Page 37 of Wings of Snow

“It’s not your fault. I knew Drachu would try something like this if given the opportunity.” Norivun’s expression set into that unrelenting mask he wore just before he ended someone. He swirled toward the Lochen king, murder in his gaze. Before I could say anything further, his death affinity shot out of him.

Genoova screamed, then fled from the impending bloodshed as the strength of the prince’s affinity flew across the mountain’s peak.

Fear twisted Drachu’s expression a second before Norivun’s malice reached him, and then I barreled over, screaming in pain. It felt as though my life-giving affinity was being ripped from my body.

Drachu’s terror-filled expression morphed into savage victory as Norivun’s affinity and mine collided in an explosion between the Lochen king and my mate. The force of it sent a shockwave through the air. Everyone was blown from their feet, all of us flying through the air to land dozens of yards away.

“Father!” Tylen called.

“Stop him!” Drachu growled as we all pushed to a stand.

Rage dripped from the crown prince as his affinity and mine tangled in the air. I’d never seen Norivun look this murderous before, not even when he’d been intent on killing Vorl.

My mate’s roar pierced the late afternoon sky as his affinity rose even higher. The Lochen king backpedaled. Sweat dripped from Drachu’s brow as his face became a mask of concentration.

The prince leapt the distance to Drachu, and as his death affinity continued to blaze through the air, his hand curled around the king’s throat.

Drachu hissed, his canines flashing as another wrench of my life-giving affinity tore from me.

“Norivun!” I screamed as I doubled over again.

But as had happened before, the second the prince’s death affinity touched Drachu’s soul, the king manipulated even more of my life-giving affinity to Shield himself.

I barreled over again, clutching my stomach as I fell to the ground.

Sweat beaded on Drachu’s face as his muscles rippled with exertion.

Norivun didn’t let go of the king, but Drachu didn’t fall before my mate.

Tylen, mouth gaping, stood frozen beside my sister.

I curled into a ball as Drachu channeled my warrior affinity, and then chaos unleashed.

The king and prince turned into a blur of dueling fists, punches, and blazing magic. They were moving so fast that I couldn’t keep track of who was who as affinities swirled and slashed around them.

I frantically looked to his guards, but Haxil shook his head from his readied pose. “It’s too dangerous when he’s dueling this close. We can’t intervene, Ilara.”

The guards fanned out around their prince, each on the balls of their feet while their hands stayed on their swords, just waiting for an opportunity to strike.

I managed to get to a kneeling position, but the pain from Drachu’s control of my affinities didn’t allow me to rise.

“Tylen!” Drachu roared when Norivun kicked the Lochen king’s feet out from under him and sent him sprawling.

The crown prince whipped his sword from his sheath in a blurred move, then flipped it in his grip into the perfect striking position.

A savage snarl tore from Norivun’s throat just as his sword cleaved through the air, but then Tylen was there, leaping the few feet to my mate from where he stood.

Drachu smiled maliciously when his son’s hand brushed along Norivun’s shoulders. All four of the prince’s guards lunged toward Drachu’s son, but Tylen’s contact was so fleeting that the young Lochen prince was already several feet away from my mate.

Norivun’s sword stopped midair, his eyes widening in disbelief as he shot a wild look at Tylen. Haxil had a knife to Tylen’s throat, and Nish had one at his belly. But even though Tylen could no longer reach the prince, Norivun still stared at him with horror.

Another tug came from my gut, and then a ring of fire erupted around Drachu. Ryder and Sandus both jumped back a second before they got burned.

“Tylen,” Drachu bit out.

I felt another rip on my affinities, and Haxil and Nish were slammed out of the way with a gust of wind, allowing Tylen to reach Drachu’s side. Groaning in pain from the vicious use of my powers, I cradled my stomach and rocked forward.

Norivun’s hand opened, and he dropped his sword as he continued to stare at Tylen with an emotion I’d never seen him wear around anyone—fear.