Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1)(78)

A dart embedded into her neck. She swatted it away with her free hand as if it were a fly. “Your poison won’t work on me, boy.”

“Get out of the way, Kaia,” Anders said.

I didn’t want this evil, vile woman to touch him. “Don’t give fear a chance,” my father’s voice whispered in my ear. “Attack it head-on.” Years of training kicked in and my hand came up, hitting her arm. She let go, and I took a step back. Her lips twisted, and she snarled an animal-like sound and jumped at me, wrapping her fingers around my neck and squeezing. I dropped my bo staff, brought my hands together between her arms, and then I shoved them outward, breaking her hold. I kicked her. She stumbled but remained upright.

“What happens if I kill you?” I asked, trying to catch my breath. With my weapon on the ground, my hands hurt, and I felt overly vulnerable.

She smiled revealing her pointy, brown teeth. “You can’t kill me. I’m a Heks.”

One of the Krigers laughed. “A Heks with no magic.”

There was a reason it took all twelve Krigers to link together in order to kill Morlet since he was consumed with magic. But Skog Heks … she no longer had her magic. She darted forward, tugged my hair, and yanked me toward her. Placing her hands on either side of my head, she smiled, about to snap my neck. I punched her stomach, but she only laughed.

“Let me,” Anders said, coming up behind her. “You need to free the Krigers.”

He tossed my weapon at me while simultaneously flipping his dagger around and swinging the hilt at Skog Heks’s head. She released me, and I caught my bo staff.

Dark blue blood dripped from the gash on Skog Heks’s forehead. “Foolish, idiotic human,” she spit. “I will kill you.”

Anders crouched low, ready to attack.

Aside from Morlet or a Heks, I was the only one capable of removing the ward placed on the cells. As much as it pained me to do so, I turned my back on him and faced the weary Krigers. “Tell me what to do.”

One of the younger men pointed at the bars. “The magical enchantment is on the iron. You have to counteract it.”

“You mean I have to release my power and hit the iron?”

“Precisely.”

Realizing the implications, I rubbed the bo staff between my hands, calming my nerves. Each cell was only six feet by six feet. If I missed and hit the person inside, he’d die.

Anders made an odd noise and Skog Heks screamed. They were on the ground grappling, Anders on top, his hands covered with her oddly colored blood. “Focus, Kaia,” he said, his voice deep with emotion.

“There’s an empty cell at the end,” one of the Krigers said, pointing down the hallway.

The twelfth cell—my cell. I ran to it and pointed my bo staff at the iron, allowing my power to connect with and flow from it. Blue light shot between the bars, striking the wall, sending rocks flying through the cell.

“Try again,” Anders insisted, his voice strained. Skog Heks was now on top of him.

Moving closer to the cell, my legs shook as I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants. I took a deep breath and pointed at a single iron bar, this time only a few inches away. Concentrating on hitting only a small section, I released my power. A blue light flew from my weapon, striking the iron and causing all the bars to disappear.

“Yes!” I yelled. In the next cell, the Kriger moved to the right corner in case I missed.

Pointing the bo staff at an iron bar on the left, I released my power. It effortlessly flowed out and struck the bar. Again, they all disintegrated.

The Kriger rushed to me and kissed my head. “Thank the moons!” he cried.

Relieved, I went to the next cell, doing the same thing.

“Hurry,” Anders said. He had Skog Heks in a headlock. Unsheathing a dagger from his waistband, he placed the tip against her throat.

Our eyes met for a moment.

Would there be any repercussions for killing her? Would it throw the balance of power off since she didn’t have any magic?

Skog Heks reached up to push the dagger away. There was something shiny in her hand. She looked at me and smiled as she readjusted the knife so she could plunge it into Anders’s side.

“No!” I screamed, aiming at her and releasing all my power. Her body flew against the wall and she slid to the ground with a dull thud, the knife still clutched in her hand. Dark blue blood trickled from her mouth. The Krigers cheered.

The evil witch was dead. What if I wasn’t supposed to kill her? What if this changed everything?

Anders looked at me with wide eyes. “You saved my life.”

“Now we’re even.” A wave of nausea rolled through me from using so much power. I held onto my bo staff; the feeling gradually passed.

The two freed Krigers rushed to Anders, patting him on his back in greeting like old friends.

“Kaia, free the remaining Krigers while we make sure no one else is coming.”

I easily destroyed the remaining wards. Once the last Kriger limped out of his cell, we all stood there for a moment, staring at one another. This was the first time all twelve Krigers had ever been together. Even though I didn’t know any of these men, there was a sense of familiarity to them.

“We need to leave,” Anders said, standing near the door. “Follow me.” He led us through several dark corridors to another section of the dungeon, stopping before a large iron door without a handle.