Chapter 7 Kai
Kai
WHAT MATTERS IN MY BOOK
Her emerald eyes are swollen, rimmed red as if she’s rubbed them raw.
She’s still wearing that kind of flush that lingers after you’ve cried yourself empty.
The bruises on her skin only deepen that quiet vulnerability she’s desperately trying to hide.
One that slips through in the moments she thinks I’m not looking.
But I am, like a moth to a damn flame.
Avilyna climbs onto the bike behind me, adjusting the helmet over her dark copper curls with trembling fingers.
That same stupid tightness ensnares me. It’s not worry.
It’s not like she was in the bathroom for a while.
Long enough to get noticeable. Long enough that the sound of her cries started to press a little heavy.
No, it’s annoyance. We don’t have time for breakdowns or whatever the hell that was behind the door.
Not when everything’s still falling apart out here.
Not when there are orders to follow and so few patrols to execute them.
So I knocked, gave her the courtesy of checking in, no big deal. My tone did come out rough, sure, and I should’ve walked away. But instead, I stood there like an idiot, listening to the water running. Listening to her breathe as it hurt. Listening to her try to pull herself back together.
She’s fine now.
Well… fine enough. She made it out alive, that’s what matters in my book.
Not the blood on her face. Not the way she said ‘I’m good,’ as if she was daring me to argue. Not the way it made something twist in my chest when I realized I didn’t have a single thing to say that would’ve helped. So no, I wasn't worried.
I’m just not in the mood to clean up another mess, that’s all.
As we navigate the winding forest, the serene tranquillity of the woods envelops us in an eerie shawl.
The moon casts a gentle glow, allowing me a glimpse of the faint trail barely visible under the bike’s light.
But for me, it’s not hard to distinguish the roots poking out from under the rocks on the trail, my eyes taking their familiar hue, letting my power lick at the surface.
The rhythmic hum of the bike's engine is the only sound accompanying us.
Until a low growl grows louder as the creatures gain speed.
One look in the mirror confirms my suspicions.
A horde of norous. Their lanky forms lope toward us, the sight chilling, their nose remarkable in tracking their prey.
“Fuck!” The engine roars as I accelerate through the trees. The veil entrance is not far, but I don’t know how I will cast the spell to open it and protect her with these nasty creatures on our ass. And she can't open it...
Or can she?
Avilyna did manage to take one down without getting seriously hurt; that alone is impressive.
Why was it alone anyway?
It’s a question for a later moment, but the fact remains that few succeed on their own.
Which is why we usually team up. There’s strength in numbers, but with so few Legion soldiers left, even that’s becoming difficult.
The exact reason why Isolde’s so eager to get her to Kallahan.
And putting her under my watch, that’s the surest way to make it happen.
I always get the job done.
That's what happens when your dad is the Legion’s General. I haven't graduated yet, but that’s just a technicality. The army is all I've ever known, its regime and my servitude plaguing even my earliest memories. But it's better than staying with my demons; it only feeds my darkness.
A soft glow illuminates the path ahead as an arch made of sparkling light materializes, only perceivable to those who have the sight.
The expression I see on Avilyna’s face through the mirrors confirms our report.
The second I see Kvirr’s essence, hope kicks back in.
Looking at the creatures behind, I do the math, and yeah.
.. We’ve got maybe six minutes before Nekros’s demons catch up to us, awesome.
Reaching the portal, I kill the engine without bothering to steady the bike, activating the runes for stability.
I jump off, and my hand moves directly to Avilyna’s waist, lifting her off, not wasting any time.
She gasps, soft, startled, and something in me aches to hear it again.
A grunt escapes me before I can stop it.
Not the time.
I briskly slice my palm with the blade and press it against the space beneath the arch. As my hand meets an invisible force, light bursts from the point of contact, blooming into intricate patterns.
Its structure crystallizes as a frozen lake, light pulsing.
In any other moment, it’d be a beautiful display of magic, but right now, my heart is beating too erratically to care.
The void shifts, reshaping into a massive oak door with golden handles carved in the shape of leaves.
I shove it open and yell over my shoulder.
“Avilyna, go now!” The ground quakes, trembling underfoot. The ripple throws me off balance, and before I can steady myself, the world tilts. I’m flung through the veil, helpless.
