A Shield of Faith (BOOK 4)

Chapter 15

ADARA

Is this what it's like... to be free?

Bells no longer tolled. People stopped shouting for cruelty.

Little feathers peeked at the tips of his wings. Adara sobbed for her life, for the one she left and the one she had yet to have. His crimson eyes closed in full, though he continued to fly with a different shift to his movements. Yuven stared at her, tucking his knees against his chest as the world slowed with a single flap of his wings. Fenrer's words mixed with Yuven's steadfast ones. Of hope, and belief, and the fires of faith. A plume of gentle silver smoke slipped past Euron's jaw, tasting of flowers and fields of tundra. Adara held on tight to Tix'snuv below her, who flew free, without fear. Free to fly.

Free to be a bird, from place to place and to learn many songs.

Euron's jaw parted slightly, his eyes fluttering behind the lids. "Atoran... my loyal knight..." In a single, slow moment, his eyes opened to reveal the same, soft but no less fierce grays of the man who jumped off a mountain for his hope. Magick pulsed a single note.

Yuven lurched up when the black scales shivered, and he stumbled into his distortion magick when Euron's flight slowed to a graceful stop, his wings no longer fighting against the wind, but gliding over the breeze. Adara jolted when Yuven landed behind her, coughing a storm as he hooked his legs once more against the ones along the saddle. With no words of wit or sarcasm, his gaze remained on the wyvern who froze in place, twisting his wings upward as he had over Irimount. Gentler. Softer.

Nose pointed to the firmament, he opened his mouth and sang.

A single song, full of life, of stories, and Adara sucked in her lips when he breathed out mystical, silver plumes. Thick clouds parted, though the sky refused to clear. Yuven's feathers shuddered as he brought his hands up to touch the base around his ears. Adara listened to the music, the true voice of hope underneath the layers of despair. Environments bloomed around them, an endless sea of snow-whites. Mountains peeked out of the mist, a bubble of reality brought to bear through its distortion. Black ice shone underneath them, twisting against the banks, echoing the song from its heart.

Her tears followed the music of Naveera that Euron spread.

Beautiful and steady.

Tix'snuv banked, forcing her to turn back and hold onto Yuven as Euron's jaws closed once more. Tears soaked the black scales, and her heart shuddered when a laugh echoed through her soul. Bereft of happiness, but refilled with hope when Euron turned to them. "My Wardens... thank you." His third eyelid covered his gray eyes as he jerked, and Adara gasped when he flew himself straight into the nearby mountain. His head slammed into it as he gripped onto the peaks, with Yuven flying closer. "Sylvia. Avarelia. Lasen." Each name, he slammed his head over and over, causing rocks to fall from his force. "Atoran."

A different scream rattled the air as its neck broke, but not his.

Scales split apart to reveal beautiful white wings. Silver plumes of smoke escaped through his jaw where the tendrils continued to slice through the gums, gripping on tight as a parasite.

"We should help him—" Adara leaned forward, but stopped when Yuven shook his head.

"No."

Euron dug his claws deeper, fighting against the husk as it dug its teeth and claws into his body. His own snarl rattled the heavens, and Adara gasped when a gray glyph pinched, and Euron burst into the air, scattering particles of snow into a gentle flurry of calm winter. As he finished his spin, he glared down at the giant husk as it tore itself off the rock and shivered at the air. Its tongue lolled with a moan as it stretched out its mangled wings, and took flight once more.