Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
“Viori!” Micah shouted, banging on the dome. Was she hurt? Fatigued because of the elderseed?
She sat up gingerly and scanned the area. Finding him in the fray, she smiled, revealing blood-coated teeth. The most beautiful female in existence. But her attention stretched past him, horror contorting her expression.
He whipped around to see a nearby tunnel entrance had opened in the ground, and additional trolls were pouring onto the battlefield. Another horde. No, more than one tunnel had opened, and several hordes converged in the campground.
Soldiers shot into action once again. Individual battles erupted, the dome forgotten by everyone but Micah. He had no need to turn, with Graves and John looking out for him; he kept his attention on the battle inside the dome. If Norok won, Viori would be forced to face him.
Micah threw himself at the mysterious force to no avail.
Viori’s attention swung to the combatants as well, then returned to the trolls. The combatants, the trolls. Then she peered at Micah and projected all kinds of sadness. “I love you, husband,” she called. “With all my heart.”
In that moment, he knew her plan. To sing and create, letting herself sink into another sleep, if necessary, to stop the trolls. Weakening herself when she needed to be her strongest. Dying, as Amber had predicted.
No! Can’t lose her. Won’t lose her. Micah hit the invisible wall with more force, knocking his shoulder out of joint. Another hard hit put it back in place. He didn’t stop there. He hit the dome again and again and again.
Still, Viori clambered to her feet, tilted back her head and released a note of music with a tone unlike any Micah had ever heard. So beautiful it brought tears to his eyes. Trolls ceased fighting first. Then soldiers, who shouldn’t have been able to hear after ingesting surdi root. And yet, hear they did, as if she used a frequency nothing could mask.
Even Norok and Elena went still. Somehow, Micah knew his wife released the sound of life itself, and nothing could stop its power. No one moved as she sang her song.
Then she went quiet. Her eyelids slid shut and her knees collapsed. She fell into a bed of lush green grass. Not dirt. It had sprung up as she’d sung, he realized. Now, in a circle around her, the grass was blurring, as if a doorway to the mortal world was beginning to open.
Coming out of his stupor, Micah banged against the unseen divider. “Viori!” She’s only sleeping. Hasn’t traveled yet. There was still time. He could save her.
The ground shook harder and harder, belua bursting onto the battlefield. Monstrous trees like Micah had faced so long ago. Graves, John and the sandcats approached the fray from behind the newcomers. Viori’s children—his children. Elena and Norok battled on.
For once, the creatures didn’t kill without thought or qualm. No, they shielded soldiers and struck at the trolls.
“You aren’t going to win,” Elena said between panting breaths, drawing Micah’s attention back to them. “Surrender. Live. You do not have to die today.”
“No, I do not. But you do.” Norok tripped her. As she stumbled, he took full advantage, thrusting his dagger into her heart and cruelly twisting the blade.
Her eyes widened, and her lips parted on a shocked, pained gasp. Because she knew. This was a killing blow; she’d reached the end.
And Norok wasn’t done. “I’m sorry. It didn’t have to end this way. You had only to heed me,” he said, swinging his free hand. A second dagger cut through her throat.
As she gurgled for breath, blood streaming from the corners of her mouth, her legs gave out and she collapsed.
“Elena!” Micah roared, banging the dome with great force. “Norok!”
As his sister’s blood dripped from his hands, the traitor faced him. “Her death is your fault, chimera.” His chest rose and fell in quick succession, remorse etched into each of his features. “I suppose it always had to come to this. You and I. The only two brave enough to take on belua.”
Electricity crackled in the air beside him. Two layers peeled apart, Kaysar rushing out and killing everyone nearby.
Cookie stood in the opening. “Where?” she asked her husband, scanning the battlefield.
“Straight ahead, as close to Viori as possible,” Kaysar replied.
Understanding came. Relieved and frantic, Micah helped him protect the doorway as the queen extended her arms. Vines uncoiled, slithering to the dome and opening a second doorway past it.
He zoomed through, entering the dome while Kaysar, Graves and John protected Cookie and both entrances.
Norok dragged the sleeping Viori from the growing doorway beneath her, and pressed a dagger against her chest.
Panic rose to new heights, but Micah beat it back. He breathed in deeply. Exhaled. Protective instincts surged. That female loved him. Micah loved her back. Loved her with all his heart, every fiber of his being, today, tomorrow and forever. There was no way he would allow anyone to harm her while he still had breath in his lungs.