood.

“Hold,” Thane says as he stands preternaturally still, watching the Xalgrith intently as they fill the area beyond the gate. There must be hundreds of warriors on academy grounds now. They move with frightening speed, snarling and gnashing their teeth, their milky eyes fevered as they search for their prey.

“Now,” Thane murmurs to himself, and it’s like the clouds above open up.

Acid rain pours down onto the Xalgrith, and the enemy warriors scream as it burns against their skin. I wince, watching as their bodies sizzle and melt away. Hundreds of the Xalgrith fall, and some of the students cheer, their shadow whispers reaching my ears because they don’t dare shout out loud, or they’d give away their positions. But I can’t celebrate. Even if the Xalgrith are the enemy, it’s a grisly sight.

“This is definitely going to haunt me,” I say to my mates, almost throwing up again.

“War is death, and the battles are torture,” Galen replies. “It will only get worse before it gets better, treasure.”

Some of the Xalgrith react quickly enough, lifting their armored shields in time to save themselves. The acid rain coats the white metal, dripping to the ground. I expect the metal to betray them and melt, but it stays intact.

“Holy crap. Their shields aren’t affected,” I say panicked to my mates.

“I thought that might happen,” Thane replies. “This isn’t the first battle where I’ve used my powers, and I recently used them in the Xalgrith realm. It seems they’ve found a solution.”

I know I shouldn’t be relieved. I should want as many of the Xalgrith dead as possible, but a part of me is glad that there will be fewer melting bodies. Seriously, I’m never going to get that image out of my head. It’s a horrible way to go.

The rain stops, and the surviving Xalgrith surge forward again. They don’t see the cloaked spikes, and I grimace as the warriors impale themselves. A couple dozen fall to the spikes, but the remaining warriors soon realize what’s happening. They launch themselves into the air as they run, some of them still catching on the spikes while others clear the spikes entirely, landing on the other side.

“Archers!” Knox’s shadow whisper snaps against my ears, and I pull myself together, lining up my crossbow.

“Fire!” Knox orders, and the students in the forest release their arrows, sending them flying into the Xalgrith.

One after the other, the arrows find their marks, picking off the Xalgrith warriors a handful at a time. My arrow sinks into a Xalgrith warrior’s ass, and he howls but doesn’t stop running. Oops. Sorry! I feel bad for the guy, but another student sends and arrow into the warrior’s eye, and he falls like a stone mid-step. I guess at least he’s been put out of his misery, I tell myself.

By the time the remaining Xalgrith warriors from the first wave make it to where my mates and some of the students are waiting, there are only a few dozen left.

I’m both horrified and impressed as my mates cut them down, darting and weaving, and spilling Xalgrith blood. By the time the Xalgrith are all down, my mates are splattered with blood, but they’ve barely broken a sweat. Holy son of a demon. Maybe we can do this after all. Maybe we can hold the Xalgrith back.

I turn my attention to the entrance, feeling a little more optimistic than I was earlier. That is, until I see King Malgur standing where the academy gate used to be. Professor Yevar is beside him, and they’re surrounded by the hybrid students abducted from the academy. Crap. They probably think Thane won’t use his acid rain because of the kidnapped students. Which is likely true.

“Shade! Shade, it’s her!” Kenzie’s terrified whisper reaches my ears. “That’s Leira!”

I press my lips together. “That’s not her,” I remind my friend. “Not really. At least not while she’s under King Malgur’s influence.”