Call of the Dragon (Return to Avalore Book 1) (36 page)

Like hell he’d let her go back there. Intending to pluck her from the ground and carry her away, he swept lower until he noticed the thermal hues of three large Erritrols not twenty feet from where she’d been heading. His mouth dried of all moisture and his heart stuttered. Had she continued on the path she’d been on, she’d never have survived the attack.

At least thirty Erritrols fought, but rather than run away, she was rushing straight into battle. The phoenix fought hard, pushing Evan faster. He didn’t need the prodding. There was no way he was going to stand by and watch her get her foolish ass killed.

Sweeping low, he landed behind a group of Erritrols circling to get into position to intercept her. He fired off three shots in rapid succession, killing two on the spot, and disorienting the other. The ground shook as the creatures roared and the battle raged all around him. Dark energies slammed into everything in sight, destroying the makeshift camp.

Brienne ran, shooting energy into the mass of fighting Erritrols, hitting her marks with controlled accuracy. One of the beasts ran toward her with huge, stomping strides, but Evan got to it first. Casting a massive ball of charged power into the creature, Evan prepared for retaliation.

It stumbled once, and kept running for her. Before Evan could strike again, a darker blast shot past him, narrowly missing him, followed by another in quick succession. The Erritrol chasing Brienne howled long and loud, before incinerating into a pile of smouldering ash. When he glanced back, the same beast who’d told him to run a short while ago now fought three more of its kind, blasting them fast and hard, but as strong as it was, he’d never last against so many. Evan sent a charged ball of energy into one of the larger circling beasts. He was no friend of the Erritrols, even the one he found himself helping, but the animal had saved his life. The creature he hit stumbled to its knees with an anguished roar.

All around them, lesser Erritrols scrambled to take tents and structures apart, hastily disassembling them while the battle raged around them. Putting on a burst of speed, Evan raced toward Brienne, intent on taking her from the encampment. Before he could reach her, another huge Erritrol came around one of the only remaining tents left standing. Evan’s heart pounded as it reached its meaty paw for her, but rather than blast her into oblivion, it hauled her into its massive arms and took off running for the treeline. Quick on its feet, it dodged smaller Erritrols as it ran.

Its long strides ate the distance. A few more seconds and they would have been clear, but then black energy sizzled in the air, making the fine hairs at the back of Evan’s neck stand on end. A large ball streaked through the air toward the retreating beast. Power crackled in Evan’s hands. He didn’t hesitate. He sent it careening forward, intercepting the attack before it could reach his mate. He could only hope the creature who now had his woman in its grasp would keep her safe.

Too late, Evan heard the sizzle of power behind him. Pain shot through him, spreading like fire through every muscle. His legs buckled beneath him, taking him to his knees.
Fuck.
Sweat beaded on his forehead as he fought the effect of the hit. Every nerve ending shrieked in agony. He couldn’t get enough of the foul air into his burning lungs.

The beast carrying Brienne didn’t slow or stop. She struggled against its grasp, but not against the Erritrol itself. Her head popped over its massive shoulder, scanning the rubble and fighting beasts until they both disappeared into the thick brush.

His blood flowed like molten lava in his veins. Maybe if he kept the animals busy long enough, they’d forget about going after her. Taking as much of the dark energy into him as he dared, he imbedded it with his own to blast the beasts nearest him. One by one they fell. The sounds of the battle grew louder as he made his way to the edge of the camp.

“You think to get away?” The gravelly voice sounded near him, too near.

No more than ten feet away stood the largest beast he’d ever seen. It had to be at least seven and a half feet tall, with wide shoulders, bulging with muscle. Evan swallowed hard. The pale ring of fur around its neck, wrists and ankles worried him more than any amount of brute strength the animal might have. But more than that, it’s short, bristly mane stood on end, denoting its age.

Evan’s heart pounded as he stared at the beast. If he took to the air, it could blast him right out of the sky before he got high enough to be out of range. He was fast, but this was a fucking Ekasibe. The ancient Erritrol held more power than all the others combined. It clenched and released its fists, energy sizzling around its hands. Its claws, three inches long with pointed tips, were capable of piercing right through him.
Fuck.

The beast snarled as it looked upon the destruction of the village. “You did this?” It turned its massive head toward the other Erritrols. “One puny little Avalorian did all this damage?”

It was then that Evan noticed the fighting had stopped and every surviving Erritrol watched the exchange.

The blast of energy came at him so fast he didn’t have time to brace himself for impact. He fell to the ground, desperate to bring air back into his lungs.

Inside, the fiery bird screeched. The entire world turned to different hues of orange and red. Fire raced up and down his arms, licking at his skin, but not singeing even one hair. Raising himself on his knees, he threw his energy at the beast, making it stumble back. The attack came at him from all sides. In his weakened state, every hit sapped more of his strength.

“Do not kill him.” The Ekasibe stepped closer, sneering down its snout at him before it reared its leg back and kicked him—hard. The bone-crushing blow landed across his ribs, sending him flying ten feet into the air to land on a pile of rubble.

His left leg twisted beneath him at an awkward angle. When he tried to move, pain shot through him. It was all he could do not to cry out, but he refused to give it the satisfaction.

The Ekasibe sneered before he spit down at him. “He’ll take us to his queen.”

“Fuck you.” He tried to gather enough energy to blast the beast, but he was too far-gone. Black energy whined as it flew straight to his head. He could only hope Brienne had made it out of the area and was safe wherever the Erritrol had taken her.