Chapter 13 #3
Lex continued lazily, “You should really be careful what you drink.”
Snarling, I stepped forward one step. “Who gave you that potion?”
“Not as dumb as she looks, folks.” Lex winked, and I growled, my shadows coiling.
“If you promised—as you said—to spare my life, then what was the purpose of all of this?”
“The purpose, Zara, was to test that potion.” He crossed his arms over his large, sculpted chest. “We can use it to take our kingdom back. To rid it of you—and your so-called queen.” Lex took a step closer.
“So, the people of Velra don’t have to cower.
Or bleed. Or sell themselves just to survive.
So, they don’t wake up wondering if today is the day they starve or disappear.
That,” he said quietly, “is and always will be our purpose.”
My hand flew to my chest as that thing inside it tightened its grip.
Kill him.
A voice echoed in my mind, and before I knew what I was doing, my dagger was singing through the air toward him. My eyes widened at the action, not remembering pulling it from my side. My chest tightened again, and I snarled as Lex scowled at me, my dagger bouncing harmlessly off his shield.
Kill him, kill him, KILL HIM.
The command grew more insistent and I gritted my teeth, already running. Lex didn’t move, only watched unflinchingly as the hatred that had been brimming in his eyes turned to pity.
Slicing through his shield, I slammed into him, tackling him onto the swaying walkway. The wood splintered under our combined weight and gave way entirely, sending us plummeting toward the forest floor.
I braced for the impact with the ground, but Lex twisted in mid-air.
His air magic slowed our descent just long enough for him to shove me off him.
I hit the ground hard a few yards away, rolling through damp leaves and soil.
Scrambling to my feet, I barely had time to react before his fist connected with the side of my face.The force sent me reeling, but I stayed upright, sweeping my leg out and knocking him off balance.
As he stumbled, I drew a blade from my boot and slashed.
He jumped backward, but my blade managed to graze his upper thigh.
Blood now coated the blade, and I smirked up at him as I licked it off. My power reacted to the fresh blood, building again in my veins.
Lunging again, pain exploded across my face as I slammed into another shield. My nose crunched sickeningly, the sound echoing in my ear as blood poured down over my lips, rage flooding my senses.
Vines burst from the ground, snapping around Lex’s legs, waist, and arms, wrenching him into the air.
Lex thrashed against them, fear finally flickering in his gaze as I shattered his shield with a single strike and lunged forward, yanking his head aside and sinking my teeth into his flesh.
Blood flooded my mouth and I moaned despite myself as my magic surged stronger, hotter—until suddenly his hand was in my hair, and he ripped me away from him, hurling me backward.
His body was no longer bound by the vines.
“You truly have no will of your own?” he snarled. “Are you that weak?”
A low growl tore from my chest as shadows erupted, lashing out and slamming into Lex's chest. He flew backward, crashing into the trunk of a tree. His back arched in pain as he fell to the forest floor.
Lex laughed through a spurt of coughs as I stalked toward him.
“You really choose her, this life? Over your own fucking mate?” Lex hissed again, slowly getting to his feet.
How did he know about that? Him?
“You are being used, Zara.” His nostrils flared. “You are a weapon, nothing but a pet that she will use and put down.”
The dark thing in my chest thrashed, and I charged. Lex was already on his feet and met me head-on, blocking the punch I aimed at his face. He twisted my arm back and I groaned as I jabbed the other toward his throat. Tilting his head, he avoided the strike and swept his leg out to trip me.
I steadied my stance, gaining control without falling to the ground, and swung my fist into his rib. He should already be dead. If my magic hadn’t been drained, this would have been over.
“You are weak,” Lex snarled, and he threw me back with a gust of wind, my feet dragging through the dirt until they slammed against a raised root and I fell backward.
“Shut up,” I barked but he didn’t listen.
“You let her use you, control you.”
“I said shut up.”
“She has your soul, and yet you think she has more power over you? It's your soul, Zara. You have the power, not her.”
I roared, scrambling to my feet, and managed to get in front of him, but he was ready. A long dagger thrust up through my chest, and the hilt slammed into the side of my jaw. Bone cracked, and white-hot, blinding pain shot across my cheek.
I hit the ground again. My vision blurred and darkness crept in.
Lex loomed over me, spitting blood onto the earth beside my head.
“Find me,” he said coldly, “when you're done being afraid and willing to help someone other than yourself.”