Page 121 of Immortal Origins
Happiness swelled in her chest.
He was alive.
“Thank the gods,” she choked out. “Are you okay?”
The confusion lasted for only a moment on his face before it turned to a look of rage and hatred, his expression as hard as the stone that trappedthem.
“Casimir,” he growled as his fingers wrapped around her already bruised throat. But the pain in his grasp was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. His eyes had glossed over and though he was looking at her, he wasn’t lookingather.
“Akadian…” Worry clutched her as she tried to pry his fingers open. “It’s me.”
“Casimir.” The word came from deep in his chest as he slowly lifted her off her feet.
“No, it’s me, Ambrose,” she pleaded with the little breath she could manage. “You’re safe now. I’m here.”
“I won’t let you hurt her.” Akadian’s eyes flared.
She kicked as her feet left the ground, pulled by his grip like a snake around her throat. Gripped so tight it was impossible to pry apart. She fought for the air that wouldn’t come and scratched at his hand but it was no use. He wasn’t letting go.
Looking in his eyes, she pleaded with her own. Begged him to recognize her. To release her. His eyes glazed over in a way she’d never seen.
He wasn’t there.
She planted her feet on his chest and pushed with all her weight but it only made him squeeze harder, crushing her windpipe as her vision danced.
“Ak…a…di…an…” She fought between sharp painful breaths. The room spun and splotches played across her eyes. “Pl…ea…se…”
“I’ll kill you for what you’ve done. I’ll never let you touch her.” Akadian’s face fell dark as his palm began to scorch her skin.
Instinctively, Ambrose pulled one of the daggers from her side and sank it into Akadian’s elbow.
She dropped to the ground as he released her, howling. Air rushed into her lungs so fast it made her dizzy as she drank the cool air in like it was water in a desert. Each breath burning as though she’d swallowed fire. Tucking in, she rolled away and sprang back on her feet to face him. Though her vision was blurry, she reigned in her focus.
He pulled the dagger from his elbow and her heart clenched. Enraged at his new wound, he tossed her dagger to the side.
Chancing a look around, her sword was only a few feet away. She closed the distance and in a couple strides had it back in her grip, and whirled around to face him.
“Akadian, stop,” she commanded as she pulled her sword up in front of her. “Don’t make me fight you.” She choked on the last word.
Why couldn’t he see her?
Some kind of Mind or Illusion Magick?
Could she undo it?
Akadian stood before her, holding his injured elbow as he bowed his head. His hair fell in front of his face the way it always did and she longed to be in his arms and to be able to push it away. Blood dripped from an unknown wound on his head as it splattered to the floor. She wanted to lift his beautiful face and make him look her in the eye.Makehim recognize her.
When he lifted his head and their eyes met, she was sure—there was no convincing him. Whatever hold Casimir had on him was too strong and the Magick he’d used was stronger than Akadian. There was no familiarity behind his eyes at the person he saw.
Only rage.
The room filled with a buzzing so sharp, it licked her skin like lightning. Growing so thick it was difficult to focus as Akadian lifted a hand and she knew what he was going to do.
A wall of bright blue flames formed a circle around them but before it could surge towards her, she swept her hands around and extinguished it. Pulling her wind in a current as it nullified his magick.
His flames burst to life again, filling the room and she reached her hands into the air and sucked all the oxygen from the chamber, just as she had with the dragon, until the last flame was out and she was bent over, gasping for air. Sweat pooled on her upper lip as she clung to her injured arm. Every movement felt like it would take consciousness from her but she forced herself to stay alert. To focus.
Again, they rose up around her, blue and bright and beautiful. So close they licked her skin as she twisted her wrist and his flames rose above their heads and their magick collided into a tornado of Fire and Wind. It enveloped them, rising above them in a swirling wall of dazzling deadly blue. They climbed higher, taking the embers to the top of the chamber where they licked the ceiling.
