Chapter 58

The evening had been quiet, with only the sounds of nature and the occasional breeze rustling through the trees. We were riding under the darkening sky, the glow of dusk barely fading away, when everything suddenly changed.

Kaden’s head snapped to the right, his expression hardening. Luka and Merilla stopped abruptly, their ears pricking up, and their noses twitching as they sniffed the air. Even Kaden lifted his chin slightly, inhaling deeply, his eyes narrowing.

A sickening feeling grew in my chest, and I sat up straighter on Merilla's back. Something wasn’t right.

" Zaden!" Kaden barked, his voice commanding.

" Formation!"

Without hesitation, Zaden, Mike, and Seth moved into action. They surrounded me in a protective triangle, their horses shifting into position with the precision of a well-practiced maneuver. Merilla bared her teeth, her deep growl rumbling beneath me like thunder ready to strike.

My heart pounded, my eyes wide with shock and confusion. " What’s going on?" I asked, my voice shaky as the adrenaline kicked in. But Kaden didn’t answer.

Instead, he jumped off Luka in one swift motion, landing on the ground with barely a sound. His hand shot out, and the air crackled around him, blue lightning sparking at his fingertips. I watched, mesmerized for a moment, before my fear snapped me back to reality. This wasn’t just another training session. Something was out there—something dangerous.

I strained my ears, trying to hear what Kaden and the others had sensed, but the forest remained eerily quiet. The only sounds were the soft breathing of the horses and the distant rustling of leaves. My breath caught in my throat as the tension built. The silence pressed down on us, thick and heavy.

Then, almost simultaneously, both Merilla and Luka growled, low and dangerous. I felt the vibration from Merilla’s growl travel through my legs. It sent a chill down my spine.
And that’s when they appeared.

Out of the dense trees, men suddenly charged at us, their footsteps pounding against the ground like a herd of wild animals. My blood ran ice-cold as I recognized them instantly—the cursed ones from Dravonia. Their eyes glowed with the unmistakable curse mark on their foreheads, a dark red symbol that burned with malevolent energy. They were coming for me.

Kaden didn’t hesitate. He unleashed his power in a flash, lightning arcing from his hands as he struck the first wave of attackers. The air sizzled with electricity, and I heard the pained cries of the men as they fell under his attack. But for every one he struck down, more surged forward from the shadows of the forest.

" Luka!" Kaden roared, and the giant lion-like spirit animal leaped into action. With a ferocious snarl, Luka tore into the attackers, his massive paws swiping at them with deadly precision. The cursed men were strong, but Luka was stronger, faster, and far more dangerous.

Merilla crouched low, her muscles coiling beneath me as she prepared to defend us. " Steady, girl," I whispered, though my voice trembled. My heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to keep my fear at bay. I’d trained for moments like this, but nothing could have prepared me for the real thing.

Zaden, Mike, and Seth were already engaged in the fight, their weapons drawn as they fought off the cursed ones trying to breach our protective circle. The sound of clashing swords and the roar of spirit animals filled the air. Zaden’s sword flashed in the dim light, his movements precise and deadly. Mike and Seth flanked him, their weapons slicing through the oncoming attackers with grim determination.

I could see the strain on their faces. These men weren’t ordinary fighters—they were enhanced by the curse, their strength and speed unnatural. But Kaden’s guards held their ground, fighting with every ounce of training and skill they had.

" Kaden!" I called out, panic rising in my throat. There were too many of them. How could we possibly hold them all off?

Kaden glanced over his shoulder at me, his eyes blazing with the power of his lightning. " Stay close to Merilla! Do not leave her side!" His voice was firm, commanding, but there was an undercurrent of fear for me. He knew as well as I did that these men were after me, not just the group as a whole.

Merilla roared, sensing my fear, and lunged forward just as one of the cursed men broke through Zaden’s defenses. Her massive paw swiped him aside, sending him crashing into the ground with a sickening thud. She moved so fast, I barely had time to react.

My hands trembled as I reached out, trying to summon the frostfire that had become such a part of me. The heat and cold warred within me, fighting for dominance, and I forced myself to focus. I could feel it building, the flame of icy fire licking at my fingertips. I had to use it. I had to fight.

But before I could act, another wave of cursed ones charged at us. There were too many of them—dozens, maybe even more, emerging from the trees like a plague. My pulse quickened. The air around us felt heavy with their dark energy.

" Come on, Meara," I muttered to myself, clenching my fists. " You can do this."

I lifted my hand, focusing all my energy on the power inside me. The blue flames erupted from my palm, flickering wildly in the air. I directed them toward the oncoming attackers, and for a moment, I felt a surge of triumph as the flames struck their targets. The cursed men screamed in pain as the FrostFire engulfed them, their bodies freezing and burning all at once.

But it wasn’t enough. More of them kept coming, and for every one I took down, another took his place. My arms ached from the strain of using my power and sweat dripped down my forehead despite the chill of the frostfire.

Kaden was in the thick of the fight, his lightning flashing through the night as he took down man after man. Luka fought beside him, a blur of fur and claws, while Zaden, Mike, and Seth held their own, but the sheer number of cursed ones was overwhelming.

I gritted my teeth, pushing myself harder. I couldn’t let them take me. I wouldn’t let them. I hurled another wave of frostfire at the attackers, the blue flames spiraling out of my hands with more force than I’d ever managed before. The cursed ones shrieked as the fire tore through them, but I could feel my energy waning.

Merilla let out a deafening roar, and I clung to her as she leaped forward, her massive body barreling through the attackers like a battering ram. Her sharp claws slashed through the cursed ones, her fangs gleaming in the dim light as she tore into them. Her fury was a reflection of my own, and I could feel her protective instincts surging through our bond.

But just as I thought we were gaining the upper hand, a shadow loomed at the edge of the clearing. A man, taller and more imposing than the others, stepped out from the trees. His curse mark burned brighter than the rest, and his eyes locked onto mine with a chilling intensity.

" That’s him," Kaden growled, his voice dark and low. "He’s the leader."

The leader of the cursed ones. The man who had come for me.

He raised his hand, and a dark, twisted magic swirled around him. My heart raced as I realized what was happening—he was about to unleash something far worse than what we’d faced so far.
" Kaden!" I shouted, my voice breaking with fear.

But before Kaden could move, the leader’s magic shot out toward us, a dark tendril of energy aimed directly at me.

Time seemed to slow as the dark magic hurtled through the air. I could see Kaden lunging toward me, his hand outstretched, lightning crackling at his fingertips. But he wasn’t fast enough. The magic was going to hit me.

I braced myself, trying to summon my frostfire, but I was too late.

The dark energy struck, and I watched in horror as Kaden went down, collapsing to the ground. His face contorted in pain, and he clutched his head as if something was tearing him apart from the inside. The sight of him like that—helpless, vulnerable—made my heart feel as though it had been ripped from my chest.