Chapter Thirty-Four
F rost seemed to sense the danger around us closing in, somehow speeding up, weaving through trees and over roots with incredible precision. But I was no rider. As she pushed on, faster by the second, I found myself slipping.
I urged her to slow down, but either she could not hear me or did not wish to obey. Frost wanted to live, and I did not blame her. When she leapt over a fallen tree, I knew I was doomed.
The moment her hooves touched the mossy ground once more, I flew off the saddle. The impact knocked the wind out of me, my back crying out in agony. Air did not return to my lungs again for what seemed to be ages, the cough that sputtered from my lips echoing across the forest.
In the distance, I heard Bellamy’s shouted order to find me. His fierce yells of horror and determination as he fought one of the beasts, earning piercing shrieks from his latest victim.
I was not too proud to admit I was drawn towards Bellamy, whose fury was shaking the ground under my feet. Willing myself forward, I slowly moved to the left. To him.
A chuckle from behind stopped me dead in my tracks.
Decay, that was what it smelled like. An odor far more foul than any other. I spun myself around, and there it was. The afriktor smiled down at me, each yellow tooth visible. My eyes caught on the bloody wound the creature had suffered to the chest.
This was the same one Bellamy hit earlier.
“How did you know all of those things about my family?” I asked, a sad excuse at distraction, but also my curiosity making an appearance at the worst possible time. The beast stalled, its head tilting to the side much like Bellamy’s often did.
“Interesting question,” it said, that petrifying voice making my stomach roll. “One I will not deign to answer, because the others come, and I no longer wish to share.”
Drool dripped from its mouth as it leapt towards me, those white eyes staring straight into my soul and far beyond. I dove to the right, barely getting out of the way in time. Then I was up and off, running as fast as I possibly could towards the sounds of Bellamy and his Trusted.
Fast was not quick enough. Beating wings could be heard from my back, and just as I jumped over a large root, the beast grabbed onto my shoulders, claws digging into my skin.
I screamed out in pain, which sent a rush of glee through the wretched beast. My left hand shot down to my thigh, unsheathing the dagger and plunging it into the arm of the afriktor. At the squishing of my blade cutting into its flesh and the scream that rang in my ears, I ripped down as hard as I could.
Suddenly, I was free-falling, my body barreling down towards the trees. A strong breeze slammed into me, slowing my descent. I was guided down between the branches, landing on the dead grass and moss with a thud. To my left sat the arm of the afriktor, which was twitching violently.
Scrambling to my feet, I moved away from the severed limb and searched desperately for whoever helped me. Lian ran through a dense pack of trees, blood splattered across her beautiful face and a sword in each hand. I still had the dagger gripped as well; my knuckles white from squeezing it so tightly.
“Are you okay?” she asked, appraising me. I nodded to her, my body shaking but overall, still intact. I knew blood was leaking from the wounds on my shoulders, but they were not so awful that I had to play the weak damsel. “Good, let’s go.”
The pair of us darted through trees and past a dead carcass of an afriktor that I assumed Lian had cut down. The sounds of the others grew nearer, and soon we could see the light coming off Henry and Winona shining through the trees.
Wings beat from somewhere above us, and I felt a constant probe on my mind, as if there was someone—or something—trying to project their thoughts my way. Relentless, that is what the push was. I shoved against it, attempting, and failing, to remain focused on the path ahead.
My heart thundered in my chest, pounding in my ears and reminding me that I was still alive. That I needed to push on. That there was a part of me that wanted to survive. And damn it all to the Underworld if that side would lose tonight.
A final jump over a mangled root and push through a patch of trees brought us back to the group. Five of them stood in a circle, fighting off the creatures left and right. Henry and Winona were lit up as bright as the sun, solid rays of light shooting from their hands and into the afriktors, burning through their bodies.
Noe was barely visible, a cloud of black encircling her like a vortex. She was slashing through the beasts with her shadows, cutting them as if they were butter. On her right was Cyprus, who was wielding blades and fighting the afriktors back with enough force to send severed body parts whisking through the air.
Ranbir was beside Winona, unmoving. His eyes were closed in what appeared to be concentration. I took a few staggered steps forward, but Lian grabbed my arm and pulled me back.
“He is sucking the life from them,” she said, pointing to the afriktor that was writhing on the ground in front of Ranbir. I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. I had never seen a Healer do such a thing.
With no other explanation or instruction, Lian leapt back into battle, fitting herself perfectly in between Henry and Winona. Watching her fight was startling. She was ruthless in her pursuit, killing at twice the rate of the others. Both of her swords seemed to sing through the air, as if she were using her powers to whip them faster.
Only one was missing from the group.
I searched the area, trying to find the demon prince, but he was nowhere to be seen. I could feel him though, somewhere out there. His aura pulsed, rage and adrenaline mixing into a dangerous combination. The ground shook, small cracks forming at my feet. Salt water kissed my cheeks, droplets of it washing through the air towards a dense patch of trees beyond the small clearing turned battle ground.
There he was. My feet moved of their own accord, taking me towards the roaring prince.
The area Lian had left me at was covered in shadow, not even the moon above or the Suns in front of me lit the patch of dead grass I stood on, or the path towards Bellamy. It should have been safe, but luck and I had quite the tumultuous relationship.
A solid force hit my back as I ran, and the smell of death burned my nose. I tumbled down, the slight hill giving me momentum and throwing me into a tree trunk.
Time seemed to slow then. The afriktor that I had mutilated came upon me, frothing at the mouth and dripping foul smelling blood on my chest. My dagger was gone, lost somewhere in the fall. No amount of training would have prepared me for this, definitely not a few days of lessons.
The wounds on my shoulders burned and my back felt as though it might break. And the afriktor knew that. It leaned down and licked at my right shoulder, laughing once more as its tongue ran over its bloody teeth.
Why would this thing not simply die?
Above, those white eyes stared at me with a hunger that sent shivers down my spine. I saw the sharp claws of the afriktor coming towards me and heard the shouts of Bellamy as he searched for me. Yet only one thing came to my mind.
The female who has a family that seeks to control her, use her.
The prince at your side hides much from you.
I was alone. Not only now, but in this world. A fae princess that had never known true love. Mia and Xavier used me, for what, I was unsure. They poisoned me, of this I was certain now, as I stared death in the face.
Bellamy was doing the same, though he disguised it as freedom. Really, I was his pawn, his tool. Maybe that was what I was to everyone. A sword and shield, rather than a sentient being.
But I did not want to die this way. No, I still had fight in me.
I would tear apart the world, destroy every one of them who wronged me, and I would start with this ugly, disgusting beast.
Inches before it gutted me, I reached out and caught the arm of the afriktor. It went wide-eyed, bewildered when it found my hold stayed tight. I had always been strong, but now I was also riding the high of my fury.
Pushing with every ounce of strength I had, I shoved the afriktor, sending it flying into a tree. A loud crack rang as it made contact with the bark, the large body then slamming into the ground.
Before, it had said my gift did not work quite the same on them, but had not suggested my powers did not work at all. I channeled everything I had, dove deep into that well of power that I had only recently discovered was so vast.
The beast moved, murderous thoughts attempting to jam through my mental gates. I stood as well, mirroring its need for blood.
Too often I had been used. Too often I had been belittled. Too often I had been exploited.
I lifted my hands, closing my eyes to focus on that thick and grimy feeling of the afriktors, wrapping myself around their minds.
Never again would I be abused. Never again would I be taken advantage of. Never again would I be weak.
They wanted me to be the villain? They wanted The Manipulator?
Fine. Then that was who I would be.
I threw my arms forward, releasing a piercing scream as I took my power and threw it into their minds.