The Grey God

Jenn turned, knowing what was there before she faced it. She sensed nothing; she wouldn't, for only Charles and Darian could.

"Step back, Yully," she ordered.

"Jenn-"

"Now."

Touch the obelisk, Yully said into her thoughts.

Jenn nodded once to show she heard. Yully retreated, and Jenn faced the Other. It bristled with purple power and was focused on her. She eased back a step, closer to the obelisk. The Other raised a hand, and Jenn dived to the ground as lightning ripped through the air towards her. It glanced off the obelisk. She rolled away from the second strike but the third tore through her, frying her from the inside out. It flung her against a tree then dropped her.

She cried out. The blast was short but sucked her magic and left her feeling as if her insides were on fire. Jenn grated her teeth and climbed to her feet, wishing Bianca was there for another of her healing charges. The obelisk was twenty feet away. It could've been a million, with the Other readying another attack.

Drawing her knives, Jenn drew a deep breath and gathered what magic she could from the world around her. She flung a knife. The Other moved, his first strike sizzling by her. She threw herself down to avoid the second, sent another knife in its direction to distract it, and leapt up, dancing and twisting through the lightning streams. From the corner of her eye, she saw the first of another group of guardsmen rushing the obelisk.

Her ankle twisted as she landed on a rock, and she fell, yanking free another knife to block the guardsmen's first blow. Jenn rolled and slammed into the obelisk. Its power raced through her and out, sending the guardsman nearest her flying.

Channel it! Yully's voice was almost a shout in her mind.

Jenn looked from the next guardsman to the Other whose lightning lit up its hands. She touched the obelisk again. Yully shoved the magic into her from the other side, and Jenn pointed her knife at the Other. White lightning snaked through the air. The Other sailed across the orchard and slammed into the hillside and through it.

Jenn didn't have time to celebrate. She stumbled away from a guardsman's blow that knocked her remaining dagger from her hand and landed hard.

Another Other appeared. Purple lightning sizzled and a guardsman's sword arced towards her simultaneously. Jenn covered her head, waiting for the pain.

It didn't come. She looked up. Darian stood over her. He knocked the guardsman back with a punch and deflected the Other's lightning effortlessly. He offered her a hand. Jenn stared at it then at him. She took it. Darian pulled her up. She stepped away from him quickly.