Page 30 of Prince of Blaze and Embers
“Don’t run, lass.” I heard a voice come. It came from the ogre, yet it didn’t. The thick lips and huge, wet tongue of the ogre didn’t move. But behind it, I saw a hint of movement. The ogre suddenly ducked its head, and the source of the words showed itself.
Its stench stung my nostrils, like rotten eggs and musty attic dust. A rank odor of unwashed armpits and filthy dirt-soaked clothing filled the clean forest air. Its clothing shredded and toreat its massive, muscly joints. Heavy breaths rushed in and out of its huge nose.
On the ogre’s back, held up by some sort of custom saddle strapped to it, was a man. His face was gaunt, his bald head reflecting the moonlight as the birds and bats flew in a frenzy above. In one hand, the man in armor held a crossbow of fine design, with its butt perched in his armpit. He wore a tussling cape bearing the colors of Emberveil—red and gold.
He’s a soldier of Emberveil? Riding that thing? But Cade’s the Prince of Emberveil. Why is this man here, in the middle of the night in the Faewood? I need to get out of here, now…
“Don’t run,” the man with the gaunt face and beady eyes said. “It’ll be a lot easier if you put your hands down and behind your back. I ain’t gonna hurt ya.”
“Don’t trust a word that man says,” Cornelius was still behind me, somewhere in the shadows. His voice was firm with me. “His name is Rone. A hunter for the queen. Wretched and ruthless he is, in every aspect of the words.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.” I squeezed my fists tight, feeling the sweat slide between my fingers and palm. My teeth gritted as I prayed for magic. If this was going to be my last moments in this world, at least I’d go down fighting!
Holding my fists out triggered an evil snarl on the man’s face as the ogre snorted through his huge nostrils.
“Not going to come along nice?” The man pulled back the bolt in his crossbow; a wide grin grew on his face. “Good. I like a good hunt. And the queen might actually enjoy getting you roughed up if you choose to fight the inevitable.”
“Suck a rock!” My words slammed into his snarky tone, sending his face spiraling and twisting into a dark expression full of hate. The ogre took a powerful step forward, shaking the ground beneath its crushing weight.
I needed my magic, and I needed it right then! I only had seconds before the crossbow would undoubtedly fire, and theenormous ogre could scoop me up in one hand and crush my bones like grabbing a handful of straw.
I reached down deep, searching for my Rune Spirit, hoping desperately the golden rune would appear on my neck, but even as the lumbering ogre advanced upon me, all I found was an overwhelming sense of dread that I was about to die.
The ogre sped forward with three great strides, completely sucking the wind from my lungs as I dove behind a tree. I heard the low snap of the bowstring in the man’s hand and felt the air sizzle next to my ear before the bolt plunged into the thick tree. The ogre’s massive hand swatted over me as I ducked. It crashed into the trees, knocking into them with such force an explosion of splinters erupted all around. The trees broke and either toppled or slid down into the ground, teetering on other trees.
I ran behind another group of thick old trees, but the ogre’s dark eyes were mad with rage. I didn’t know if it was trying to capture me or kill me, but still, there was no magic to be found. It swatted again, its hand causing a low whooshing sound before it crashed into the trees between us. It shook the ground so hard it rumbled beneath my feet, knocking me back as the other trees crashed into the forest, revealing the monstrous face of the ogre and the sinister look of the man upon it.
Water enveloped me as my face submerged into the pool behind me. The ogre and its rider rippled through the water as I gazed up at them; the ogre taking another set of huge steps toward me. As I emerged from the water, gasping for air, the ogre and the man were directly over me. The man nocked another bolt in the crossbow and had it aimed right at my head.
My fingers dug into the wet mud in the pool as the water dripped down my face. The man’s mouth curled into a smile as he pointed the weapon at me. The ogre opened its huge hand, ready to scoop me up.
“This is it, girl.” His yellow teeth barely parted as the ogre’s hand crept toward me.
The dread shot down my body and limbs like a lightning strike.
I can’t let him take me. I can’t go to the queen. It's all going to end before my new life even starts.
My fists hit the ogre’s fingers as they dug into the mud under me, lifting me helplessly into the air before the ogre’s awful face and the satisfied grin of the man with the crossbow.
“Time to go.” The man laughed, still aiming the crossbow at me. Beyond my fear, a rage blossomed inside me. If there was one feeling I detested more than any, it was the feeling of being hopeless and completely at the mercy of others.
“You’re not taking me anywhere.” The words seethed between my clenched teeth.
“You act like you have a choice, little girl.”
Little girl… little girl… I hated that term so much. Those are the two words that are going to drive me into an early grave. I can’t let him win. I can’t let him win like Garris always won. Those words sparked something alive in me. Something terrible and ferocious, something wanting blood. I was done being a victim, I was done feeling helpless. I wasn’t the little girl I used to be—chained, beaten, used—I was something more.
The water from my hair dribbled down my neck and arms, and I could feel the wetness slide between my fingers as I balled them into fists.
“Give up. You’ve lost.” The man licked his lips, glaring at me, fully satisfied I was completely powerless at the overwhelming mercy of such a monstrous foe—or at least that’s what he thought.
Something sparked alive in the wetness of my fists. The rage inside me ignited a sizzling feeling like lightning in my veins. The world funneled into a fixed gaze and eagle-like focus upon the rider wearing the colors of Emberveil. The replenishing water made me feel alive.
“I’m done being helpless! I’m done being a victim!” My fistsraised to my sides as the ogre lifted me up to its eye level. In both their eyes and upon their faces, a golden light reflected.
The man’s trigger finger squeezed, and the bolt raced directly at me, flying at frightening speed directly between my eyes.
“Kill her!” The man’s eyes were impossibly wide. The golden light pierced through my fingertips, spinning into a golden orb like an egg around me. The bolt blasted into the golden egg, incinerating into wisps of golden light like smoke trickling up from a cigar. The ogre’s fingers snapped shut, squeezing with all their strength.
