Sara Larson - Defy

“You can do this, Alex. I wouldn’t try to help you if I didn’t think you could.”

“Alexa,” I said, my voice thick with tears.

“What?”

“My name is Alexa.”

He stared at me for a long moment, and then his eyes filled with understanding — with sorrow. “I know you can do this, Alexa .”

I nodded and swiped at the wetness on my cheeks, under the mask. Jude reached out to grip my hand for just a second, then let go. He took a deep, shuddering breath. “You go left, and I’ll go right. Watch for me to move first. Once he’s distracted, attack.”

I stared at him, at his scarred face and his familiar eyes, and nodded.

“Tell my brother that I love him,” he said, his voice suddenly choked. And then he turned and was gone.

I stood there frozen, tears running down my face beneath my mask, until another huge boom sounded from behind me, followed by more screams. I glanced over my shoulder and saw a vast hole in the Antionese army. The opening in the wall where the gate had once been was like a gaping mouth spewing Blevonese soldiers and sorcerers into our midst. They were hewing the Antion soldiers down as if they were ants. I thought I caught a glimpse of Borracio’s dark head. And Iker just stood there, watching. What was he waiting for?

Clenching my jaw, I forced myself to turn and push my way toward the steps to the palace. I had to stop this. I shoved soldiers out of my way, but most of them weren’t paying any attention to me; they stared at the oncoming army, waiting for it to reach them.

Finally, I was only a few people back from the edge of the stairs. Iker stood far above me, surveying the massacre. As I watched, he lifted the hand that was covered in the strange glove, palm raised toward the sky. He closed his eyes, a look of almost blissful happiness on his face. I stared in horror as a ball of fire suddenly materialized above his hand, swelling and growing, until it was three times the size of his head. His eyes opened again, and with a horrifying grin of pleasure, he flung his arm and the ball of fire rushed through the air. I spun around and saw it crash into the front line of Blevonese soldiers and sorcerers, sending bodies and dirt flying as it exploded with a blinding boom of fire and smoke.

Many of our own army turned to stare at Iker in horror, but he was already summoning the fire again. And then they had no choice but to keep fighting as more Blevonese soldiers rushed forward with swords raised. I didn’t see Eljin or Rylan or Damian or anyone I knew.

It was now or never.

I turned back to Iker, and noticed Jude creeping up the stairs toward him while the sorcerer’s eyes were shut, creating his next fireball. I did the same, staying a few steps lower, crouched near to the ground, my hand slick with sweat on the hilt of my sword.

Iker opened his eyes and threw the fireball at the oncoming army again, and just as he did, Jude stood and hurtled up the stairs at him, sword raised.

Iker spun to face him with a look of anger at being interrupted. As soon as his back was to me, I jumped up and ran toward him as well. I knew Iker wouldn’t spare Jude, but it still took everything in me not to cry out when he turned his gloved hand at my friend and shot a stream of fire into Jude. Tears of fury and anguish burned my eyes as he flew backward down the steps, landing on the bottom, his body broken and charred.

With a scream of rage, I hit the top of the steps and rushed at Iker, sword in the air.

IKER SPUN TO face me, his eyes widening momentarily, and then a look of grim satisfaction crossed his face. I was sure he recognized me, even with the mask. He lifted his hand, but I was ready for it and twisted out of the way. The jet of fire just missed me. With another scream, I swung my sword with all of my might at him, but I felt the shield go up right before my sword would have cut through his abdomen. My arms shook from the impact, and I had to spin while ducking to the ground to avoid another jet of fire. It hit the door instead, which burst into flames behind me.

I had to be better than this — faster than this — or else he was going to kill me.

“I knew you’d come for me,” he said before lifting his hand again. I threw myself to the ground, rolling as fast as I could, but I wasn’t fast enough. The edge of the fire scorched the left side of my body. Pain exploded across my cheek, neck, and shoulder. The smell of my own flesh burning nearly made me throw up. But I forced myself to jump to my feet, still gripping my sword with my right hand, and barely dodged yet another stream of fire.

This time, when I swung my sword at him, he was still trying to hit me with the fire, and didn’t get his shield up as fast. I managed to get a piece of his left arm with my blade before the power of his shield knocked me to the ground. My head hit the stone, and I lay there dazed for a moment, knowing I was going to burn.

But when my vision cleared, I saw Iker gripping his left forearm, his hand hanging useless at his side, blood rushing from his wrist. He howled, an almost inhuman sound. Grabbing his sword, he lunged at me.

I scrambled back and collided with the wall. Just before Iker ran me through with his blade, I threw my body’s weight to the side, rolling across the ground and coming up into a crouch, ignoring the excruciating pain radiating down the left side of my body. He turned to face me, fury mottling his features.

“You think to stop me? You think you can defeat me ? You have no idea the power I wield, little girl.”

There wasn’t even time for me to be shocked that he knew my secret, because he was stretching his arms out to both sides, his left hand bent at a funny angle and blood dripping to the stones below. That same horrible scent from his chamber all those weeks ago filled the air. He closed his eyes again, but this time, a cloud of darkness began to form in front of him, rising from his blood on the ground, crackling with power. I could see it, flashing like lightning within the depths of whatever black magic he was creating through the offering of his own blood.

I glanced around frantically, looking for cover. The door behind me was an inferno of fire now, and there was nowhere else to hide, nothing else to protect me. Then I noticed Jaerom’s body, much larger than mine, lying on the step below me.

I jumped down two stairs and, using all my strength, pushed him up so I could curl into a ball underneath him, using him as a shield.

“I’m so sorry,” I sobbed as I pressed into the body of my former friend, and squeezed my eyes shut. I was lying in a pool of his blood, the dead weight of his corpse nearly crushing me.

And then Iker threw the dark mass. I couldn’t see it anymore, but I felt it — heard it. It exploded all around me, like the fury of a hundred claps of thunder crashing together all at once. The air crackled with electricity, and I clenched my muscles, preparing to die. A horrible, acrid smell filled my nose.

Then it was gone, and I heard Iker give a cry of triumph from above.

Did he think he’d destroyed me? Jaerom’s body, lying on top of me, wasn’t nearly as heavy anymore. In fact, I could barely feel it. What had that black mass done to his corpse? I didn’t dare move, unsure of what had happened, if Iker would be able to see me hiding or not.

Desperation burned through me, hot and horrible. I was trapped and Iker was still free to continue to obliterate the Blevonese army.

And then I heard something that made my blood turn to ice in my veins.

“Iker! Stop this insanity right now! You’re letting your own people die!” Prince Damian’s voice rose above the sounds of battle below me.

No, no, no ! What was he doing? It took everything in me to hold still, to keep from jumping up and rushing to his side, revealing myself.