Page 28 of Prince of Blaze and Embers
My fingers reached out for Cornelius’ shell, but to my shock, they slid through empty air. “Cornelius? Cornelius?” I looked all around, but he was gone again, and at the far end of the clearing, the source of the terrifying noise revealed itself to me. My jaw clenched, and my legs screamed to run.
At the other end of the clearing, emerging from the trees, was something so terrifying my mouth instantly dried, my legs locked, and the blood flushed from my face to my chest. Slithering out from the tree line, as wide as my arm is long, hissing low and with its devilish eyes fixed upon me—the snake that came toward me was as big as a house.
My nerves evaporated. As its massive three heads rose high before me, doubling my height, I felt as small as an ant, as insignificant as a flea, and as helpless as a legless cricket. I swallowed hard, feeling my tongue scrape the top of my mouth like sandpaper.
Its three heads fanned out like cobra heads, all six eyes staring into me, propelling me into a deep trance of fear. It crept toward me, all three of its heads slowly opening their mouths, revealingthe huge, curved fangs like needling scimitars. Vile green venom dripped from them as their serpentine tongues flicked in and out.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t run. I couldn’t even fucking swallow. I’d never been so terrified in all my life. Garris never compared to something so awful and deadly as the huge ebony snake with the sleek scales that was feet from me, staring down at me with those evil, hungry eyes.
“Protect yourself.” I heard a voice mutter from the bushes.
I forced a gulp down my scratchy throat, shoving my fingers into fists. I hunted for that feeling within, that morsel of magic that had come when I needed it on the beach. My desperate search ended up dry, though, as the snake slithered through me.
“C’mon, Ash.” My words were full of frustration, finding my body empty of what I sought.
The three-headed black cobra was only feet before me, its hiss sending a shiver down my back from neck to heels.
My arms shook, desperately searching for what was there.
“Call your magic!” I heard the words from the bushes off to the side. “Call your Rune Spirit!”
I dug deep, feeling for anything that felt like it did when Krakos was diving at us, its mouth full of awful dragonfire, ready to spew down upon us.
The snake’s mouths opened wide, ready to strike. There was nowhere to run. I could’ve tried to leap over the fallen tree, but the snake was upon me, not blinking, its terrible eyes trained on me.
It lunged. Its three heads diving at me, all its fangs eager to take me, pump me with its deadly venom. I searched one last time in the milliseconds I had. But nothing. There was nothing.
And the three-headed demon of a snake attacked. It crashed into me with the ferocity of a typhoon, the power of an earthquake, and the terror of the night.
CHAPTER 13
As the three-headed cobra barreled into me, my eyes closed and my arms covered my face, desperate to save myself from death. But death didn’t show its sinister face then, and nothing came upon me. My eyes slowly opened to see… nothing. Under the moonlight, there was nothing… the snake was gone, disappearing like a nightmare. My hands scanned my body for puncture holes, gashes, hell… even a scratch. Nothing.
The bushes rustled beside me, and my focus snapped that direction, ready to fight. But sauntering out from the bushes was Cornelius.
“That didn’t go how I’d hoped,” his voice fought hard to hide his disappointment, which he did a poor job of.
My lips smacked as I shook my hands, trying to get the lingering, paralyzing fear from my body.
“It… it wasn’t there.” I heaved a deep sigh. My shoulders slumped, and I tried to swallow, but couldn’t.
“Did you feel… anything?” Cornelius was halfway to me from the edge of the forest; his unintimidating presence calmed me.
Suddenly it occurred to me that the snake was just an illusion, an illusion caused by the disappearing tortoise. My gaze snappedback between him and where the monstrous snake had been. “You caused that. How did you…? What are you?”
“What am I? I’m your guide to staying alive. But we’ve got to figure out a way to get you and your magic together again.”
“I tried. I really did, but there was nothing when I searched.” My lips smacked as I spoke.
“You’re thirsty. Go, drink from the stream.” He spun slowly to face the stream behind us.
I dug my fingers into the soft, squishy moss and threw my legs over the tree, walking toward the slow-rolling stream that rippled with glowing moonlight.
My knees hit the dirt. I steepled my fingers and drove them into the cold stream. Immediately I felt as if my spirit had been lifted to another realm. The tenseness in my body faded, sinking through my feet and escaping into the hard, forest floor. My hands cupped the water, and I brought it up to my mouth, sucking the refreshing water down in two gulps. As it cascaded over every inch, I moaned deeply. It slid down my dry throat as I gasped, half from the cold, half in pure ecstasy.
The muscles in my arms returned, and I felt like I could lift the fallen tree behind me without so much as a groan. My entire core and soul relaxed.
“Better?” Cornelius dipped his head into the stream, sucking in deep gulps.
