Read Online Ever My Merlin (Book 3, My Merlin Series) by Priya Ardis - Free Book Online

knew it wouldn’t hold against Vane’s power. I jumped and caught the blast with the edge of Excalibur’s blade just before it hit the shield. The blast slammed into Excalibur’s unusual metal. It knocked me backwards to the ground and rebounded into Vane. Vane put out a hand and captured the stream of pure energy into his hand. Somehow, he compressed it so that it formed a tight green fireball and bounced it idly in his hand.
    My bones jarred by hard concrete, I forced myself back on my feet and shouted, “What are you doing, Vane?”
    Thoughtful eyes turned to me. “It seems as if I truly have stripped Merlin’s magic.”
    “You knew that!” I said, seething. “You promised not to harm him.”
    “I promised earlier. This is later.” Frost firmly obscuring any emotion in his eyes, Vane lifted the trident again at Matt. “I need that snake, Merlin. All our fates depend on it.”
    I strode forward, putting myself between Matt and him, and taunted him. “You’ll have to go through me and I know you won’t. You still need Excalibur.”
    “Are you so certain?”
    He said it so quietly I felt a trickle of unease go down my spine. I raised my chin. I hadn’t given into him when he was being a jerk before and I wasn’t about to now… even if this was a way scarier jerk.
    Another figure came out of the door. This one made my stomach clench. He also held a sword. It was the gargoyle king’s traitorous son—Oliver, who’d once been my friend. I’d hoped to never see him again. I wasn’t so lucky.
    Oliver mocked, “Am I late?”
    He lined up with Leonidas and the mermaids. Disbelief filled me. I’d lost count of how many times the gargoyle had tried to kill me. I turned to Vane. “You’re working with him ?”
    Vane said steadily, “I needed a backup.”
    “ You sicken me ,” I thought to him.
    The Minotaur inside stirred and awoke. Green eyes intensified.
    Oliver smiled at me. “I will happily take the sword.”
    I spat, “Try me.”
    Oliver took a step forward. A barrier of magic blocked his way. Vane said, “We’re not here for that today.”
    “Let’s give you a choice, love. Merlin or your friend. Which one will you defend?” Vane’s voice said, except it sounded oddly hollow.
    A stream of magic sent Gia flying backwards across the roof. She landed on a ledge. Her head and back collided with the wall in a loud “ crack! ” Her head slumped forward as she passed out in a sitting position. Instinctively, I took a step toward her.
    Vane raised a brow. “Which one will you choose?”
    I hesitated.
    Vane barked, “Leonidas, take the red-haired witch.”
    Sword in hand, Leonidas leapt toward Gia with a feral noise. Grey ran to Gia to intercept him. Everything happened quickly after that. Too quickly.
    “No!” Blake yelled. “ Aayat !”
    A knife extended into a sword in Grey’s hands. Blake managed to conjure a weak fireball, which he lobbed at Leonidas. He and Grey charged the mermaid prince with a sword. Oliver stepped in against them. Close to the edge of the rooftop, the two clashed. I knew Leonidas too well. Blake and Grey didn’t stand a chance.
    I ran across the roof to help them. Matt ran beside me.
    Out of the corner of my eye, across the long length of the rooftop, I saw Hari, Raj, and about ten other wizards surround Vane and the remaining mermaids. They held swords and fireballs in their hands, with which they bombarded Vane.  The small, explosive balls, although magic, lacked strength. Vane deflected the fireballs easily, then imbued them with more strength as he sent them rebounding back. A fast, blazing fireball flew straight back at Hari, hitting him squarely in the chest. With barely a cry, the young wizard sailed backwards. His body collapsed on the rooftop. The sword, now useless in his hand, clattered to the ground beside him.
    “No!” Sangeetha, her black braids flying behind her, ran to her husband.
    Matt halted midway to Grey. Hari, the young wizard, who was so