Page 157 of Prince of the Phantom Sky

Raiden’s stare landed on a ship in the heart of the fleet as a raven’s claws probed, testing the strength of his mind. Shadows filled his mind’s eye, flashes of purple throughout, until they formed a pair of familiar glowing eyes.

“I see you,” Raiden growled.

Barron was trying to infiltrate his mind, trying to take over as he’d done with Kora. A laugh was the only response to Raiden’s magic pushing back, consequently revealing his own illusion magic.

He didn’t care. He wasn’t the only mage with more than one power anymore. Something lingered on the horizon of mage history, a new era of blended powers. No one had realised it yet, but there were at least three mages now with dual powers. Himself, Kora, and Blake fucking Marwood.

He hadn’t found anything in the Galen Archive, the history of scriptures and magic declaring only one gift was possible per mage. But somehow, the three of them defied nature’s laws.

“You can’t protect her forever.” Raiden frowned, the voice unfamiliar. Neither male nor female, but something other. Something jabbed at his mind, and droplets of dread dripped down his neck.

“Fucking watch me,” he snarled, his inner beast roaring, demanding blood to be spilled at the threat of his future bonded.

“She will be ours. She is the key. Or come face me yourself, son of Zephyr.”

A second jab followed, the dread coiling tight. Raiden’s magic lurched, his winds telling him to fly, telling him to attack. That he needed to eliminate the threat now. He gripped onto the crow’s nest, his blood pounding in his ears as he fought the primal urges wrestling within.

He glanced back at Kora. She was transcendent, even now. Her magic shimmered, growing brighter every moment. A blue fire in her veins that echoed her eyes, and a divine glow that sparkled in each strand of moonlight hair.

“Her blood will be spilled, and I will take my rightful place among the divine.”

He couldn’t let anything happen to Kora. He couldn’t repeat the past. Raiden hissed, his magic and mind screaming at him. He had to do this. He’d been here twice before, had watched as Kordelia had thrown herself into war. Had witnessed as she’d been consumed by Barron’s mere touch of magic. Even with Iris, he’d hesitated. Had been ignorant of where his enemies lurked, and it’d cost her life.

Raiden wouldn’t fail again. This time, he would do what he’d been born to do. What Zephyr had raised him to do.

“Kora,” Raiden stroked the bond, imagining the faintest of brushes against her cheek. The pain at what he was about to do nearly tore him in half. But he couldn’t allow Barron to be near Kora ever again. This time, he had to choose war over being with his love. He had to choose to strike first, before the enemy could sever his heart. “I’m so sorry. I can’t let something happen to you like Iris. Sail back, now. Don’t come after me.”

“What? What are you doing?”

Raiden fully closed the bond, and gasped as he sagged in the crow’s nest from being cut off from her. He shot into the sky, unsheathing his sword as he dove towards Barron’s ship.

69

Kora

Raiden!” she screamed with such ferocity, her voice cracked, her throat burning as he flew away into the enemy fleet.

He left her.

He ordered her to sail back.

He’d planned this.

The bond was cold. It was fucking cold.

Kora gripped the wheel so hard, splinters broke into her palms. He’d shut the bond. When she probed, it was like a wall of ice. Of torrential wind and rain that battered back, forcing her to retreat.

Rage tinted the edges of her mind, a distant haze lurking nearby as she tried to organise her thoughts.

He would die fighting them himself. His dread had been palpable for a mere second, a panic lined with fierce protectiveness. He feared losing another person, but Barron would kill him on his own.

Kora grabbed the nearest sailor, dragging him towards her with a panicked yelp.

“Can you sail?” she asked. He nodded once, his fear was clear but suppressed as his large hands took hold of the wheel.

“Good,” was all she said as she summoned her power. Her limbs shook, and sweat broke out across her body as she focused on Fallen Angel. Time warped, her vision blurring and distorted as she spirited onto Hector’s ship.

“By the gods!” he shrieked as she collapsed before him, one knee cushioning her fall. Kora looked up as Hector’s singular eye bulged from its socket, the other covered by a black patch. His crew fell backwards around him.