Chapter 225 Worst Nightmare

Chapter 225 Worst Nightmare

ETAN

They'd rushed out of the castle and into the gardens, Etan in the lead. But as they approached the south-eastern corner, it was as if the air around them became thick, like water. Etan pushed on, but soon couldn't move beyond a tortured, crawling stride.

"What—"

"The witch is here!" Quwan snarled from behind him. He drew forward and bade them all to take hands. "Focus on the Father of Lights—remember his power and his victory!"

Etan struggled to pull his mind away from Ayleth—where was she? What was going on? But as the men around him clenched hands and pushed forward together, he turned his mind to the Father, and to his hope—for himself and Ayleth, and for his people.

Don't let evil win, he prayed. Don't let us fall to this enemy.

Quwan muttered a prayer, and suddenly the pressure on them released, so quickly they all stumbled forward. They caught themselves, then began to run again.

Again, and again, they hit walls of power, moments where their flesh couldn't fight the power thrumming in the air, and each time, Quwan urged them to come together. To call on the Father's power and His strength. To remember that He worked for the good of others and for their hearts, not for the power to win.

Victory was already His.

And each time, the quagmire of power that swirled around them, tugging at Etan's hair and pinching his skin, would release, until they were finally nearing the edge of the garden, where a copse of trees overhung a walled garden that Etan had never paid attention to. These areas in the garden were little used and wilder, the gardeners clearly taking less time.

But Etan didn't have time to evaluate the work of the servants for the grounds, he could feel Ayleth, just on the other side of that wall. He called for her and she answered, but her voice was high and tense, and as he rushed forward, lokoing for the doorway through the wall, Borsche and Falek at his heels, it was Quwan who stepped forward and warned them with a barked, "STOP!"

All three of them slid to a halt as the once-wizard stared at nothing, his face twisted in distaste. "She twists the laws of nature to serve her power," he spat.

But there was no time to wonder.

"Are you safe?! Ayleth! Are you harmed!" he called as they ran towards her.

"No, I'm fine. I just... she just took me by surprise—"

An eerie yowl sounded from the ground at Ayleth's feet, then suddenly her mother was rising, twisting like a warrior to leap to her feet and throwing a hand towards Ayleth.

"Ayleth, watch out!" he screamed, but he wasn't sure she heard. Ayleth was already in motion, twisting herself into a high kick to take out the arm that her mother extended.

Everything seemed to slow as his wife's perfect form caught her mother's hand and there was a sharp crack.

Etan winced, believing it had to be a bone—but when Ayleth brought her foot back to the ground, she stared at her mother whose eyes and mouth were both wide, gaping at her mother's hand. Etan couldn't see what was in it, or what Ayleth's kick had done, but Ayleth's face suddenly paled and her jaw dropped.

Then she clutched at her own throat, and her eyes went wider.

"Ayleth?" Etan breathed. "AYLETH!"

He rushed the final steps to her side just as Ayleth took a step forward, clawing hands toward her mother—who stepped back and let Ayleth drop to the grass.

Behind in Quwan hissed, "The power—she used the power!"

"NO!" Etan bellowed as his wife slumped to the ground, then gave a ear-rending scream of pain.