Page 158 of The Starlight Savior

If he could, he’d rise from the ground and rip the general’s crooked nose right off. Leave it for the northern wolves to gnaw on.

Instead, Conor smiled. “You should be grateful you didn’t murder her ten years ago like her parents. She is the only reason anyone has a chance of staying alive now. The mist would’ve eaten you away, bit by bit.” He pointed towards the corpses across the river. “You would’ve ended up like them.”

The general shook his head, showing no surprise at the fact Conor revealed. “Terrus would’ve saved us all.”

“And yet you saddle up with Tiranos.” Conor’s laugh was sharp. “The deities abandoned us to fend for ourselves the moment we defied the basic laws of ancient magic!”

Both generals, mortal and storm, were silent as they looked at Conor with disgust and pity. He didn’t care. He lost his father’s honor years ago when he wasn’t able to shift like the others. He had always been a disappointment, but he wouldn’t let that hold him down today. Not now, when Saige needed him the most. If he left her alone, one of them would take her. Imprison her. Place her on trial. Use her as a weapon. There wasn’t enough life for her to advocate for herself.

“She is a criminal,” the mortal general sneered. “She deserves to hang.”

“She is our savior!” Conor shouted, his voice amplifying across the open plain.

Finally, the cowards around him began to speak up, the words pardon and savior spreading across the crowd. The mortal general’s neck tightened.

“On behalf of Saige Nerestel,” Conor spoke smoothly, “I demand a pardon for her strength and sacrifice in using magic unseen before against the mist.” He looked directly at his father. “From all of Opela.”

“You have no right to ask for such a thing.” Queen Anya barreled through the crowd, followed by her scowling entourage. Her sapphire eyes narrowed in on Saige clutched in his arms.

“Give her to me,” she demanded, voice as fluid as water.

“Tiranos will never have Sydera’s blood running through their hands again,” Conor snarled through clenched teeth. His head spun with every word he uttered.

“Her last living relative traded her life. My kingdom left empty-handed last time we infiltrated your weak capital. I will not leave here until I have what I’m owed.”

The Brevillian general stepped forward. “But King Brennus demands—”

“No,” Queen Anya said smoothly, “there will be no mortal trial for Saige Nerestel. She will come with me or perish like the rest of the starlight-wielders before her.”

“She belongs to Etrane,” his father shouted over the rising commotion.

“She belongs to no one but herself,” Conor cried, limbs shaking. He was tired of hearing the three kingdoms debate over her fate, as if she wasn’t a living being capable of making her own decisions.

He wondered if their horses were still tied up by the trees in the distance. Could he run with her? Escape the absurdity unfolding before him?

Before Conor could rise, Queen Anya nodded at the wielders flanking her side. Orbs of water formed in their hands. Blades were drawn as they stepped forward, faces hardened like stone.

The few times Conor had been hit by Tiranos’s magic, he had expected the water to hurt minimally. Instead, it felt like his skin had been sliced and bruised as their power had pummeled into him. Neither him or Saige could suffer such injuries right now.

Conor uncurled a hand from Saige’s body and outstretched his palm. Lightning exploded around them as a shield formed between them and Tiranos. He knew it wouldn’t last long. He could feel the well of his magic descending deeper into his body, sending aches down his spine. But he wouldn’t let them have her.

Niana stepped forward. A shield of ice migrated with Conor’s magic, hardening his power into something indescribable. It was one of the many advantages of fighting as a team. Some power could be mended together, but it took the right amount of magic and precision to accomplish such a thing.

Queen Anya opened her palms, arms outstretched by her side. Her eyes began to glow bright blue as water rose from the river behind them. The queen pushed her hands forward as endless waves of water struck Conor and Niana’s shield.

For a moment, it faltered, their magic rippling against the impact of the queen’s power. But Niana clenched her teeth. More magic lit up her veins as she hardened her ice shield standing before her and Tiranos.

Spears of water splintered against the shield as the queen threw more and more of her power against them. Some of the other water-wielders began to turn on the crowd, enchanted blades glowing with power.

“You cannot uphold this forever.” Queen Anya laughed cooly, a smile ghosting her lips. Her voice was muffled between the layers of magic between them. “We will get her one way or another.”

“You’ve lost wielders tonight,” Niana shouted over her power. “I’d think you’d want to conserve energy for rebuilding your kingdom!”

A flurry of water-wielders tumbled forward, striking their blades against the shield. Power echoed around them, like a stone hitting a still lake.

A vicious smile splintered the queen’s face as a piece of Conor’s shield fell. A pounding throbbed against the back of his skull as burnout approached quickly.

Anya extended a hand, her fingers moving rapidly as water leapt forward. The liquid was forged into the shape of a hand. Its transparent fingers reached for Saige’s throat. No lightning came forth as Conor flicked his wrist.