Page 67 of Kingdom of Spirits
Tahlia glared over her shoulder. “Don’t you start too. Trevain is a sweetheart.”
“Only you would call a ghost a sweetheart,” Fara said.
Lija chuckled in Tahlia’s mind.
Katk was near enough now that the stench of him brought their conversation to a halt.
“You take the lead on this,” Marius called out over the roar of the monster.
Tahlia took a shuddering breath and touched the woven belt. But nothing came into her head. No ideas. Not anything resembling a plan. She had to stall.
But they had no time for that. Over the hill, the standing stones rose from the fog. Katk would be there in mere moments.
The monster swung a fist at Ragewing. The dragon blazed a full-force flame at Katk and he reared backward, dodging the fire.
A thought simmered deep in Tahlia’s mind. She pushed the thought toward Lija.
Katk’s shadowlings had used a cage of fire to hold Fara. Maybe that would work for Katk?
Good idea, rider,Lija said.
Glad to hear you think so.Tahlia took a steadying breath.
“Create a crescent of flame above him and we will slowly lower the elevation!” Tahlia shouted toward Marius. She prayed the dragons would have enough fire to make this happen.
“Aye!” Marius called out, his body leaning forward as Ragewing tilted upward to hover, wings flaring.
Lija, if Ragewing’s fire dies, I need you to fill the crescent. Are you feeling up to this? We will have go to in close for the flames to touch and create a barrier.
We will rope him in like shepherds do to sheep. Don’t doubt my fire, rider. I am here and I am ready to fight.
Lija flew close, Marius and Ragewing going in as well. If Katk reached up now, the plague would hit Marius or Katk’s fist would simply smash Ragewing out of the sky. Neither sounded pleasant.
“Now!” Tahlia’s throat was already raw.
The dragons blew fire and Katk wheeled left, trying to avoid the flame. The dual fires rippled through the air, hissing into the fog and sending waves of heat across Tahlia’s face. Katk let out another ear-splitting roar. Ragewing’s fire sputtered and went out. He and Marius dropped back and Lija shuddered as she increased her fire to make up for the loss.
Lija’s body rippled under Tahlia, the vibrations making her teeth knock together. Tahlia shot three arrows in quick succession. The monster batted two away, but one stuck in the side of his neck. Gold and black poured from the wound, but Katk didn’t stagger.
He must yield, Lija said, her voice in Tahlia’s mind weakening and broken with effort.
Ragewing flew around behind Lija and Marius shouted, “Pull back! She’s draining herself. Pull back!”
I’m not. Do not ask me to stop!
But the pain in Lija’s voice pushed a cold dread through Tahlia’s chest.
Lija, the High Captain has given us an order. We must.
No, I can do this…
The fire sparkled and leapt erratically. In the space between one blast and the next, Katk swung his fist. His knuckles smashed into Lija’s wing. Lija shrieked, an ear-cracking sound. They spun backward, completely out of control. Fara clutched onto Tahlia’s waist. Tahlia could hardly breathe.
Ragewing shot beneath Lija. He stretched a wing and caught at her broken one, steadying her as the ground came at them fast. With Ragewing’s help, Lija managed to even out in the air and soar to a stop.
Katk roared and stalked toward them. Fury burned in his demon eyes.
Ragewing and Marius whirled to face the monster.