Black Crown (Darkest Drae, #3)(97)

I hate Druman, Tyrrik said. He blew out a breath of flame, torching the Druman farthest from the Phaetyn.

It was all the help we could give her. We’d have to rely on my aunt and Kamini to kill the others.

What’s our plan? I asked. I’d felt him assembling a strategy as I freed the females.

Draedyn unleashed another jet at the army, and my heart wrenched with the cries and screams as the rebels caught in the flame disintegrated into ash, their lives over in a single breath. Druman attacked the front lines of Phaetyn, and roots burst from the ground, spearing the Druman on the spot. Swords and arrows and spears coated in golden Phaetyn blood flew through the air at the mules.

As I watched, a catapult launched from our side at the Druman, and countless throwing stars dipped with Phaetyn blood soared through the air, killing the Drae side of any Druman they scratched.

The plan is that I attack him physically and you attack him mentally, Tyrrik said in a rush. Get your Phaetyn veil up again.

I did so in a second.

Keep it around me if you can, he said. It gives me an advantage against him.

I will, I said, my heart thundering. My mate was about to go into battle, and I so desperately wanted to tell him no, to go in myself, to force him away south to where we could hide.

But we’d both made the decision to fight. To be here with those we loved.

We were in this.

I’ll need you to watch my energy levels, he added as the remaining distance closed with awful finality.

I will, I said firmly. And I’ll attack his mind. As best I can. This was it. Fear coated my insides.

Ryn, Tyrrik whispered as my father turned to face our attack.

Draedyn’s emerald scales and sword-like fangs glinted in the morning sun.

Tyrrik’s determination was set, but his nervousness leaked through our bond too. I love you more than my life.

My heart shattered; to hear him say such things felt like accepting failure. I couldn’t bear to hear it. This talk of love and lives when we were here on the cusp of losing everything we’d fought so hard to achieve. Without Tyrrik, I had no love, I had no life. My future was with him.

Always with him.

He knew that. He would feel my anguish, my pain, just as I felt his. But his courage to act in spite of fear made me love him more. And so I told him simply, I love you. You are my mate, my soul, my life. You are my future.

I banked sharply to the right, peeling away from Tyrrik’s side, diving to a position from afar, and hearing dreadful twin roars at my back and the whining groan of talons and fangs locked in battle.





37





I didn’t dare speak to Tyrrik, only sending images of Draedyn’s spiked tale when I thought my mate might not see it coming. Draedyn was a third larger than Tyrrik, but my Phaetyn power gave Tyrrik an advantage. While Draedyn could see through my veil because of our familial bond, like Tyrrik before we fully mated, judging by my father’s delayed reactions, he was having trouble. Keeping the veil completely over Tyrrik with his constant unpredictable movement was impossible, so Draedyn was still attacking, but we’d evened the playing field. I hoped.

Now, I planned to tip it in our favor. I couldn’t spare a thought for what was happening below, despite the cacophony of battle. I could hear them, but every ounce of my attention was finely attuned to the person who meant the most to me. I could only see, feel, think of the danger to my mate.

Circling around the fighting Drae, I flooded my mind with Phaetyn power and then coiled my Drae and Phaetyn tendrils as before.

This time, I aimed for my father.

I’d never attacked him. As I blasted beam after beam of my power at him, I felt like I was slamming my energy against a brick wall, and I realized with stone-cold certainty the enormity of our task.

His power was smooth. I couldn’t find purchase. My powers were like hands trying to scramble up a slippery, vertical wall. I groaned as my mind screamed with protest, but renewed my efforts as I noticed, finally, they were having some physical effect.

Draedyn’s movements slowed, and he faltered as I continued the assault on his power. That was encouragement enough. I roared in triumph, and Tyrrik slashed his talons over the base of Draedyn’s wings. Black blood sprayed from the wound, and my father’s pain-filled screech was deep, outraged.

Tyrrik spun, whipping his tail across Draedyn’s snout.

I continued blasting the slippery wall, desperate to see this through. I wanted a life with Tyrrik. I wanted it so bad that I would do anything to make it happen. Draedyn sunk his fangs into Tyrrik’s side, and I screamed with my mate, immediately diverting some of my power to healing my mate until I felt his energy return to full capacity.

As Tyrrik righted himself, the emperor dove for the ground behind his lines of Druman.

What’s he doing? I asked, feeling safe to do so as my father landed.

Changing tactics, Tyrrik panted. Are you okay?

Never better. I tried to roll my eyes and snorted at myself. How can Drae not have the eye-roll? Do you need more energy?

Not at the moment, but I have a feeling this is just beginning.

I had to agree with him. Hours and days could go by as they slowly chipped away at each other’s strength.

The air around Draedyn’s form shimmered. He’s changing! I said. Why would he do that?

Tyrrik and I circled above.

I’m . . . not sure. It doesn’t make sense. He’s hiding behind his Druman.