As if to prove me wrong, I heard, “You can’t hide from me,” as Dannie flew into sight, the shining light of her phoenix form washing over us. “I know you’re here, and I promise that if you come out, I’ll make your deaths fast. I’ll also ensure your energy is distributed to the right worlds. You’ll rest peacefully within your ancestral magic.”

Got to love the reasoning of a morally corrupted being. I’m going to kill you no matter what, but if you don’t resist, I’ll ensure that it’s fast and your energy returns to its rightful place. It’s the least I can do.

Really fucking big of you, Dannie.

She glided closer, the flame-covered wings flapping slowly, holding her aloft. “There’s really no need to fight me. You can’t win, and I think you all know that. You should have just stayed away and enjoyed the lives I so graciously granted you. But you didn’t. And I cannot manipulate your minds again, as you’ve protected yourself enough that I don’t care to try to get around it.”

Fuck yes. Threats aside, it was beyond exciting that Len’s stones were working. Faerie stones for the win, finally, since it was kind of what had gotten us into this mess. But I would not blame the victim here—this was all on Ixana and Dannie.

Dannie, who’d apparently had enough at this point, sent out a strong burst of magic, decimating the camouflage shield like it was nothing. The locals went flying, which had my temper exploding, my vision turning red.

Flames sprung up around me as my fury grew over Dannie tossing innocent beings around like they were pieces of trash.

I lashed out, and a strand of my power hit the phoenix, sending her back a few paces. She recovered in an instant, rising up again, her flames larger than ever. My power, still thrumming strongly through my veins, allowed me to rise up as well, flames coating my skin in the familiar dance of magic.

Dannie and I faced off against each other, and I was certain that the others were screaming at me from the ground, but there was no time to worry about that. My head was in the game, all other distractions blocked from my mind as I dragged from the depths of my being as much power as I could.

“I wanted to save you,” I roared at Dannie. “I fought the others, who wanted to kill you straight up!” My voice grew louder and deeper. “I told them you were a good person deep down, and that the stone was the corruption. Not you. I fought for you and your life, and this is how you repay me?”