Knees pressed into Kira's chest, cracking the ribs under their force. Hands held her arms in place, pressing them into the ground. She opened her eyes to see two men leaning over her. One man, with his knees in Kira's chest, held his hands firm around her throat. Fingers pressed into her jugular, cutting off her air passage. Golden hair, greased from dirt and blood, fell in his face. The man's stench would've made Kira want to hurl if not for the crushing pressure at her throat.

"'urry, she's awake," the man holding her arms said.

"I don't understand! She should be dead already."

Kira squirmed under the man's weight. Neither wore the helms of a guard, but both wore chainmail which rattled with their movements. Her legs kicked in desperation, but did nothing to shake the man from her. Brown eyes stared at her through his wrinkled brow. The man sneered, spit dropped onto her cheek with his sweat. Screams sounded around her. Wilders and guards fought from the corner of Kira's eyes. The Wilders didn't conceal their powers; magic flowed freely as they launched attacks at the men with swords. She couldn't see Addrick anywhere and then man's grip on her throat kept her head from turning.

"She should be dead. It's witchcraft."

Kira closed her eyes. Energy burned through her, pulling at the hairs on her arms. Though she couldn't move her arms, she could still send the magic into her palms. Her fingers curled inward, the tips itched as the energy grew stronger. She prayed to the God's Addrick was right and her magic would only hurt her intended target. If not, she knew she'd have a killer case of heartburn. Lightning bolts sprang from each finger, shooting upward before arching back down.

"By the God's! She is a witch. Her eyes are black as—" The man couldn't finish his sentence as the lightning struck his chainmail. It jumped from him to the man holding her arms. The men convulsed, foam dripped from the crooks of their mouths. Kira wasn't shocked when the eyes of the man kneeling on top of her rolled back in his head. Both bodies fell limp to the side, lightning bolts flickered along the metal of their now electrified armor. Kira gasped for air when the man's hands released from her throat. She rolled on her side and looked for Addrick. He lay curled in a ball, both eyes closed, unmoving with a spear sticking out of his leg. Pain throbbed around her ribs as Kira crawled toward him. Sheer will power kept her from keeling over under the agony screaming from her insides.

"Addrick," she said. Her voice was raspy from her crushed larynx. Her fingers brushed his cheeks. They were hesitant at first with, worrying his skin would be cold from his death. She sighed when normal body heat greeted her touch.

Her other hand rested on his chest and waited for a heartbeat to confirm the warmth of his body. While it was weak, it beat all the same. Tan skin had paled to the point it almost became white. One finger traced the freckles and red bumps on his face. She brushed over the swollen eye and gash on one cheek. Both healed under her touch, but Addrick still didn't awaken.

"Addrick, stop sleeping on the job you lazy ass."

She called upon the electricity again and sent pulsating sparks into both cheeks. Addrick's body jerked. He gasped as his back arched upward. Arms flopped against the dirt, legs kicked outward as his body twisted in place. His eyes fluttered open as the spasm ended. Kira pushed herself to a stand and wrapped her hands around the spear still lodged in his leg. He rubbed his head as Kira looked down at him. She didn't give him time to figure out what was happening, she jerked the spear from his leg. Addrick's scream sounded more like the roar of his leopard. He barred his teeth as he glared at her through animal eyes. The yellow lasted for a second before fading to normal.

"Guards—they're attacking the tribe." Kira looked around as she helped Addrick to a stand.

Men and woman, children she'd played with, they were being slaughtered without hesitation. While Emma had been her blood, these people related to Kira in ways her aunt never could. She'd found a home with them. A place where she wouldn't have to hide her abilities, yet the guards were systematically taking them from her as they took Emma. Kira's lips quivered as she balled her hands. So much death, fear, the air reeked of it. Blood stained grass glistened in the setting sunlight. The Wilders didn't deserve to die, but the guards . . . they deserved to be sent to the deepest pits of hell.

Her eyes jumped from man to man. Swords and spears shredded innocents and shape-shifters pounced on the men only to be swatted off like flies. None of it made sense. Why did they have to die? Kira looked at her hands. Bright red spiraled through her insides, webbing from pore to pore. If she was a Guardian, a real Guardian, then those hands in which she stared at held power beyond anything those guards had ever seen. They'd bow before her, begging for mercy they refused to show the Wilders. Vengeance would come swift and Kira knew she'd enjoy it. Her eye twitched as she resumed her stare at the battle ragging around her.

"Don't, Kira," Addrick said. He held her shoulder, using her as a crutch to lean on.

