Page 128 of Sword & Shadow
Evylin sliced open one of the Guardian’s digits, and it lashed out, screeching in pain. Its violent kicks knocked Thom back. Rafferty caught hold of him, keeping Thom from tumbling into the clouds.
An arrow finally stuck in the Guardian’s side. Then Ethenn turned to Deckard. “That’s it,” he said, motioning to the empty quiver at his back. “I’m out.”
Gritting his teeth, Deckard focused on the Guardian. “Defend Auden and Ilain,” he said. “If that creature comes for them, we can’t leave them unprotected.”
Ethenn nodded, drawing his sword as he hurried to the Calders’ sides.
“I can’t focus,” Ilain said, her voice frail.
Auden squeezed her arms. “Come on, Lain,” he said encouragingly. “We’re almost there.”
She shook her head, face taut with effort. “I’m too tired,” she murmured.
Deckard sent more shadows to distract the Guardian. It roared in protest, but its injuries could only irritate it. Guardians were defeated by connecting with the resource, not by killing it. The troop’s attacks kept it from coming for the Mages alone. Unless Auden and Ilain harnessed a strong enough connection with Wind, the Guardian would remain.
“Jonn,” Auden called, “we need help.”
“I’m not an Elemental Mage,” Deckard said, focus split between protecting Evylin, Thom, and Rafferty and watching out for the Calders and Ethenn.
Auden’s pleading gaze locked with Deckard’s. The Mages were failing. Ilain had expended too much energy, and she couldn’t keep it up any longer. If they didn’t end the Guardian now, she would black out from exertion, and they couldn’t carry her unconscious body back through the Keep with Shades attacking from all sides.
Deckard made his decision a second too late.
“Auden,” Ilain mumbled just as her knees buckled.
But it wasn’t Auden who caught her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Ilain’s grip dropped from her brother’s, her strength gone. She gasped as she began to fall. Auden moved a fraction too slowly, his hands failing to hold her steady.
The clang of metal against marble echoed as Ethenn reached out, his sword clattering to the floor. His hands landed on Ilain’s arms as she crumbled into his chest. Then her eyes went wide, and Ethenn sucked in a sharp inhale.
Simultaneously, the Guardian roared, its screeching bellow piercing as it slammed its paws against the dais once more. Then it burst apart in a torrent of wind. It knocked Evylin, Thom, and Rafferty to the floor and drove Deckard and Auden several feet back. But Ethenn stood steadily, Ilain resting in his immovable arms.
The wind died down, and their clothes and hair slowly settled back into place. The Guardian was gone, presumably defeated by Ilain. Their fight was over, though Deckard couldn’t fully comprehend how the highlady had suddenly managed the connection.
Ilain tensed, pulling away from Ethenn. “Auden,” she murmured even as her eyes remained locked on the young man.
Ethenn tightened his jaw, stepping back.
“Hey!” Rafferty called from the far side of the room. “How are we supposed to get back over there?”
Deckard turned from the confusing scene. He lifted his hands. The glittering shadows formed a path linking the dais to the entrance. With a flick of her wrist, Evylin turned the Wind sword back into a necklace and slipped it over her head to hang next to the Night Relic. Then she hopped on the bridge readily, though Thom and Rafferty tested it before trusting it with their full weight.
The three of them hurried across, Evylin’s gaze meeting Deckard’s. “Thank you,” she said lightly. “For catching me back there.”
Deckard dipped his head, the urge to take her in his arms frightfully severe. He pressed his hands to his sides. “Always,” he said.
With Thom and Rafferty back, Deckard released his hold on his magic as Auden had taught him. A small tug at his mind alerted him to the discharge of power. He now understood Auden’s lesson on magic taking energy. The thing was that this fatigue felt milder than that of a short jog.
Turning to the Calders, Deckard was surprised to find them both staring at Ethenn in shock while the young man looked everywhere but at them.
“What’s going on?” Thom asked warily.
None of them spoke.
Deckard stepped forward, a nagging suspicion coming to his mind.
