Page 1 of A Fate of Ice and Lies
Chapter
One
ELIAS
The nyxx screechedas Brenton’s smoke magic circled the faerie borne from the snow. The heat from my friend’s magic shed the outer layers of snow it touched. I called upon my magic, pulling snow from its liquefying body while the archers sent fiery arrows into the bellowing creature. Brenton knocked his shoulder against mine, shooting me an arrogant smile. Then the fool I considered a brother winked. I huffed out a short laugh before returning my attention to the battle. By the time the nyxx melted, a dozen more had formed while a flock of thunderbirds arrived.
It didn’t make sense. Not only that the thunderbirds had once been our protectors against evil creatures like the nyxx and lirio but also that they would attack so close to the city, where innocent civilians lived in the peaceful city of Somnio.
“Nalari,”I called to my Guardian through our mental connection.“It’s an ambush.”
“Two miles out,”the dragon replied.“Surely, you can survive a minute or two without me saving you?”
“Why did I get stuck with a sarcastic Guardian, who would just as easily help me in battle as roast me?”
“Save you, Elias.”The humor in her voice was evident.“I save you every time you try to battle these thunderbirds.”
It was mostly true. Not because I couldn’t fight them or fend for myself. King Thierry would never permit his only son to be anything but the best. At everything.
I could and had killed any creature that threatened to harm the kingdom of Niev, but killing the thunderbirds felt wrong despite the hundreds of innocents they’d slaughtered.
A few feet from me, my uncle—our commander—and his best archers released fire arrows at the birds while Brenton and several swordfighters worked their way through the nyxx. Most of the thunderbirds were able to maneuver out of the way, but several arrows hit their mark, and countless birds spiraled toward the ground, their shrieks making the air around me tremble.
“Stop pitying the creatures who kill your people,”Nalari demanded.“And start fighting.”
“They’re breaking formation,” my uncle called out.
Ready with more fire arrows, the archers shifted their formation and followed the thunderbirds as their air strike drew around to circle us. I, along with the swordfighters around me, pulled out our daggers from the pocket of our special-made fighting leathers. When my uncle gave the order, the archers released their arrows while the swordfighters threw their daggers. Except I hesitated, thought of all the reasons we shouldn’t be killing these birds, and didn’t throw mine. Without anyone noticing, I palmed my dagger, hoping my reluctance didn’t cost anyone. This time, we hit less than a dozen birds while the rest pivoted, swerved, or dove out of the way.
The swordfighters moved forward, swords ready. I sliced through the underbelly of a bird who swooped close to the ground while I spotted my other best friends battling a nyxx. My strike wasn’t lethal, and I immediately regretted not killing the bird when he extended his large talons to grab one of our warriors. This time, when I struck the bird, it was with the intent to kill. For a few beats, I allowed my primal instincts to take over. I zeroed in on the bird that flew several feet in the air. My blood heated and roared with hunger while I calculated my mark. With too much ease, my sword caught in his throat. On a shriek, he let go of the warrior, and they both plummeted toward the ground.
With his eventual death, I pulled back on my restraints and tucked the ruthless instincts back in. It was a hard-learned lesson every fae had to master before coming of age at 119 years old. A lesson that seemed harder for those destined to be the most skilled warriors and something I still struggled with after eight years.
Using the snow beneath me, I summoned my magic and caught the falling fae I’d known since military school before he hit the ground. Gently but quickly, I lowered him. With nothing but his chest moving with each raspy breath he took, I cloaked him with my magic so the birds wouldn’t be able to see him, but he’d remain visible to fae eyes. This meant the nyxx could see him, so I’d have to do my best to protect him and fight these creatures.
Another bird narrowed his eyes at me, and I jumped in front of the injured fae.
Where female thunderbirds used molten-like lava, the males’ strikes were more precise with the lightning that struck from their eyes.
“Shields,” one of the warriors yelled.
On my knees, I held my shield up to protect us both.
Heat erupted around me, but I barely felt it emanating off my shield from the lightning that hit it. The ground trembled again, another nyxx forming too close.
With a violent scream, one of the soldiers threw himself on the ground. He patted the black leather we all wore to protect our internal organs from lightning strikes. While he’d live through the direct hit, he’d have burns and blisters our healers would have to address. A nyxx grabbed him by his legs, ice spreading over the young warrior’s body as I sent my own magic to the nyxx. I jumped to slice the creature’s arm, but too late, he froze the warrior. Dread filled me as the frozen fae crashed to the ground, ice and blood exploding everywhere.
From where I crouched on the cold ground, I saw four birds break away from us and head toward Somnio. Toward my home.
“Nalari,”I shouted.
With how fast she flew, faster than any thunderbird, I knew we’d catch them before they reached the city. I just needed her to get here already.
This time, the ground shook because of her roar. The snow beneath me melted before she landed mere feet away from me.
I took off running; jumping and gripping her yellow-and-black scales as I climbed on her back. She let out another roar, this time pulling fire from her chest and through her gaping mouth. I leaned against her when she crouched and took off to the sky. She tore into a thunderbird as she flew upward, catching it so quickly it didn’t have achance to scream.
“Four birds are heading to Somnio,”I told her.“They’re still a few miles out. We can reach them before. . .”