"They're killing everyone. How can a sword out match magic?"

"Power isn't everything."

"I won't let them take these people from me. Finally, I'm with my kind and they want to take it from me."

"Control yerself. Ye don't understand what yer doing."

"I can stop this. Power is everything if you use it right."

"Nay! Stop, please. I'm begging ye to listen to me for once."

Addrick continued to plead with her, but his voice faded to a murmur. The ground rumbled under her feet. A wave rolled through the soil yet nobody else appeared to notice. Addrick tugged on her arm, but she shrugged him away. Her eyes focused on a guard leaning over the body of a young girl. She'd been so happy to see Kira the first day. The little girl skipped along their path, picking flowers to make Kira a beautiful bouquet. And now her blood coated the guard like an extra armor. He laughed as he wiped his sword on his pants and turned to find his next victim.

The world slowed as Kira raised both arms toward the man. Her eyes narrowed as she lined his head between a thumb and index finger. One lip twitched as she squeezed the two fingers together, pinching the man's head between them. The man shouted before his head exploded. Her attention moved to another guard, but there were too many. Not even she could take them out before they killed more Wilders. More innocents. She couldn't let that happen.

Kira spread her legs. Her fingers locked together and she pressed the bound hands to her chest. Fire pulsed through her veins, building sweat slicked her brow. Each limb quivered with force. A growl rumbled deep in her throat. Kira's head tilted back as her arms thrust to her side and a shockwave ignited from within her. Screams joined with her roar before silence reigned. Kira dropped to her knees, gasping for breath. Her arms and legs throbbed.

"Kira . . ."Addrick whispered. She allowed him to pull her into his arms. "What have you done?"

"I saved them," she said.

"Kira . . . you didn't . . ." Addrick stumbled over his words. His arms hooked under her as he pulled her to her feet. Kira's head rested against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"Leave, now," Astrid said.

"Astrid, wait—"

"No, Addrick! She's killed everyone. My master is dead because of her."

"The guards were killing everyone," Kira said. She opened her eyes to look at Astrid. Blood dripped from her hair and clothes. Tears swirled the crimson liquid along her cheeks. Astrid stared at Kira with such hatred.

"She didn't know what she was doing."

"And that makes it better, Addrick? I have seen into her heart! She'll be the death of us all. She's Zarich incarnate. Leave now, Kira. This tribe is no place for you."

"What—" Kira rubbed her eyes. Her body ached as though she'd battled many. Addrick's hand brushed her shoulder, magic pouring from his touch filled her, but did nothing to sooth her battered body.

"You killed everyone, Kira! It's amazing any of us survived. Your heart is black. If you know what's good for you Addrick, you'll let her go and stay with us."

"Ye know I cannot. I will not abandon my duty again. Never again."

Astrid snorted. "You, of all people, are the last person I would've thought would defend this kind of magic."

Kira looked around. Wagons stood alit from flame, horses ran in fear. Bodies littered the grounds of the camp, guards and Wilder both. Smoke wafted from their torched skeletons. A stench thickened in the air with the breeze cutting through the death. Her eyes widened, knowing the bodies hadn't been so numerous before her magic and there were far too many for her to have simply killed the guards. Cries drifted to her ears as survivors wept. A lump wedged itself in her throat. The messy clumps of her hair swung with her denial. She dropped to her knees, tears fell in a steady flow.

"I didn't . . . this wasn't . . ."

"You are no Guardian, Kira. Evil is what you are."

"Enough, Astrid! She is a Guardian," Addrick shouted.

Kira looked up. He stood in front of her. Broad shoulders tensed as he became the buffer between Kira and Astrid. Astrid's hands glowed as she glared at Kira. Other survivors gathered. No longer did their stares welcome to her. Narrow eyes, furrowed brows, hardened lips—those were the featured that greeted her gaze. Hands gripped hilts of swords or had magic curling over their fingers, the Wilders feared her.

"If you go with her Addrick, you're signing your own death sentence. I've seen what's in her soul and what she will do to us all."

"Yer wrong, Astrid. The seers in New Calandria have seen otherwise. She was frightened and lost control over her power. Kira was—"

"Be quiet and leave!" Astrid released her magic as she shouted. "May the God's protect you in your duty."

Addrick tugged on Kira's arm. He looked back to Astrid and the Wilders. "Tell no one of this. None of ye. It is not what ye think, it was an accident. On my honor as a shifter it was an accident."

Astrid snorted. "You are a fool, Addrick."

"Nay, ye are."