It didn’t take long for us to meet up with them. Of course, that was part of our plan as well. They’d be expecting us, so we only pretended to hide our arrival with half-cast cloaking spells, letting them think they’d get the jump on us.
Torin, Enzo, and Heath fought side-by-side, their spells slicing through the air like deadly knives. I was impressed by their skill and teamwork, even in the middle of such chaos.
Riley, his brown hair matted with sweat, tackled several of them with nothing but his fists a few times. He moved with a speed and strength that left me breathless.
I called upon June, ready to dispatch evil. The cleaver came forth, but not as expected. I panicked to find her steady as nothing more than a large blade knife of metal with a wooden. No shining light, no magical vibration in my hand.
Shit! What was wrong?
“Sierra!” Enzo called out, snapping me back to reality. “Anna’s over there!”
I followed his gaze and spotted her at the side of one of Carlo’s henchmen. My heart clenched with both relief and dread. We were so close to saving her, but we still had a long way to go.
Doubt clutched an icy fist around my heart. Had my Reaper powers failed? Is that why June was not responding normally?
I thrust my arms forward, calling on all the magic I prayed was still in me. I summoned fire and lightning, sending them crashing into Carlo’s men. The flames roared like an inferno, while bolts of electricity danced through the air. As each spell collided with its target, a protective wall formed around my team, shielding us from the onslaught.
Okay … so maybe I still had it. It was a welcome revelation.
“Keep pushing!” Heath shouted, his voice barely audible over the sounds of battle. “We can’t let them surround us!”
But the attackers seemed endless, pouring in from all directions. No matter how many we took down, more appeared to take their place. It was like trying to fight a fucking hydra. Desperation clawed at me as we were being pushed back, inch by inch, toward the lake.
“Sierra, we need a plan!” Torin yelled, his wand still firing off spells with deadly accuracy.
I gritted my teeth, trying to think. My entire body trembled with the effort of maintaining the protective barrier, but there was no time to rest.
“Focus on getting to Anna!” I called out, my voice strained from the strain of wielding my powers. “I’ll hold them off as long as I can!”
They all nodded, their faces grim. They moved together, violently cutting through the horde of henchmen. Pain and fatigue were etched in their expressions, but they didn’t give in.
As we continued our advance into a clearing, realization and dread sank into my stomach. I caught Enzo’s eyes and could tell he noticed it too. The other three looked at us sharply, their mouths tight.
We were being herded toward the lake.
CHAPTER 17
SIERRA
RAVENSWOOD
Carlo’s voice boomed over the field. “You thought you could defeat me?” His twisted smile appeared from the shadows as he stepped into view. My blood ran cold at the sight of Anna at his side, her eyes glazed and vacant.
“Let her go!” I screamed, summoning every ounce of power I had left, but faltering as June remained still in my hand.
Carlo laughed. “She’s not yours to save.” With a wave of his hand, his men fought with renewed fervor, driven by their leader’s presence.
Enzo and the others intensified their efforts, but I could see the fear in their eyes. We were outnumbered and outmatched, and we knew it. I could feel my protective wall beginning to crack under the sheer weight of their onslaught.
“Stay focused!” Riley shouted through the chaos, landing blow after blow on our attackers.
“He’s right,” Tor said, his eyes locked on mine. “We’ll get through this.”
Their words gave me a surge of energy. My powers erupted with intensity, striking down more of Carlo’s men and buying us precious seconds. But time was running out, and I knew that we couldn’t keep fighting forever.
“Sierra,” Heath whispered, his gaze flicking between me and the still-advancing army. “We need a miracle.”
Fear and adrenaline coursed through my veins as my light Reaper’s scythe flickered on and off.
“Sierra,” Enzo said, his voice steady despite the chaos around us. “We have to push back.”
With a wordless shout, I launched myself back into the fray alongside Enzo, Heath, Torin, and Riley. My powers flared, creating a blazing wall of fire that incinerated the nearest enemies. Sweat dripped down my face, mingling with the blood that splattered from the fallen.
“Let’s finish this!” Heath roared, casting a spell that created a devastating ripple in the enemy ranks.
“Clear a path!” Torin said, his wand whipping through the air as he sent another wave crashing to the ground.
“Sierra, now’s our chance!” Riley shouted, his gaze locked on a momentarily distracted Carlo.
I summoned all the power within me, my body trembling under the immense energy coursing through my veins. With every ounce of strength, I unleashed a devastating wave of power, striking down the remaining henchmen and pushing back against Carlo and his army.
The ground trembled beneath my feet, the lake growing ever closer as we fought for our lives. And those of our loved ones, whose lives hung in the balance. I knew that if we were to stand a chance against Carl, I would have to unleash my Reaper powers like never before.
“Sierra, we’re running out of time!” Enzo shouted, his voice strained from the strain of casting spell after spell.
“Get ready,” I called back, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. “I’m about to give it everything I’ve got.”
My hands shook as the power within me surged, begging for release. The Reaper inside me whispered promises of destruction and vengeance, urging me to let go and embrace its full potential. I swallowed down the fear that rose inside me.
