A savage blast of force shattered the half-sealed doorway, sending shards of stone and scorching energy spiraling across the chamber. Layla stormed in, staff alight with crackling arcs of dark lightning. The harsh glow revealed her tear-streaked face, grim with fury, and behind her surged a desperate gathering of Stormborn warriors.
“Ronan!” she cried, voice raw. Her eyes landed on the gruesome tableau: her mate sprawled on the floor, chest soaked in blood, the rogue mentor’s foot pressed mercilessly against him. The sight wrenched a choked gasp from her throat, but she instantly channeled her anguish into a fresh swell of power.
The staff’s tip glowed hot, unleashing a coil of energy that crashed into Silas, throwing him back from Ronan in a swirl of embers and sparks. He staggered, a s
