“What?” Grim demanded and Shade glanced back to see the Priest staring at him with more concern than he would have thought possible. Wordlessly Shade pointed and watched as Grim spotted the High Lords but his gaze didn’t stop there. If anything Grim only glanced at the High Lords before his attention moved past them and his face paled. “Move, Get to the school now.” It wasn’t fear that fueled Grim’s voice as he spoke, but it was close and Shade felt the hairs on his arms rise in response.
Glancing back he stared past the High Lords and noticed the dark forms in the sky that had caught Grim’s attention. “Dragons?” he gasped in confusion.
“Dragons and Spell Hawks and a hell of a lot more of them than I want to face today.” Grim agreed as he moved swiftly back to Shade’s side and shoved him roughly toward the school. “Let’s go. This is not our business. That fight belongs to the High Lords.” He added sternly.
“Shouldn’t it also belong to her?” Lex observed coldly and Shade frowned as he stared at the two retreating figures emerging from the back of the palace that Lex was pointing toward. It only took Shade a breath to recognize who he was seeing and his pulse quickened in response. Symphony was in the lead followed by several guards, but it was the last figure that caught his attention and held it, Faramir.
“Guard him with your life and do not harm him. Follow Grim and I will meet you at the Academy.” Shade ordered hoarsely as he pushed Charm into Lex’s unwilling arms. “Do not leave him behind!” Shade added furiously as he wheeled toward the fleeing Empress. He could feel his pulse pounding loudly in his ears and his pace quickened as the rage he had felt at the sight of Charm’s broken body returned with a vengeance.
“Shade! No! We need to leave the city now, Shade!” Grim called loudly after him, but Shade ignored his friend’s logic. There was too much anger in his mind for logic to find space in his thoughts. “Bloody hell. Here hold her, don’t drop either of them. Just stand there and wait for us!” Grim snarled behind him and Shade could hear the grunt of effort from Lex as he was saddled with Ingrid as well.
Not bothering to slow or to glance back Shade continued toward his quarry with a determination he had never felt before. He couldn’t pull his eyes from Faramir despite the tread of heavy boots closing behind him. At any moment he knew Grim would catch him and pull him back and try to force him to flee, but that was an argument that Grim couldn’t win. Shade would not for love nor friendship turn away from this. Faramir would be punished no matter what the cost.
“Has to be right now eh?” Grim asked calmly as he fell into step beside him. “Right at this exact bloody moment, with dragons closing from the north and Spell Hawks coming in hard from the west.” He added with wry amusement rather than the anger Shade had expected.
Glancing to the west Shade raised an eyebrow at the tiny dots of black against the blue sky then turned his attention back to Faramir without slowing his steps. “Hadn’t noticed the other Spell Hawks to the west actually.” He admitted. He was so close behind them now he could smell Symphony’s perfume wafting back on the breeze.
Bitter memories rose in his mind of Faramir’s guidance over Symphony and Shade felt the rage inside him bubbling over, demanding release. He should have stopped her then, before he fled Sanctuary. He should have called Faramir out before she had a chance to destroy Charm and corrupt Symphony. He had fled instead, and now two of his friends had suffered because of it.
“Mm and it shall be devastating.” Grim crooned softly. “I can practically taste your anger it is so thick about you.” He mused with what sounded like satisfaction in his voice.
Ignoring him Shade quickened his steps and was nearly upon the two women and their guards before any of them noticed him approaching. A young Fionaveir Shade didn’t recognize stepped in front of Symphony with his hand going to the hilt of his sword, but Shade didn’t even acknowledge the action. His eyes were for Faramir alone. As easy as another might breathe Shade honed his reflexes and increased his speed pushing his agility far past normal means.
“Bitch!” The single word tore from Shade with the force of years of repressed emotion fueling it. Symphony staggered back to cringe behind her guards wide eyed and obviously too stunned for speech, but Shade didn’t even spare her a second glance. Lunging forward he brought his arm around for a bone shattering punch to Faramir’s jaw and summoned a spell that would detonate the moment his blow hit her. The Fionaveir woman reeled back and a squeal of alarm broke from her lips then turned to laughter as she caught Shade’s fist before it could connect and squeezed savagely.
Shade’s knees buckled as the bones of his fingers shattered under Faramir’s grip and gasped in silent agony when his own spell rebounded on him sending waves of jarring pain through his entire body. Stunned he strained to remain conscious as he tried to focus on what was happening. He could still hear Faramir’s laughter but the rest of the area around them was as silent as death. It took Shade a long moment to realize that Grim wasn’t coming to his rescue. Grim couldn’t come to his rescue Shade realized as the world around him came into full focus. The Priest was frozen in mid step as was every other figure around him aside from Faramir herself. Even the leaves of the trees above them were unmoving without so much as a breeze stirring them.