Chapter 20
Max
Shrieks fly through the air, as if ripped away by the winds, and the trees shake in front of us. Another roar, this one closer startles me, as a beast with glowing green eyes emerges from the brush.
Within seconds, it pounces across the creek, landing in a harsh drop before us, ground rattling.
More screams release from behind us, most likely from the camp and the beast’s ear flatten, annoyed.
Gods, he’s large. My eyes widen, taking in the black coarse hair, the sharp claws and the vibrant eyes. Every time I inhale, the singular slit of a pupil contracts.
It’s tracking me, tasting my fear on the air and I freeze.
Lurching forward, it snaps its jaw, rows of yellow teeth flashing before our eyes. Its fangs glisten, salvia dripping on to the ground, sizzling upon impact.
“It’s poison,” I whisper, keeping still. The venom is meant to kill with one bite.
“A Skrull then,” the heir mutters darkly. “I figured one would come by at one point. They prowl the edges of the forest, picking off those who get too close for food.”
On Cella’s crown, he was telling the truth. Beasts live in this forest.
Does that mean he was telling the truth about me?
I swallow, anxiety and fear clogging my throat.
Circling us, the beast prowls close, growling as the heir keeps me behind his back. It swats at his feet, but the Fae is faster, keeping one step ahead.
He raises his sword, eyes watching for a weakness.
“That’s the beast you said ate whatever was strongest?”
“One of them, yes.”
One of them? “Well, he’s looking at you like a tasty snack,” I quip, dagger heavy in my hand. It’s too small to hurt something so big, but I grip it like it’s my last hope. Because it is.
Burning eyes flicker back to me as his mouth twists into a smug smirk. “I appreciate the confidence, but it’s not me who it wants.”
The beast pounces, a large paw swiping at the heir’s middle. He jumps back, fluid as water, as he shoves me away. I stumble, catching against a log as the Fae and beast collide, sending the ground shaking. I fall to one knee, the mud of the embankment sucking me in.
The beast twists, turns, coming straight for me and before I can raise my dagger, the heir is there, blocking the blow. The sword catches his claws, pushing the beast back as it shrieks, mad at missing a meal.
Kaden growls, looking down at me. “Your training is abysmal.”
Flipping him off, I stand, legs trembling, fear running rampant as my magic responds. The Skrull returns to prowling, looking for a way in.
Inhaling, I let it consume me and stain my fingers red. If this is one Skrull, where is the second one I sensed?
The snapping jaws force the heir to jump back, our sides clashing as he growls, holding me steady. “You need to learn to fight if you’re going to survive.”
Holding up my hands, I sneer, “I have this, heir.”
His eyes turn black, cooling my irritation. “And I have this. It doesn’t mean you should rely only on your magic.”
Scoffing, he shoves me to side, further back, sword blocking from the beast swiping again.
The Skrull hunkers low, body poised to leap, eyes trained on me. The heir rushes it, his movements lean like a warrior, but the beast is large, batting him away before jumping at me.
I dart away, Kaden tackling the beast to the side as I pant, lips quivering. That was too close.
“Can you do anything?” He asks, annoyed.
Glaring, I stand, knees muddy, and hold my hands high. It takes a moment to locate the heart. It’s irregular, five chambers instead four, and the blood is thick like molasses, but I hold it, let my magic swirl and take with glee.
It hungers for its heart and I smirk, hearing the drum beat inside my skull like a twin heartbeat.
Roaring, I pin it down as the heir stands, sword raised. Before it pierces, I jump, another drum thumping into my skull.
Pausing, I feel my magic at my fingertips, pounding with awareness and I turn, searching the bushes. I can feel the other one, but where?
“Focus, blood summoner!” Kaden struggles with the beast, blade to its throat, my powers lax. It’s fighting my control and I shake my head, mind whirling.
Two drums, two hearts. Two beasts.
The bushes shake again and I drop the Skrull that tangles with Kaden, hands raised in front of me.
“There’s another one!” I shout out, my voice cutting off as something dense drives into my chest. Knocking me into the ground, my vision goes black, head knocking into the compact dirt.
Blindly, I twist, clawing at the grass to get away, but a heavy paw presses me into the mud. My nose rubs into the forest floor as the scent of earth surrounds me followed by the distinct smell of decaying flesh.
A growl, right at my ear, vibrates as it pushes me further and my body snaps, cracking at the pressure. It’s going to kill me, this new Skrull before I’ve had a moment to fight back.
Fear hammers into my chest, throat clogging with terror as his claws rip into my flesh, shredding me. Is this how I die? Before I’ve even returned to my hut?
Air rushes past my lips. I can’t breathe.
“Fight back!” Kaden shouts over me, the sounds of metal and coarse fur ringing above me. Fight back.
Inhaling what little air is left, I focus my magic, sensing the beast above me and tug. The image in my mind is grainy, depleted, but the heart beats loudly, thunder roaring over the landscape.
My fingers twitch in the dirt, bending and broken and I pull his blood, forcing the heart under my command.
The beast won’t go without a fight, large fangs biting into my shoulder. It’s absolute agony as his teeth rip into my joint. Screaming, I flail, legs kicking up muck and debris as his spit burns my skin.
It smells like hot burning skin and death.
My magic reacts, twisting his heart with more strength than I can muster, the need to protect me strong. It latches on and squeezes with a firm grip.
It convulses, shakes, teeth finally releasing from my shoulder as it slides away. Coughing, I roll over, the heir coming to my side, sword dripping red.
His eyes flicker to me, than the stunned Skrull, lifting his sword high and jabs it through it’s throat. Only then does my magic release the monster and I heave, vomit and adrenaline rising up my throat.
Pulling me to my feet, I stumble, the heir catching me.
Across the small opening, the first Skrull lays, dead, chest carved up like it was eaten alive. Blood covers the heir’s face and chest.
“You’re injured.”
“Astute of you,” I snap, eyes watery. It fucking burns.
Glancing to my shoulder, under my shirt, my skin is charred as if held too close to a flame, smoking as the venom sinks deep. Stomach rolling, I blink my eyes, looking back to the heir.
“For someone who thinks this will help,” he grabs my hand, covered in the Skrull’s blood, waving my fingers in my face. “You’re terrible at using it.”
Glaring, I whip my hand away. “Sorry we’re not all war-bred warriors like you.”
Stepping close, bare chest brushing my tattered shirt, it’s painfully obvious how exposed we are. How vulnerable this is.
And fuck, my body hurts.
“Magic is a Gods-given gift, Max. And yours? One of the most powerful ever imagined.” He grabs my fallen daggers, lost in the scuffle, and pushes them into my middle. “So fucking do something with it. Be powerful.”
He doesn’t understand. I’ve spent my whole life trying to avoid my magic. Now that I’m with someone who isn’t afraid of it, compels me to use it, I don’t know how.
It’s too strong to control, too strong to use. Nessa did me no favors by teaching me to ignore it, to force it away, because now, I’m left with no way of understanding it. No way of harnessing it.
Blinking away weariness and pain, I clear my throat. “I don’t know how.”
He snorts, grabbing his discarded clothing. “First step? Stop being afraid of yourself.” He sheaths his sword, tying his hair into a knot on his head. “Everyone else already is. Own your magic and maybe you’ll be as powerful as I think you are.”