Page 76 of Kingdom of Spirits
Tahlia worked the knot holding her in place against Titus.
“What are you doing?” Titus shifted his weight and she felt his breath on her head.
“I don’t need this.”
“The hells you don’t.”
She finished untying herself from him and the saddle, coiled the rope, and quickly tucked it into one of the saddlebags while Titus swore.
“The High Captain will murder me if I live through this,” Titus grumbled.
“Fly over her dragon.” Tahlia tried not to dwell on the fact that Lija hadn’t spoken into her mind in a long while.
Titus held her tighter. “What? No.”
“Yes. She isn’t bonded to that Terror, so I plan to kick her arse right off the dragon’s back. Let’s see if that ends Marius’s curse and puts that monster down. It can’t hurt.”
“She’s our new commander.”
“And she’s a murderer who raises demonic monsters,” Tahlia said.
“You don’t know that for sure.”
“If you’re going to say it, at least pretend to believe it, Titus. I saw that magic. The stuff she just flung at Katk.” Ophelia had thrown power at Katk, right? Or had it been aimed at Marius? “Does Marius look normal? I can’t quite see what he’s up to with these half-human eyes.”
“He fights Katk still. Well, Ragewing isn’t firing, but I think he’s just pulling us back.”
“Did he give that order before I woke up again?”
“No, but he is falling back.” Titus let out a whistle and Ptol tipped his wings and flapped them hard. They shifted away from Katk. “And just because the Terror isn’t bonded to her doesn’t mean it won’t whip around and gulp you down as a journey snack.”
“Nah, he won’t hurt me. It’ll all happen too fast.”
“Says the female who is currently dancing very close with Death himself.”
“Hey, don’t count me out yet.”
Maiwenn shouted, her voice strained and reedy. Tahlia and Titus turned to see her pointing at Marius and Ragewing.
The dark magic that Ophelia wielded, which Marius also had since she’d cursed him, engulfed Ragewing’s head. The dragon shook himself hard, Marius holding tight with his legs and his body tense. Marius’s eyes were wide and unblinking.
“The High Captain isn’t himself!” Titus called out.
Tahlia felt like she was falling. Fara still clung to him. And Lija was clutched in Ragewing’s talons. “Marius! Please!”
Ragewing twisted in the air, then faced Ptol and opened his great maw.
“He’s firing on us!” Tahlia gripped the edge of the saddle, knowing what was coming next.
Ptol dove.
Heat seared the air just above Tahlia’s head. Cursing Ophelia’s name, Tahlia touched her hair to make sure it was still there.
“I can’t fight him,” Titus said, steering Ptol around to come up between Justus, Claudia, and their dragons.
Ophelia laughed, a short quick sound. “What’s wrong, human? Are things not exactly going your way? Attack them!” she ordered, sweeping all three units with her vicious gaze.
Her Green-flanked Terror let out an ear-cracking roar that Katk mimicked.