The impact makes me bite the dirt and roll around until the trunk of a massive tree stops me.
Spitting out mud mixed with blood, I painfully get back on my feet.
Dizzy from the blow, it takes me a moment to discern what’s going on.
Two demons have passed through the arch, but Avilyna is already pushing the doors shut.
As soon as the veil closes, it disappears. One of the norous pounces towards her.
“Watch out!” I shout, hurling a throwing star from my pocket straight into the back of its blackened skull with a loud squelch. It recoils, letting out a shriek, its focus snapping to me, good.
“Run!” I shout, and she obeys, just not the way I expected. She dashes forward, and I then realize she’s reaching for the knife I dropped earlier from the impact.
Fucking stubborn.
Mostly blind, they're drawn to sound, so I run too. I aim at the one closest to her, words already forming on my tongue. The incantation flows as I raise my gun, banishing the demon back to Netherworld.
“Tha thu deamhan, tilleadh saoi-diabhal.” In a cloud of black dust, it disappears.
My star dagger hits the ground with a thud.
Avilyna’s grunts get my attention; she’s rolling aside just in time to dodge a hit, then springs to her feet.
With a fierce cry, she drives the blade upward, straight into the demon’s sternum, and black liquid sputters all over her arm.
The demon's fluid starts to eat through her flesh, smoke rising where it touches. The runes on the blade aren’t activated, so I point my gun at the creature’s ugly head and shoot.
Avilyna’s skin blisters in seconds. I’m already moving. Jumping into action, I always have an emergency healing potion on me. The ingredients are rare, hailing only from a lost island in Saltmere. This bitch cost me a fortune.
The catch? It only works when your life isn’t at risk, so forget about using it with a deadly wound.
I move fast, pulling the vial from my belt and kneeling beside her.
Her arm is a mess. Skin blistering, bleeding, the demon’s black ichor eating through her and anything else that stands in its way, acid.
“Hold still, Princess,” I grit, trying to mask the concern creeping in my voice.
She was already injured from the previous attack, and the second burn only worsened the damage.
I can actually see her bone. Avilyna grunts through clenched teeth, nose flaring, barely holding on, but for once, she doesn’t argue. Not a great sign.
I yank the cork off and pour the potion straight onto the burn. She hisses as the air thickens with the acrid stench of charred flesh. I watch her body tense, eyes flashing with pain, but she doesn’t pull away, doesn’t beg. And then her features start to relax a little, washing relief over me.
“Good girl,” I mutter, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
She scoffs through gritted teeth.“Wow, you got a praise kink or something?”
“Care to find out?” I flirt a little; she just makes it so easy. Easy to forget. Avilyna gives me a half-smirk, despite the pain.
“Maybe later. Right now, I’m more interested in not dying.” My attention refocuses on the potion sinking into her flesh and morphing, turning the burn into something manageable. The wound is slowly closing.
“Better?” I can’t help but ask.
“Good thing this stuff actually works,” Avilyna lifts her head, wincing.
“Yeah, well, good thing you’re still breathing. Have you ever listened to anyone?” I mutter, helping her to her feet.
For a split second, we’re both standing too close, and the air between us hums with something unspoken.
Our fast breaths are the only sound breaking the silence.
At first, I would’ve thought it was just the blood on her skin or the heat of the attack.
The carnage is pulling at my essence, but there’s something else.
“Next time, try not to cook yourself in demon blood,” I grumble. “It’s a real pain in the ass to fix.” Avilyna narrows her eyes, her gaze almost too soft, before rolling them.
“Like you’ll be healing me again.”
I flash her a grin, all teeth. “Don’t get your hopes up, Princess; those potions are worth more than you.” There’s an edge in my voice I can’t quite place. I try to shake it off, but it lingers.
“So why waste one on me?”
Grinding my teeth, I bite out, “I have orders, remember? Anyway, it looks like your dad taught you well.”
“What can I say? Looks like he was very forthcoming.” Avilyna chuckles, but it’s devoid of amusement, only sarcasm. If her story’s true, I can’t say I blame her for the bitterness; I might have judged her too quickly.
“Follow me. There’s a lookout post nearby. The portals used to be under constant surveillance, but since the Bloodmoon War, we’ve had to rotate patrols.” Pushing myself up, I offer her my hand. She’s so damn short, it’s almost cute.