William landed on his back despite the ward that he conjured to protect him, but then quickly pushed himself up, searching for Ozias. The surge of power that had exploded from him had been so strong that the nearby trees had snapped and fallen down. Everyone from the group who had been standing close enough to the blast was either lying on the ground or staggering to their feet, wrapping themselves with their power in preparation for what was coming.
Annabel was the only one who had stayed on her feet, the end of her spear digging into the ground to keep her stable.
William had barely risen up when the first pair of red eyes appeared over the edge of the slope. One of the wraiths jumped toward him, its enormous body landing where William had been lying a second ago. He had managed to ro
