Magical Midlife Battle （Leveling Up, #8）(126)

The spell dividing the cave from the outside had been so intense that it had burned off all Austin’s and my skin, and I’d blacked out for two days because of the pain. It hadn’t been solid, though. That meant this spell would take longer for me to pass through—allowing it to cripple my ability to fly. To stay conscious.

It wasn’t just dread that coursed through me this time. It was a primal, mortal fear. I’d need to get through that barrier and take down their mages, but doing so would likely strip me of my wings. I’d be a sitting duck on the other side, open to their attack, unable to effectively defend myself. Essentially, I’d be giving my life to tear down that spell.

THIRTY-FOUR

Jessie

I SENT a peal of magic to my crew. Hurry up!

I needed cover, and I needed it fast. The yellow sheen had completely given way to orange now, glowing brightly; the blue in the ground was still throbbing, nowhere near blinking out. I dropped to the ground with Nathanial and left him there, heading back up to the barrier and hitting it with magic.

Trying to see if my power could break through.

My spell disappeared into the sheen, glowing a little as it spread out, adding to the energy. Crap.

That wasn’t good. Sebastian hadn’t mentioned anything about that.

Another spell, another tactic. Same effect. One more, then I stopped. I couldn’t keep adding to their work, and I didn’t have the experience to figure out a workaround. Hopefully Sebastian could.

He was probably muttering, “Think through it, think it through.”

The sky lit with the coming dawn. Specks dotted the open space behind me, the gargoyles flying in. The shifters would be below them. Thunder rolled, Hollace, and a streak of fire headed toward me. Cyra.

She’d cracked one of Sebastian and my defense domes like an egg that one time. Maybe she could help here. Hopefully she didn’t just lend them energy.

I thought of the others, Tristan especially. He wouldn’t be as affected by the magic. Maybe it wouldn’t destroy his wings to break through. He could also withstand mages firing spells at him.

He couldn’t withstand the blaster guns, though. We’d tried. Those punched into him like they did any other gargoyle, and if he were left alone on the other side, he’d be overwhelmed.

I swore, the words garbled and unsatisfying. Freaking Momar had come prepared, I’d say that much.

Nathanial met me, following my lead as I flew parallel to the sheen again. More blasts came, these better aimed. Dawn was probably just around the corner. I’d wasted too much time getting the lay of the land. I needed to make a move.

The troops existed in clusters I could now see, shoulder to shoulder in their groups, each group evenly spaced to cover parts of the circle. No one would get through the gaps without heavy fire.

The spell was full orange, continuing to change. Continuing to strengthen. I needed to find those mages! Where the hell were they?

Fire streaked in front of me, the plumage of the phoenix. Gun blasts came as she dipped, spraying

fire. It hit the spell, not spreading out. Blackening it a little. That had to be good news. Or, at least, it wasn’t bad news.

I sent excitement through our bond and gave her a thumbs-up when she turned to look. She tried again, aiming for the same spot. The black increased a little, fading when she let up, but slowly.

Encouraged, I beckoned for her to follow me and continued flying parallel to the dome, looking for those mages. The blasts were strong, but they weren’t enough to take us down. At least one thing was going right for us.

Oranges and reds streaked the sky, glowing down on the enemy troops, their guns poised and ready, some of their eyes skyward, some level. The blue throbbed right in front of them, the magic still clearly going strong.

As I passed, guns were lifted quickly, movements smooth and confident. They took aim and fired in a blink, incredibly practiced. The gargoyles and shifters drew closer, running, but they wouldn’t be able to get through that barrier. Wouldn’t be able to shoot through it, either.

I sent a command to slow them, panicked now as I continued to look for the mages. They had to be here somewhere. Someone was working the magic!

Fear ate at me. What if they had a stronger invisibility potion? What if they were there, but I couldn’t see them? I wouldn’t be able to get close enough to feel them, especially not with the distraction of the gun blasts pinging off my shields.

Onward I went, my blood turning cold. My chest starting to tighten. We couldn’t all die here. My life couldn’t end like this, in a massacre of my people.

Nathanial squeezed me…and then pointed.

Hunched on the ground next to the ley line was a black tarp, only now visible in the brightening sky. It bowed oddly, covering something. Something that was moving.

What a clever bastard Momar was.

I broke from Nathanial and angled that way immediately, stopping in the air not far from them. The troops to either side finally moved, pushing in around the tarp, looking at me. Cyra joined me and then Hollace, the great bird thrashing air down on me from his mighty wings.

I pointed to the tarp, to the ground next to it forming a red sheen. It slowly radiated upward. This had to happen now.

Cyra blasted the magic with fire before flying at it, ready to try to break it with force and magic.

But just before she reached it, she pulled away squawking. Guns flared, going off rapid-fire, hitting my shields on her and deflecting. Those that hit the spell seeped in and made it stronger.