*Noah*
Damascus’ warriors seed to materialize out of nowhere as we were suddenly surrounded and vastly outnumbered. They sneered at us, looking almost robotic in the way they attacked as one.
An enraged roar erupted from my throat as I slashed at the couple that were closest to . There should have been so fear or hesitation since there had to be enough enemies to double our forces, but all I felt was an overwhelming rage that burned my insides.
My daughter had already been wrenched away from , which caused my whole body to shake with unbridled anger once I had learned. Now, my precious mate was dragged away from as well. The fear and helplessness in Zara’s wide, green eyes would likely haunt for the rest of my existence.
I knew no other emotion aside from the deep anger that perated every fiber of my being. I succumbed to it, allowing it to drive forward like a fiery arrow. I moved quicker and with more efficiency than I had ever harbored before as I shook down enemy after enemy. Animalistic battle cries flew from my mouth as I swung my blade.
Each ti it slid across flesh, I smirked with grim satisfaction as I realized it was one less entity that stood between and my family. I would tear down anything and anyone who dared to cross my path at that mont.
Eva and Caleb were at my sides, fighting furiously as well, but it was clear that I had much more at stake than they did. They were much more controlled. Caleb fought with a precision that rivaled the most skilled surgeons, his blade slicing through the air before eting their target.
Caleb and I had fought many battles together. He always made sure to watch my back, and I did the sa for him. We glanced at one another often, ensuring the other wasn’t vastly outnumbered.
Eva was a capable fighter, just as I had predicted. She had an eerie calm about her that signaled to that she had been through much despite her young age. She had a fire in her eyes and a haunted look that gave the feeling that she wouldn’t hesitate to maim anyone who threatened her or her loved ones.
Eva was skilled in hand-to-hand combat, striking out with her small but deadly fists whenever an enemy got too close to her for her magic to be effective. It seed like she used her magic in battle more for long-range combat. I was so impressed by her that I was very briefly distracted at tis when she used her powers to cast disorienting fog banks to confuse enemies.
She spread her arms out, and a glowing, clearly supernatural fog rose around her, spreading out like a thick blanket over the battlefield. Confused cries filled the air as our enemies were lost due to the dense fog. The clashing of blades seized for a mont as they attempted to reorient themselves.
Eva fell into step beside , shoving an enemy off of her before glancing at . “We have little ti before Damascus realizes his ambush failed,” she hissed at . “It could only be a matter of ti before he relocates Zara, knowing that we’ll be coming after her soon.”
I cursed at the warning. We needed to move faster and get these enemies under control so that we could get to Zara. I fought like a demon, viciously swinging my blade and kicking at the n who sward us.
We were all out of breath by the ti the last enemy fell. Caleb sent a smirk that I couldn’t help but return, even though after spilling all that blood, I was still hungry for more violence.
The half-second or so that we spent celebrating was quickly interrupted by Eva, who pushed between us and fell to her knees on the ground, muttering to herself and drawing so strange symbols in the dirt with a pointed stick.
“What are you doing?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowing as I tried to follow the swirls and images Eva drew.
“We need to get to your mate now,” she said in a flat tone. “Doing so will require a complex transportation spell. Now, kindly silence yourself and let work.”
Caleb sent a grimace over Eva’s bent form. I realized with so amusent that he was actually afraid of the little witch.
I would have been lying if I said that she didn’t intimidate .
Eva fell back on her knees as she surveyed her drawings. She started to chant in a low, lodic voice, almost singing the strange language. She lifted one hand, palm up, forming another tiny sphere that glowed a bright purple color.
I stifled a gasp as I looked down at my skin. It started to glow the sa purple color. I looked up to see that the sa was happening to Eva, Caleb, and a few of the warriors that stood closest to us. We all t alard gazes.
I blinked, and suddenly the battlefield was gone, replacing it was a dark beach with large, crashing waves. A frigid wind whirled around . I shuddered at the sudden change in scenery.
Caleb and Eva were at my side, straightening as they got used to their surroundings. My beta blinked, clearly disoriented. He gave a wide-eyed look when his dark eyes focused on . Eva, as usual, was poised and confident, her gray eyes scanning the area with that eerie precision.
“Is this where Zara is?” I asked, hating how anxious my voice sounded.
Eva nodded, her thin, dark eyebrows furrowing as she concentrated. Her head whipped around, her voice rising above the harsh wind. “There,” she said, pointing behind Caleb and .
The two of us turned to stare at the seaside cave, clearly hidden among the rocky cliff wall.
Eva led the way. “Zara’s energy is coming from inside that cave, but it’s faint.”
