Page 129 of Legacy

Cassius hissed at me, completely insulted that a supposed lesser being had come at him.

That pride and haughtiness that was synonymous with his species—aside from our Ariana—was part of what I’d been counting on, and he reacted the way I’d anticipated, and hoped for, ripping my hand from his neck, then slamming me into an age-old oak tree.

“Foolish, sorcerer. You dare to challenge a True Celestial being?”

“Yeah, I really fucking do.”

That just ramped up his indignation and I saw actual anger spark.

In the next moment, he was wrapping his hand around my throat and hauling me off the ground.

“Stop!” Ariana cried, teleporting over.

I saw Nyx move to do the same, but thankfully Vorzyr held his trust in me and grasped hold of him, keeping him back, looking on worriedly, yet also highly curiously.

“I warned you,” Cassius spoke over his shoulder to Ariana. “Do not worsen the situation by intervening on his behalf,” he cautioned her.

And then he snapped my right wrist, making me grunt at the shooting pain.

No matter. It would heal.

And, as V had found out last night, I didn’t need my hands to do magic. I was beyond that.

I’d made sure of that.

“You’re hurting him!” Ariana cried.

“Dammit, stop this!” Nyx screamed.

V just looked on, his eyes flaming with the primal need to react. But he still held off, still didn’t rush headlong into the situation. He stayed his hand.

Because I’d asked it of him.

“I am merely delivering a punishment he clearly needs,” Cassius spoke. “He will recover. And he will learn.”

As he went to strike me, I uttered words I’d made fucking sure I’d learned by heart.

“Zheiren val’kara. Nuriel thaz’en.”Let shadow precede the light.

A blast tore from me, my power radiating out from my whole body, and forcing Cassius to stagger back.

“How are—”

His words caught in his throat as I uttered next, “Kael’shara ven’torii. Zhurai ek’tol kai’neth.”Remove the chains of heaven. I am older still.

I swept my good left hand at him, inflicting a nasty gash across his torso.

He choked and staggered back again, his eyes wide with absolute disbelief.

While he was distracted by that, while they were all distracted and focused on the fact that I’d just made a True Celestial bleed, I enacted another spell, cloaking it so that none of them could see.

Cassius started forward, but I thrust my fucked-up right hand up, wincing at the action. But it worked and a shimmering dome of a shield erected around me, as I spoke, “Thalos’ren zhura. Kenek vahl’kar.”Touch me not, construct.

It held him off.

Just a little while longer until I completed the spell.

Seconds passed, and then I felt the cloaked spell complete.

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