Gunnar yanked the horse sideways. The bolt slammed into the dirt where we'd been and exploded in a shower of sparks. The ground cracked open a few feet away. Not my doing. Theirs.
That was all it took.
Our riders charged down the ridge with a roar. Matthías shifted mid-leap and slammed into the front line as a massive black wolf. Nina's crossbow sang from the ridge and two enemy wolves dropped.
I slid off the horse and hit the ground running. Claws out. The fire roared but the bond with Gunnar kept it leashed just enough. I raked the first wolf that came at me across the face. Blood sprayed hot across my arm. It felt good.
Gunnar fought beside me, sword flashing. Every time our shoulders brushed the bond flared brighter. The scales on my arm spread to my elbow without pain. I slammed my palm to the dirt and let a little power out. Roots burst up under three wolves and yanked them screaming into the ground.
Sunna appeared at my side, dagger flashing. "Left flank!" she yelled.
I turned just in time. Jakob was cutting straight toward me, sword raised, face wild. "You were supposed to be nothing!" he screamed.
I met him head on. Our weapons clashed—my claws against his blade. Sparks flew. He was stronger but I was faster now. I ducked under his swing and slashed across his ribs. The same place I'd marked him in the raid. Blood welled fresh.
He staggered back. "Monster."
"Yeah," I said. "Your monster."
The chained thing roared again. The black cloth tore in one long rip. What stepped out made my stomach drop.
It wasn't a wolf. It wasn't even animal. Tall, hunched, skin like black stone cracked with glowing green veins. Chains hung from its wrists and neck but it moved like the magic owned it. Eyes pure green fire. It locked onto me and screamed.
The elder with the white beard laughed. "Behold the Bound. Old King blood calls to old king blood. It will drink you dry, girl."
The creature charged.
Gunnar was suddenly there, shoving me behind him. "Matthías! Nina! On it!"
But the thing was fast. It swiped one massive arm and sent two of our wolves flying. Green magic poured off it like smoke.
My power surged so hard the bond strained. Roots shot up around the creature's legs but it just snapped them like twigs. It kept coming straight at me.
I planted my feet. Claws fully out. The scales raced up to my shoulder and across my collarbone. "Come on then," I snarled.
Gunnar grabbed my wrist. The bond flared white-hot between us. For a second I felt everything he felt—rage, protectiveness, that same ancient fire answering mine.
The creature lunged.
I slammed both palms to the ground.
The earth answered louder than it ever had.
A crevice ripped open right under the Bound. Wider than before. Ten feet. Fifteen. Black and bottomless. The creature roared and tried to leap clear but the edge crumbled. It fell halfway in, claws scrabbling, green light flaring wild.
The elder screamed in rage and poured more magic into the chains. The Bound started dragging itself back up.
Gunnar's voice was right in my ear. "Hold it, Elva. I've got you."
I held. Sweat ran down my back. The bond kept the power from ripping me apart.
Then Jakob's voice cut across the chaos. "Now!"
From the trees on our right flank a fresh wave of wolves poured out. Fifty more. Fresh. Not tired. And at their head rode Sveinn, still bruised but alive, eyes locked on me with pure hate.
They'd planned this. Ambush from two sides.
The Bound roared again and hauled one leg back over the edge of the crevice.
Sunna yelled my name in warning.
I felt the power slipping. The bond strained harder.
Gunnar's grip on my wrist tightened until it hurt. "Don't you fucking let go."
The creature's green eyes fixed on me again.
And behind it, the entire Black Council raised their hands as one.
Green lightning started to gather overhead like a storm about to break.
I looked at Gunnar. He looked back at me. No fear in his eyes. Just that same stubborn fire.
This wasn't over.
Not even close.
The lightning cracked down.
And the real fight finally began.
The lightning cracked down like the sky itself wanted us dead.
Gunnar shoved me hard. The bolt slammed into the dirt where I'd been standing and the ground exploded in a shower of rocks and green sparks. Heat singed my cheek. I hit the grass rolling, claws out, and came up snarling.
The Bound thing roared and hauled its second leg out of the crevice I'd made. Black stone skin cracked wider, green veins pulsing brighter. It smelled like grave dirt and lightning. Its eyes locked straight on me.
"Elva!" Gunnar yelled. He was already moving, sword up, putting himself between me and the monster.
I didn't think. I just ran at it.
Roots exploded from the ground under the creature's feet again, thicker this time, wrapping its ankles. The bond with Gunnar flared hot in my chest and the power came easier, like his strength was feeding mine. The roots held for three heartbeats before the Bound snapped them like string.
It swung one massive arm. Gunnar ducked under it and drove his sword into the thing's side. Black stone chipped but didn't break. The creature backhanded him. He flew ten feet and slammed into the dirt.
Rage boiled up so fast my vision went silver. "Get the fuck away from him!"
I slammed both palms to the ground. The earth answered louder. A fresh crevice ripped open right under the Bound's legs. It roared and toppled sideways, one arm still scrabbling at the edge. Green magic poured out of the cracks in its skin and tried to seal the hole.
Sveinn's ambush hit our right flank at the same time.
Fifty fresh wolves slammed into our line like a hammer. I heard Sunna curse and the wet sound of steel meeting flesh. Matthías roared in wolf form and tore into them, but they kept coming.
Jakob's voice cut through the chaos. "Kill the half-breed! The Bound will finish the rest!"
I spun toward the new wave. My scales had spread across my collarbone and down my ribs now. They felt like armor. I raked the first wolf that reached me across the throat and it dropped gurgling. Blood sprayed hot across my face. I didn't wipe it off.
Gunnar was back on his feet, limping but swinging. He crashed into the flank beside me. Our shoulders brushed and the bond surged again, steadying the fire in my chest. "Together," he growled. "Don't lose control."
I didn't. I let the power out in short bursts: roots tripping wolves, small crevices swallowing legs. Every time the fire threatened to spill over, Gunnar's hand found me. A grip on my wrist. A press against my back. It kept me from cracking the whole damn valley open and burying us all.
The Bound hauled itself out of the crevice and charged straight at us again.