Page 27 of Where Darkness Falls

“What kind of god are you?” I mumble.

Still no word from our creator.

He will not help us, I determine.

I scream and thrash in the soldier’s grasp again and again. Suddenly, one of my arms slips free of his grip. He tries to gain control of me once more, but I swivel to the side. However, I’m still too slow as his fist connects with the side of my face, and I fall to the ground. For a moment, the world stops and so does all the noise surrounding me—it is utterly silent.

Suddenly, something both warm and cool floods through my body. It’s like the culmination of both darkness and light—madness and sanity in perfect balance. I shake and twitch as the ground beneath me trembles. The energy coursing through me feels like a hug from an old friend that has been locked away. For the first time in my life, I feel whole… raw…powerful.

Dangerous.

You’ve awakened,the voice bellows in pride.

Siorai has answered my prayer,I think to myself as the soldier reaches for my arms once more.

The fool obviously doesn’t know when he should run,the otherworldly voice mocks.

A smirk dances across my lips.

“If you know what is good for you,” my voice croons, “you will unhand me.”

The buildings on the edge of town shine as light floods the space, but is not by firelight. Firelight is dim in comparison to this. No, it’s as if the sun itself is being held here. Every corner that’s touched by the darkness is illuminated, including the foolish soldier’s ashen face.

“Holy Celestae!” he exclaims, releasing me. He trips over his feet as he inches away from me, rubbing his eyes like he doesn’t quite believe what he’s seeing.

I glance down and I’m…glowing?Every inch of my body is wrapped in iridescent light. It’s not the light that I’ve seen burn from a fire wielder. No, this is something different entirely. Fires created by wielders are usually soft glows, but this… this light irradiates the faces of those that thought their sins could be hidden in the night. It makes the darkness cower and bend to my will. It coils through me, waiting for my command.

I lock eyes with the stumbling man.

“Boo,” I whisper.

Without hesitation, he takes off running into the night.

Be their reckoning,the powerful voice says, practically shouting now.

I stand slowly as I continue to feed off the energy of this light. I look to where the soldier is pinning Cara to the wall. His eyes are wild, looking almost as ashen as his friend. I glance at Cara, who’s equally as stunned. For this one moment, I don’t feel the need to cower or be demure. I don’t care for the consequences of what will happen to me as long as I can get Cara home safely. I’m not just the woman that enjoys quiet evenings or the pretty face to become someone’s prize.

No, at this moment, I’m so much more.

“Now, now,” I say, taunting the vile man. “I thought you enjoyed your women fighting back.”

I spread my arms open wide in challenge.

“If a fight is what you want, come and get it,angel,” I sneer.

Rage and fear mangle his features as he charges toward me, leaving Cara to collapse against the wall. His body is set ablaze as ringlets of fire twist around his arms. Even his eyes are consumed by his flames. He’s only a few feet away when something primal in me snaps into place. The earth beneath me trembles as I raise my hands a little higher and the rivulets of light intensify. The soldier halts a few feet away. My eyes settle on him… waiting.

With a huff, he hurls a fireball at me, but I dodge it as I lunge for him, knocking him off balance. The soldier gasps as the air from his lungs is expelled as he hits the ground. I use the moment to kick him in the faceto which he grunts in pain. I lean over his prostrated body and whisper, “What’s the matter,angel? Not as fun as you imagined?”

“While I’ve enjoyed our game, it’s time for it to end,” he spits.

“Maeva, watch out,” Cara screams, but I’m too late as the soldier’s flaming hands wrap around my arms.

I prepare to feel the burning overtake my body, but instead, I feel as though the surge strengthens me—feeds me. The flames dance along my skin as he continues his attempts to burn me to a crisp. Over and over, his hands intensify in both heat and flame, but none of it phases me.

Interesting.

One touch from a fire wielder’s magic of this magnitude should have left me as a pile of ash. Instead, here I am.

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