Honour or Reason - Book 1# in the Burning Prince Chronicles

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Brilyn had seen the Dardria fleet atop the wall. It had seemed like they had more time. The green mist made more sense now.

He and Zoysia watched in horror as hundreds of Fey charged out of the mist into the crowd. They all wore iron armour, they all had eyes like Allerick - eyes of the Old Fey.

"What can we do!" Zoysia screamed over the noise. Bri shook his head.

"The only thing we can do!"

Without warning, he joined the chaos. Brilyn had to get to Conlaed no matter what. A thrill went through him as his magic rose up. With a roar, shadow and light emerged from both his hands. He watched as the magic transformed into a pack of dark and shining wolves. As Brilyn ran, his wolves pushed through and ripped apart the crowd. They forged a path to the prince through the bloodshed. Behind him, Zoysia followed as an enraged grizzly bear. Screams of Fey followed in her marvellous wake as she trailed the Penumbra.

A rush of panic crushed Brilyn's lungs as he spotted the familiar flames of Yaslin. They shot out ferociously, like heads of burning vipers. Bri prayed the Mage survived the turmoil.

"There he is!"

Bri pointed to a patch of clear space up ahead. King Allerick stood there, along with a female. If Brilyn looked carefully, he could see Conlaed there too, shrunken in the presence of the mighty Fey king. Brilyn thrust his hands out at the wolves.

ATTACK!

He watched in awe of himself as the wolves stormed toward the Fey, jaws snapping. Behind him, the grizzly bear shifted back into a girl. Zoysia sprinted up beside him. Her robe flew behind her, as did her hair.

"How can we save him?" she shouted.

"I don't know! I figured I could distract them with my magic while you get him out!"

"But -"

"Just do this one thing for me!"

The Mage nodded hesitantly, before clasping his hand. "Don't die, librarian!"

He grinned tiredly. Together, they raced toward the trapped prince and the two Fey. His feet were on fire as they ran. So much adrenaline flowed through his veins that it was like running on lightning.

Fey and human constantly crashed into them. Blood flew through the air as did screams of the dying. The Dardrian warriors - or Thorn Knights - were ruthless to the Maidores. They butchered the nobles without any remorse or humility and just as horribly defeated and massacred the Shield. A scream rose in his throat as Bri saw Sir Kygore assailed by two Thorn Knights. Zoysia pulled him forward.

The path to Conlaed was laid with streams of blood and bodies. Even as they ran, their path was blocked with the dead; very few Fey were seen among the carnage. Brilyn's stomach twisted as he leaped over bodies of two little girls. Their lifeless eyes stared innocently up at him; their purity ruined by the knives protruding from their little chests. Brilyn had never thought of the devastation of battle until then. Seeing it with his own eyes was scarring.

"Don't look down, Brilyn! Keep your eyes up!"

Zoysia flicked his chin and they both ran faster. They were close. Very close. Brilyn could see his wolves circling the two Fey, awaiting their master. Brilyn grit his teeth and pushed on. He could see Con now. He was so very close. Soon we will be out of here. Bri did not think on the 'running for his life part'. It could wait until he rescued Conlaed. If only he had listened. Brilyn knew that if Con had listened and run like he'd told him; it would not have made much difference. Fey were fast and cunning - they would have found a way to bring him back. Why not kill him, though? Do they keep him alive for power or another reason? The word curse echoed around Bri's mind.