The Invisible Ring

those little candles. His mental frame brushed against a Summer-sky star. Recognizing the psychic scent, he pulled the frame away from Corry’s terrified mind.
    And unleashed again.
    More Jewel stars burst. Died.
    A fist clipped his chin, snapping his head back.
    Snarling, Jared twisted to face whoever dared interfere with him.
    Fear filled Randolf s brown eyes—fear and grim acceptance.
    Jared blinked.
    The heartbeat drum sped up.
    Before he was aware of it, he slid away from the killing edge.
    He blinked again and looked around.
    Randolf hadn’t told him the psychic explosion might also manifest as physical destruction.
    Jared stared at the shattered faces, the exploded heads.
    Breaking away from Randolf’s restraining hands, Jared leaned over the boulder that had been giving them a little cover and heaved.
    A strong, callused hand covered his forehead. Another hand soothingly rubbed his back.
    “You could have told me,” Jared gasped. He heaved again.
    “Would have made it harder for you,” Randolf said roughly.
    Panting, Jared tried to spit out the sick taste. He straightened up slowly.
    Randolf took a step back.
    “Have you ever done that?” Jared asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
    Randolf nodded. “Yeah. I’ve done it. There are good reasons why the dark-Jeweled Blood are feared, Jared.”
    A blast of power striking a nearby boulder reminded them that the battle wasn’t over.
    Jared threw a Red shield around both of them. They sprinted across the road, choosing a place that would hide them from anyone above them.
    “Hell’s fire,” Randolf said with grudging admiration. “Despite all the power they’re throwing against her, the Black Widow is still managing to hold that Green shield.”
    On the other side of that shield, dozens of marauders continued to unleash the strength of their Jewels, trying to break through.
    The blasts of power coming from their side of the road were mostly focused on the remains of the wagon. Thera was probably using it for cover. Was Lia with her?
    Jared pushed away from the boulders, feeling a little light-headed. “Shall we give the Ladies a hand?”
    Randolf grabbed his arm and yanked him down.
    “There’s something odd about that shield,” Randolf said, narrowing his eyes. “Never seen anything like that. Didn’t even know you could do that.”
    Jared didn’t see anything at first. Then he noticed the weird flickering inside the shield—flashes of Purple Dusk inside the Green. He could almost feel the elation of the men who were sending bolt after bolt of power against the shield.
    “The Purple Dusk is probably her Birthright Jewel,” Jared said. “If the reservoir of power in her Green Jewel is almost gone, she’d switch to her Birthright.”
    “If that was the case, there would be a Purple Dusk shield behind the Green one. But it looks like she’s blending the strength of her Birthright Jewel with the strength of her Green. Damned if I know how.”
    One of the marauders shouted something. The blasts stopped. A few seconds later, all of them unleashed at the same time.
    Once.
    Twice.
    On the third collective strike, the Green shield broke and the Purple Dusk power inside it turned into a roaring wall of witchfire that swept across the boulders.
    Men screamed in agony, caught in that flood of fire.
    The witchfire burned out in a few seconds.
    It was more than enough.
    Jared closed his eyes, unable to watch as the bodies ravaged by the fire began to fall.
    “Mother Night.” Randolf whispered sickly. “Mother Night.”
    Shuddering, Jared pressed his forehead against his knees.
    He heard horrified shouts coming from the boulders above him.
    He couldn’t move. He had to move. Had to find the others. Had to find Lia.
    In the tense seconds that followed, there were no more blasts of unleashed power. No more shouts.
    Silence, except for a rhythmic pounding somewhere close by.
    “The bastards who were left caught the Winds and fled,” Randolf said, cautiously getting to his feet. “I don’t think there were many of them.”
    Jared slowly raised his head, but couldn’t bring himself to look across the road. Even using the boulders for support, it took a couple of tries to get to his feet.
    “I’ve never—” Jared stumbled over the words.
    Randolf wiped a sleeve across his clammy face. “Nor I. Not like that. Never like that.”
    Jared raked a dirty hand through his hair. He took a deep breath and willed his quivering legs to move. “Let’s find the others.”
    They found Corry and