Destroyer (The Elemental Series #7)(68)

A battle cry I answered with a scream of my own.





CHAPTER 24



Vivica, false mother goddess, and wreaker of havoc, sidestepped my spear thrust as I knew she would. I didn’t slow my attack, though. Talan had been adept at using the weapon, but I had no doubt Vivica had never trained with anything other than her abilities. That was the truth of someone who thought they were too good, too strong: they didn’t realize there was always someone out there stronger. Meaner.

Better.

I kicked out at her upper thigh, grazed her and brought the haft of my spear around, aiming for her belly. A snap of icy cold wind cut between us and swept me into the air. Peta howled and I sent her a calming thought. This was what I’d been banking on. That Viv would use the deadliest of the elements to end my life.

The only element I did not hold.

I didn’t fight, but instead surrendered to the hammering of the wind as it drew itself out of my lungs. My eyes closed and the sound of Vivica laughing, Peta roaring, and Raven yelling, filled my ears.

Matarrah. Mattie. You were Talan’s favorite. He sends his love. You are near this place. You are near here.

I am.

Her whispered reply was weak and I knew why. She was dying, as Frost had been dying. As Talan had died. As Olivisha and Realm had given up their lives before Vivica could get to them. I could see her in my mind’s eye, lying on the snow, a blade just like the one that had dug into Frost’s chest sticking out of her own.

Viv was in a hurry. She wasn’t making sure her victims were dead before she left them.

Will you give me your strength to stop her? To stop the humans?

Matarrah was silent, and my heart slowed its beating. I let myself sink into that loss of air, knowing she was the only one who could save me.

You knew me as Samara. I broke free from the oubliette and hid in plain sight for many years. She has destroyed my world, corrupted my people. You knew me for who I was when you named me queen. Take my power. Take it and use it to save yourself and our world.

Samara. My heart shattered. No, not her.

There was no time for grief as the power of Air ripped through my body, lighting up my nerve endings. More than Air, the power of the storm rumbled through my blood, showing me how very deadly it could be.

The air that had swept away from me came rushing back as I breathed it in with no effort. The darkness that had held me faded and I forced myself out of the fog that hovered near death. I was on the ground, face down in the snow, the hot breath from my mouth melting the ice below me. I pushed to my hands and knees and spun around to see Raven fully engaged with Viv. The power on them both exploded like fireworks in the sky. Flashes of red, blue, green were predominant, but then the power of Air slid through them and they were above my head. Neither had noticed I was not dead.

I looked for Peta.

She was on her side, her chest heaving.

I ran to her. “Don’t you dare die on me.”

“Lark, you want to warn me next time?” She tipped her head and I pushed a flood of energy into her through our bond, healing the wounds. It looked like one lung had burst from the air Viv had forced in her. My jaw ticked.

“I didn’t want her to pick up on what I was doing. I needed you and Raven to react truthfully for it to work.” I stood and faced the two elementals just as Raven was blasted from the sky. He went end over end, his black cloak trailing him as he fell to the ground.

From the sky, Ash dropped toward Viv’s head, his talons outstretched.

The moment slowed.

He slammed into her face, screeching and pecking, tearing at her face.

I ran, as I called all five elements to me. I would weave them into a unified thread of power and drive it into her heart. A single ending blow. Except they did not want to come to me like that. They fought one another, bucking away so I could not grasp them easily unless it was one at a time.

I was too slow.

She reached up as Ash clawed at her, and grabbed either side of his body. Pink lines of Spirit flowed over her, the intent on them—and in her—clear. She was going to pull him apart, taking away his eagle form, giving back his human shape.

Without a witch, there was no chance he’d survive. She was going to kill him.

“NO!” I screamed the word, my thoughts scattering as he arched away from her, wings spread and trembling, the crack of bones and the tearing of muscles heavy in my ears. His body shifted from bird to human as he hit the ground hard.

Her laughter chased me as I slid to my knees beside him. I grabbed his face, pushed my power into him. He could not die. I would not let this be the end of the one man who’d always loved me for who I was. Not for what I could do.

“Ash.”

His golden eyes blinked up at me and he smiled. “I love you, Lark. I always knew you would free me somehow.”

His heart was slowing, and Vivica was behind me. I could feel her power ramping up. I had to let him go and face her.

Ash’s life was gone. I knew it, felt it as if my heart had been filleted.

And it left me dead inside.

I spun on my knees and stared at Vivica. So many ways to kill her, so many ways to end her life.

A whisper in my mind. Olivisha, holder of the flame.

She will run now; she is a coward at heart. The flames always scared her, Lark, use them.

Viv smiled at me as her whole body lit up with a pink light and I saw her intention echoing Ollie’s words. She was making a run for it.