Westward Ho! Or, The Voyages and Adventures of Sir Amyas Leigh, Knight, of Burrough, in the County of Devon, in the Reign of Her Most Glorious Majesty Queen Elizabeth by - (best books to read for self development TXT) 📕

Unfortunately.

Gritting his teeth, he continued to move until the dragon was behind his back. His large wings flapping hopelessly. And then, to Tristan’s shock, the beast began to rise into the air.

The angels, damn them, followed the beast as it wobbled in the sky on its broken wings.

Tristan felt fury uncurl within him. Clutching his blade more tightly, he shot into the sky after them. The battle was a dangerous one. The dragon was driven by a need to survive. Tristan had to stay close, had to knock the angels back as they attacked the dragon’s wings.

And yet, the angels were everywhere, teleporting into the sky, surrounding them. The sky filled with white-winged bastards hell-bent on destroying an innocent creature.

The dragon let out the most horrible sound, and then, it shifted in midair. A man fell from the sky, his eyes closed, his face pale.

Tristan dove for him, catching the shifter in his arms. His heart raced as he refused to look back at the angels who surrounded them. He just flew with all his might, choosing a direction at random. He could not let the Immortal die. He had to save him. Not because of Caine, or the fight, but because this man was an innocent who had been tortured and destroyed as a person.

Tristan knew what that felt like.

His heartbeat filled his ears. He could sense the angels just behind him. They shouted for him to stop, but an angel couldn’t compete with a gargoyle.

Slowly, the noise faded away. He continued to fly without slowing, but he also glanced down at the man in his arms. He was massive, even for a shifter. It was clear from his broad shoulders and the size of his hands that he had once been a muscular man.

His filthy blond hair had grown long, and a straggly beard hung to his belly. Tristan thought of the dragon with its broken wings and its sagging scales.

Looking behind him, he saw the angels far in the distance, still losing ground. Soon, this man would be safe.

But what of Surcy? And Mark? And Daniel? What of the other Immortals?

His instincts screamed to turn back, but it would mean death for the broken shifter in his arms. And so, he kept flying but he never stopped worrying.

15

Surcy crouched beside Daniel and Mark in the small cave hidden just around the corner from the main entrance.

“We have to help him!” Surcy whispered, trying to rise.

Daniel caught her arm and pulled her back down. “Sit down, and shut up. Or you’ll make things worse.”

Rage uncoiled within her. “Don’t tell me to shut up, you shitbag!”

She tried to shake her arm free of him, but his grip only tightened. “I’m not a… shitbag. But they’re fighting in the air. We’re useless there. We’ll be sitting ducks, so you have to use your brain a little.”

“My brain—!”

Mark cut her off. “Daniel, don’t talk to her like that. But Surcy, he’s right. We can’t teleport up here. If we want to escape, we have to scale down a mountain… which we’d never survive with the angels attacking, so our best bet is to stay here.”

“But—“

Suddenly, Daniel rose slightly, looking behind her out the cave entrance. “Stay here. And I mean it.”

And then, he ducked out of the cave.

Surcy’s heart clenched. She whirled to follow after him, but this time, Mark caught her arm.

“What are you doing?” she said, feeling panic rise within her. “We need to stop him. You’re right. He’s exposed out there. It’s too dangerous!”

Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught a movement. The three Immortals were hovering by the entrance to the main cave.

Sweat dripped down her back. If just one angel saw them, their lives could end with the flick of their swords. Yes, they’d be reborn… so that Caine could torture them all over again, but that would be the end of their chance to help them.

“What is he doing?” Mark murmured.

Daniel walked past the Immortals. Pointed to where Surcy and Mark were hiding, then kept going. As he emerged out of the shadows of caves, and out into the open beneath the angels. He pulled something from his pocket. Not his sword from his back. Not a dagger. But a small silver item from his pocket.

“What is that?” she asked, heart hammering.

He turned back and gave Mark and Surcy the saddest smile, then flicked his finger. A little flame blossomed to life. And as she watched, the flame spread over his body until he blazed. It continued further until it lit the very sands, spreading out until the entire top of the mountain behind the caves blazed with fire.

Then, and only then, he withdrew his sword.

The angels had seen him. Watching the flames grow in confusion. And then, they circled above him, staying out of reach of the fire.

Surcy’s entire heart squeezed in fear. The three Immortals left the cave entrance and raced to Surcy and Mark. Mark helped them sit down near the back of the small cave. She heard him murmuring words of comfort to them, but her focus was on Daniel.

What had he been thinking? Yes, it was the distraction the Immortals needed to reach them safely, but what would he do now with an army of angels surrounding him?

She doubted he’d thought further than that. The damn fire mage.

And yet, her legs ached with a need to run to him. Seeing him out there, exposed and alone, made her feel helpless. And she hated feeling helpless.

Again.

“How do we help him?” she whispered.

Mark knelt down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “He’ll be fine.”

“Can he last forever like that?”

Mark took a long second to answer. “No, eventually the fire will kill him.”

She turned to him in shock.

“But not for a long time,” Mark rushed out.

“Then, what’s his plan?”

The druid shrugged. “I’m sure he has one.”

Surcy pushed