Fear gripped at Eva’s announcent, but a fierce determination quickly replaced it as we continued onward, hurrying through the cave’s opening and down a dark, seemingly endless staircase that led us deep underground.
I could feel tensions rising as it seed to get darker and colder with each foot we descended down the steps. We all did our best to move as swiftly and as quietly as possible. My eyes darted around, shocked that we hadn’t run into any guards yet. It was far too quiet.
I tried to feel Zara’s energy the way that Eva and probably my mate were able to do, but my mind and heart were too clouded with fear and worry for my precious partner. I wondered if Zara could feel us approaching or if she was too frightened to realize that I was quickly closing in on her location.
“Zara’s energy is much stronger now,” Eva announced as we continued to tear down the spiraling staircase. “We must be close.”
We hurried along as stealthily as we could. I could hear so voices echoing in the distance but couldn’t make anything out. There was also so movent as well and the creaking of tal.
I broke into a sprint when I saw the bottom of the stairs, jumping over the last several. My boots hit the cold floor with a thud. Eva shot an irritated look as she appeared next to , but I ignored her, looking around wildly for any sign of my mate.
We’d arrived in a long hallway filled with cells. n and won stared back at us through the bars, several of them giving us dark, threatening looks, but we completely ignored them. I searched each cell, hoping to catch sight of Zara and growing more nervous with each person that wasn’t her.
“Black,” Eva hissed at , gesturing ahead of her.
I lifted my eyes, looking toward where Eva had pointed, and saw a cell at the end of the tunnel with its tal gate swung wide open.
That’s when I felt sothing. I couldn’t describe it, but it was there. It was powerful and spread through like wildfire. The pull was unmistakable. I was suddenly reminded of the warmth that completely consud when she and I were together.
It was Zara.
I didn’t think I had ever moved that quickly in my life. I might not have been a matchmaker or gifted at sensing energies, but I could tell my mate was close and that I desperately needed to close the gap that separated us.
Caleb grabbed my arm just as Eva shot a look, clearly warning to proceed with caution. There was a deep male voice coming from the open cell. It could be dangerous. We needed to sneak up on them to gain the upper hand.
We stopped just a couple of cells away from the open one, crouching down low and listening.
“Swear your loyalty to , and I’ll take you to your daughter.”
No.
Without a word, we all rushed forward, imdiately realizing what was happening.
We weren’t fast enough. I wasn’t fast enough.
Zara’s choked voice was full of tears yet crystal clear as she answered, “I swear my loyalty to you, Malphas. Please take to my daughter.”
“No!” I roared, bursting through the cell’s gate.
In the middle of the dark, tiny cell was my Zara, her thin wrist enclosed in a large, angry-red hand.
The powerful Sorcerer Malphas was dragging her through a portal that looked like a black hole, its edges sinister and sparking with dark magic. He disappeared through the portal, pulling Zara behind him.
Zara stopped when I cried out, and her head whipped around. Our eyes locked for a brief mont in mournful understanding. Anguish filled as Zara looked at with pleading but resigned green eyes. I thought I saw her mouth my na before she disappeared into the darkness.
I nearly threw myself at the portal but rembered Eva’s warning at the last possible second. I couldn’t just dive right in. Without the moon stones, the dark, powerful energy could kill . I would be of no use to Zara or Briella if I were dead.
I clenched my fists and teeth as I stared into the portal that remained open. I forced myself to step away and turn to where Caleb and Eva were already kneeling next to Niva, freeing the poor ntor from her chains.
The woman sobbed as she t my gaze. “Zara agreed to buy us ti to rescue Briella,” she choked out, rising to her feet with difficulty. “That demon will never free her.”
The blood in my entire body burned as my fists shook at my sides. “I will tear through dinsions to bring my family back safely or die trying,” I vowed darkly.
Caleb lifted his chin and sneered. I knew that he was on board. Eva’s expression was grim, but I saw the conviction in her gray eyes. It was clear that she longed to see hold to that promise.
Eva reached into the small pouch secured to her waist and withdrew the tiny box that held the moon stones. She lifted the lid as if ensuring that the precious pebbles were still inside. I watched them glow with their magic before she closed the box again. She held it out to . I took it, grasping it as if she had handed a scepter.
“Failure is not an option, Black,” she warned . “Not only that, but it’s possible that you may not be able to return.”
I nodded grimly, knowing that it was a risk I would take and would have been willing to do so a thousand tis if it ant the slim chance of rescuing my family. “Thank you for everything, Eva,” I said sincerely.
“May the Moon Goddess guide you,” she said. “I will travel directly to the palace to see what has caused Engoren to act so aggressively.”
I nodded in thanks before turning to Caleb and our small group of warriors. “Through the portal, n,” I ordered. “We’re going after my family.”
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