Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 123190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
The ache in my heart is reflected in his eyes as he speaks. “I’ve never turned away from my duty to the rightful kingdom of Elora—to the people of Elora. I don’t have the privilege of choosing with my heart. I need you to understand—” Kendrick takes a breath, then his eyes go wide. “Jasalyn, run.”
I spin around and immediately back into Kendrick’s chest. A scaly, winged beast unfurls from the mattress where Crissa lay just moments before.
Kendrick grabs my hand and drags me out of the infirmary and into the street. “Wyvern!” he screams. “Remme! Skylar!”
A horrible, beastly cry comes from inside the infirmary, and in the next breath, the building is ablaze, flames licking the sky, and the wyvern is tearing out through the roof, angry wings beating.
“Shelter!” Kendrick shouts to the crowd. “Get to the underground shelter. Now!”
I tear my gaze from the beast and find chaos. People around us run in every direction. I can taste their panic in the air.
The wyvern swoops toward us and opens its mouth with an angry cry. Kendrick throws his hands out, and the fire that rolls from the beast’s mouth is deflected—blunted as if hitting an invisible wall.
“Jas, get to the storm shelter on the other side of the town square. If you see Remme or Skylar, tell them to meet me on the roof of the apothecary.”
The wyvern screeches again and then a trail of fire pours from its mouth and onto a row of cottages. Those were people’s homes.
“You’ll be an easy target on the roof!”
He glares at me. “You’re not moving fast enough.”
I stare at him for a long, painful beat of my heart. I don’t want to leave him, but if I stay, I will only be a distraction. I wish I had magic. I wish I had something other than this stupid ring. “I will never forgive you if you die,” I shout.
“Then get in the shelter so I don’t have to worry about you.”
With one last look in his direction, I enter the chaos and run toward the opposite side of the square.
The wyvern screeches again, and this time when it unleashes its fire on the village, screams of pain tear into my eardrums and the stench of burning flesh fills the air.
Behind me, fire races across the dry grass, licking at my heels. I don’t dare turn to look.
I run as hard as I can, never allowing myself to glance back but thinking of Kendrick and my friends with every step. Please be okay. Please don’t die.
Behind me, I hear the shouts of people preparing for battle.
The door to the storm shelter is already open, and people are running down the stairs, but several yards away, two girls are kneeling on a patch of scorched earth and clinging to a blistered form.
I cut in their direction and grab their arms, pulling them toward the shelter.
“Mama!” the girls scream, yanking out of my grasp and dropping back to the ground.
Their mother is long gone—nothing but carnage from the wyvern’s attack.
“You have to come with me,” I shout. “You need to get to shelter.”
The girls link their hands together and squeeze. “Families stay together,” the oldest says.
They’re so young and so desperate—not so different than Brie and I were when our mother left us. We would’ve done anything to have her back. My chest aches for them.
Arrows fly through the air, and the wyvern dodges, then screeches again before raining more fire onto the village.
“Your mom would want you to go to shelter,” I say. I don’t touch them again. My strength is nothing against the adrenaline of trauma and desperation. “Please come with me. She would want you to live.”
The fire behind me is reflected in the eyes of the youngest as she screams at me. “No!” Her chest shakes with her sobs.
I glance over my shoulder where people are still streaming into the underground shelter. I need to get these girls down there before it fills.
I remove my ring from the bodice of my dress and take a deep breath before sliding it on.
“Please come with me,” I say before she can look away. “I want you to come with me into the shelter.”
Her expression changes immediately and her body relaxes. “Can I stay next to you?” she asks, already standing. “I would feel less scared if I were by your side.”
Her sister turns around, and I see the moment my magic locks onto her. “Can I come too?” she asks.
“Please.” I wave my hand for her to follow. “Let’s go now.”
We climb down into the cellar, and I urge the girls to take a seat on the floor. It’s crowded, and there’s barely enough room for the three of us. We made it.
“Here.” An old man stands on shaky legs when I reach the bottom of the stairs. “Take my seat.”