Kerrick had to intercept her. But he wasn’t sure how to do it. Her air magic was much stronger than his forest magic. Perhaps he could ensnare her in vines and knock her unconscious. Then what? She’d be impossible to incarcerate or rendered harmless.

“Kerrick, I know you’re here. Show yourself,” Jael called.

He pulled power and turned normal, hoping to distract her from the vines creeping toward her legs.

“Wow, you look terrible,” she said.

“Right back at you, Jael. Brown isn’t your color.”

“I agree. Red is much more suited to me.” She held up her bloody sword. “Isn’t it pretty?”

He recognized the smug gleam in her eyes. Fear for Avry pumped through him.

Jael jabbed the weapon forward in a mock attack. “And shoving this into Avry’s heart was a thing of beauty.”

His world spun, but fury trumped pain. Kerrick stepped closer to her.

“I’m going to savor that look of astonishment on her face for a long time,” Jael said. “She thought I’d use my magic, but the vibration as the blade scraped bone tingled all the way up my arm.” Jael held her hand up, stopping Kerrick’s advance with a wall of air. “Not that I’m averse to using my magic.”

The vines wrapped around her legs. She tsked. “You know better than that.”

The wall of air changed direction. Instead of pressing on him, it pulled away, taking his breath with it. He doubled his efforts, urging the vines to move faster. If he could just get to her before he passed out... Kerrick struggled to draw a breath. Dizzy and lightheaded, Kerrick sank to his knees. Desperate for air, he dug his fingers into the dirt and wrenched every last bit of his magic to him, hoping to block Jael’s attack.

But an odd thing happened. Roots erupted from the ground and burrowed into his legs, hands, and arms, twisting around Kerrick.

Jael laughed. “How perfect. The forest agrees with me.”

Sharp pain pierced him as the roots bit into his skin. What the hell? His vision turned to snow. Soon he’d get another taste of the darkness, and he feared he wouldn’t find the light again.

On the edge of blacking out, Kerrick fought to stay conscious and won. Huh? Energy infused him, but no air filled his lungs. Not wasting time to figure it out, he focused on Jael.

The vines had continued to circle her, but she remained calm, watching him with keen interest. Only when the vines encircled her neck did she fight. Too late. Soon trapped, she stared at him in horror.

“How?” she squeaked.

Without air, Kerrick couldn’t talk. Rooted to the ground, he couldn’t move. But his connection to the living green strengthened and, with a thought, he commanded the vines to tighten around her throat.