Page 111 of Omen of ice
Delkin’s eyes narrow. “I’m still not sure why it mattered. Why fight such a bloody war, slaughter millions of innocents, all to come out just as powerless?”
“Powerless? He had the druid magic he stole from Aphelian,” Tania says. “That would make him the most powerful Fae at the time, wouldn’t it? If no one else had any magic?”
“It would have—if he’d been able to use it.” Delkin takes a step toward Liani. To her credit, she remains where she is. “That’s why you didn’t kill my son. He was your chance for a real show of power. Magic youcouldmanipulate.”
She doesn’t bother looking apologetic. “I began siphoning magic from him that very first day. Kept a reserve of it, just in case.”
“The Icekeeper clan is not of royal blood.” His eyes change, distinctly canine. His front teeth elongate, sharpening into fangs. “Royal Winter Fae have an animal soul.” Another step. “Royal Winter Fae have violet eyes.” One final step, and they’re nose to nose. “Royal Winter Fae areFrostreavers.”
This time, Liani takes the smallest step away. She glances nervously over her shoulder, probably wondering if she could call loud enough for the guards to hear or Levina to return.
“Listen carefully, son. I’m about to give you your firstrealhistory lesson.” Delkin taps his forehead. “Only a true Winter royal could have accessed that druid magic.”
“But the war? Servis used the druid magic—”
“Aphelianused the magic to win the war. When she channeled it back into the tear, he stole it.” Delkin takes another step closer. He’s right in front of her now, between Liani and Tania and me. “He took credit for wielding the power, but it was her all along.”
I think for sure he’ll grab her. Maybe he would have if he’d gotten here earlier, if he’d heard she’d been responsible for my mother’s death. Instead of attacking her, though, he grips both mine and Tania’s chains and yanks them from the stone. The stone cracks and crumbles, and Liani has to dodge several flying chunks of debris.
One of our wrists in each of his hands, he closes his fingers around the cuffs and squeezes just tight enough to crack the metal and release us. I ball my fingers tight and produce…nothing.
“I don’t understand,” I say. “If the chains were subduing my magic…”
Tania tries—and fails—as well. “It’s the jalva oil. The chains were coated in it, so it had to get on our skin. It’ll take time for it to wear off.”
Liani shoves Tania, and she stumbles back. Luckily, Benj sprints forward to catch her.
“You are the druid’s problem, but you…” Liani turns to me with a wicked grin. “I won’t lose Fae magic. I will drag you back and chain you in the dark for the rest of your life if I must.”
Delkin growls and grabs Liani by the throat. Lifting her several feet off the ground, he says, “I owe you for every moment of pain you’ve caused my son.”
Liani scratches at his grip, thrashing wildly.
“For every ounce of magic you bled from him, you will suffer!”
Liani continues to claw at him. “Gu—guar… GUARDS!” she manages to belt out.
Delkin curses as ten Winter Guards charge over the hill. He drops Liani. She gags and coughs as she scampers from the fray.
“I suppose first I’ll have to deal with them.” Delkin releases his wolf and charges through the center of the men, grabbing the nearest by the throat as he plows through.
Benj smiles. “Finally. I haven’t had a good fight in ages.” He releases his dragon and charges into the battle after his brother.
For a moment, I’m mesmerized. Delkin and Benj move like they were made for battle. Delkin grabs a guard by the thigh, flinging him high into the air. Benj swoops down with fierce enthusiasm, catching the Fae and banking back up toward the heavens. Moments later, there’s a terrified scream, followed by the Fae plummeting to the ground. On impact, his body shatters, sending the nearest guard scampering in fear.
Unfortunately for him, Delkin is behind him, waiting. He wraps his massive jaw around the guard’s midsection and bites, essentially cutting the Fae in half. They’re down to three guards when several more crest the ridge, letting out a war cry that echoes across the battlefield.
“Go,” Tania says, seizing Delkin’s discarded sword. I have no doubt he left it for her while he utilized his othertalents. “Your hand-to-hand is good, but we both know your specialties lie elsewhere.”
“You’re not well.” Some of her color returned, probably because of the jalva-soaked cuffs, but there’s a heaviness in the link. A lack oflife.The amount of my magic suppressed by the jalva oil is waning. “I can’t leave you defenseless.”
“I think we both know that I’ll be fine,” she says.
As if to prove my point, one of the newly arrived guards rushes us from behind. He dives for Tania, and although the move isn’t nearly as graceful as I’ve come to expect from her, she lifts Delkin’s sword and deftly dispatches the enemy by dragging the blade across his midsection.
“The jalva oil on the cuffs will keep the symptoms at bay while we deal with this.”
She’s right. I’ll be able to do far more damage with my wolf—but I won’t risk it. Having heard what the priestess said about the Heartbreaker, I understand why Tania reacted so badly yesterday. Why my failure to tell her the truth struck so deep.
