Apprentice (The Black Mage, #2)(93)

There was another great blast of magic and a storm of knives rained down from the sky. The enemy shrieked and scattered. The only two still standing were the Caltothian mages.

Another great blast of magic and the mages were forced to flee – leaving me behind as they relocated to the opposite side of the forest. As they traded sides my rescuers drew forward, one leading the way while the other guarded his back.

I choked back a cry of relief. It was Darren and Eve.

He had come back for me.

The prince set to work on my bonds. "Just couldn't stay out of trouble, could you, Ryiah?"

"Mmmph." The gag was still in my mouth. When it finally came free I turned to Eve. "How did you find me?"

"I went looking for the two of you when you never returned. Then I saw the fire and decided to investigate." Eve shot out another barrage of weaponry at the enemy mages and checked Darren's progress. "How are those ropes coming?"

"Not fast enough," he said through gritted teeth. "Whoever bound them wanted to make sure she stayed that way."

"Well, make it faster." Eve's skin – already so pale - was even more so. There were beads of sweat trailing down from her brow to her chin. Her violet eyes were bloodshot and I could tell from her stance it was costing her a great deal to continue to hold the two mages off.

"Got it!" Darren hacked off the last bit of leather rope proudly and held it up for Eve to see. Just as he did, his eyes caught sight of something behind her. He cursed.

Eve and I followed his gaze.

"There's more."

"It's the ones from before." Darren's voice had lost its edge. "They must have seen Ryiah's lightning."

My stomach fell. More Caltothian mages. The barrier Darren and Eve had cast was already faltering. The two mages Eve was holding off were growing confident. A couple more castings would shatter it.

"I can't pain cast." My panic had returned in light of our newest discovery. "I've already reached my limit." Not unless I wanted to kill the others - and myself - in the process.

"There are three of them." Eve's voice was labored from her continuous casting. "Plus the two we've already been fighting. We might have been able to take on two but-"

"-But we don't have enough magic left to take on all five." Darren's statement was void of emotion. "The new three haven't even touched their magic. They'll have full reserves."

My voice quavered. "Then we don't fight."

Silence, then:

"Yes." Darren nodded. "Ryiah is right. We need to run."

"On my count," Eve said, "we drop our casting and head east."

I glanced to Darren and saw him pocket the blade Kinsey had dropped.

"One."

What was he doing?

"Two."

He was facing the wrong direction.

"Three."

There was a loud whoosh as the non-heir and Eve released their magic. I hardly noticed it – I was too busy tackling Darren to the ground. A heavy mist of sand rose up around us as I wrestled the knife out of the prince's grasp.

"Ryiah!" Darren spat through a mouthful of dirt. "Let me go!"

"You are not going to be a hero today, Darren!"

"That is not your decision to make!" He struggled to break free of my hold. When he found the effort harder than he expected, he glared at me. "Let me go or I'll cast you off."

"You can try but I'll still-"

All at once, an ear-splitting screech rang out across the forest floor and I was sent flying back into the shallow stream behind us. A second later, Darren landed to my right. There was a loud slap as his body hit the water. We barely had time to catch our breath before the trees began to tremble and groan.

The two of us scrambled to stand just as the first pine fell. One by one they all broke free of their giant roots. Great towers of flame were crashing down all around us.

"What's happening?" I squinted, trying to see through the thick cloud of smoke. I could hear screaming. "Is it the regiment?" Had help arrived?

"I don't – I can't see any…" Darren abruptly stopped talking and he started to sway. I was close enough to steady him just before his knees buckled and collapsed.

"Darren?"

"Eve." His entire body was a series of tremors. "She…" He pointed. "She had the same idea as…" He couldn't finish, choking on his words.

My heart stopped. I had been so focused on stopping Darren that I hadn't bothered to consider what Eve might do.

Somewhere in the burning forest to our right was a pale girl with ash blonde hair and violet eyes that had just closed for the last time.

Darren was having trouble breathing next to me. I could hear his ragged breaths, in and out, his shoulders shaking. I hated him, or I wanted to, but my hand still fell to his arm.

Eve had never intended to run. Neither had the prince. I had been the only one foolish enough to think we would - Darren and Eve had been too busy plotting how to let me and the other one survive. Because there was only one way any of us could evoke enough magic to take on five mages in our weakened state.

Pain casting. By death.

Eve had given her life to save us.