Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
She was separating her army from the onlookers.
Sebastian and Nessa followed her for a short distance before stopping, leaving Jess to span the final distance separating her from her challenger.
Zoe’s confidence had leached out of her, and now her doubt was plain. She’d been warned, though, and there was nothing Austin could do to stop this. She would have to face Jess and bear the consequences.
The two mages worked together, their hands moving in unison. A dome grew from the ground up. Translucent but tinted mustard yellow, it enclosed the challengers. Spectators, mages, and flying creatures…all were locked out of the battle.
“I apologize,” Brochan said as he turned and assumed his position just a little to the side and behind Austin. “I couldn’t keep control. I barely kept myself from trying to join her crew. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
“Good or bad?” Austin asked as Jess stopped within the dome.
“Incredible, alpha. Her gargoyle reached my animal and connected us…somehow. Honestly, sir, I can’t properly describe it.”
In a flash of light, Zoe shifted into her animal, a large golden eagle. She was agile in the air and great with her talons. She’d clearly thought those traits would render her the dominant animal, since it was well known that flying wasn’t a female gargoyle’s strong suit.
Jess shifted next, a seamless transition of a beautiful woman into a jaw-dropping creature. Her purple skin was rough, a natural defense against claws, but it shed a gorgeous pinky-purple glow, a light show when she moved.
Zoe screeched as she took to the sky. Jess watched for a moment before flaring her wings. She didn’t roar or rush, nor did she hesitate past showing her challenger that she moved to her own rhythm. She bent her knees before jumping, beating her wings once she was in the air.
Jess couldn’t fly as well as the male gargoyles did—her wings were smaller and slimmer, hindering both her speed and ability to maneuver. Nor did she have their strength and power. But she was still a gargoyle. Her wingspan easily topped that of her challenger. More importantly, she was made for battle, not swooping down and catching her dinner. It was like comparing apples and pizza. Their only commonality as creatures was that they both shifted.
Zoe hadn’t done her homework.
“The puca played me for a fool,” Brochan said in a low tone as the entire field watched Jess gain altitude. Her pace was leisurely. It was like she wasn’t even interested in the fight. “She used me to pull out the gargoyle. I fell easily into her plans.” He paused for a moment as Jess stopped a little below Zoe. “Ivy House chose well in Niamh. All this time, I thought she was just a miserable old woman, but she’d been working on me so she knew exactly how to manipulate me when the moment came.”
“Is that why you lost your composure on the way back here?” Kace asked.
“No—”
Brochan cut off as Zoe pulled in her wings slightly and dove.
Jess didn’t so much as tilt to get out of the way.
Zoe stretched out her feet, readying her talons, before leveling out at the last moment. She raked her claws along the side of Jess’s face and across her shoulder.
Jess didn’t flinch, nor did she show the bite of pain Austin could feel through the bonds. She just stayed still in the air and took it quietly.
The gargoyles above her weren’t so composed.
Angry roars rained down from the sky. Gargoyles swooped, ramming into the dome to try to break through. The contact set off a buzzing sound, accompanied by shooting sparks. Still more tried, crashing into it and bouncing off, slashing with their claws, twisting and screeching in pain but still attacking the magical deterrent in their eagerness to intervene.
Zoe dove again, scraping the other side of Jess’s face. When Jess didn’t react, Zoe got a little bolder, aiming for the center of her back and raking across the fragile interior of one of Jess’s wings.
Pain vibrated through her now. Austin’s animal gnashed against his hold, wanting to break free and go to his mate. The beast didn’t give a damn that he’d need a very tall ladder to reach her.
“Why isn’t she fighting back?” Brochan whispered.
Austin shook his head. He didn’t know. All he could feel from her was a pleasant sort of calm, like the battle was enjoyable and she didn’t want to rush it.
Zoe came in again, aiming for the other wing. Jess didn’t let that attack land, though, tilting at the last second. Zoe flew right past. Still, Jess didn’t fight back. She stayed stagnant in the air, waiting.
“I lost my composure because my animal didn’t want to walk away from Ironheart right before battle,” Brochan explained in a rush. “Her gargoyle was calling me. I had to fight to maintain control and keep walking.”