Page 21 of Rebirth Of Order
“If she fails, I’ll kill her myself.” There isn’t a hint of untruth in Ethan’s answer, and I gasp at the thought. “Let’s find out if she is in a more talkative mood, shall we?”
His sigil spawns beneath us, and I lay a hand over his shoulder. Vanishing, the encompassing boardroom blurs. We move through time and space, drowned in a void, and a split second after, my feet hit soft ground with a resounding crunch, causing me to peer down. The wind stings my skin, and a scent of winter mixed with warm blood stales the air.
“Where are we?” I ask, but a murderous yell towers over the howling gust.
“You piece of shit! How dare you leave me here. Who the fuck do you think you are?” Kyra’s pace reflects her enraged tone with each exaggerated step crunching against the snow. Ethan watches with caution, but remains unbothered, and I leap in front of him. “Move, Angie. I don’t want to hurt you. But that asshole is going to pay.”
He moves me aside, taunting her with a slight head tilt and raised brow, and I know this mountain will become her grave if she is indeed bold enough to attack him.
“Let’s see what you got, mortal,” he taunts further.
“No.” I stop Kyra mid step, freezing her, and a direct breeze flutters past her hair as small drops of snow melt againstthe warmth of her light umber skin. She has every intent on harming him, and though I may have imagined it, a spark of light appears within the shades of her irises before vanishing.
“Ethan, explain,” I demand.
“Not much to explain. When I grasped her arm, she was sweltering hot. So, what better place to cool off than a nice view atop West Langlia’s snowy mountains.” He grins, showing those ice white teeth.How ironic.
“You brought her here. Ethan, are you fucking serious? You’re aware beasts inhabiting this mountain would kill her just for sport?”
Of course he knows these lands hold shifters of the most dangerous kinds. Buried beneath this ice are bodies he has left in his wake, erasing fays for as little as raising their tones, to initiating a battle with him. I can’t be convinced otherwise after he reappears at Rebirth time and time again drenched in snow.
“Must you use such unbefitting language, Angie?” He side-eyes me. “And she’s fine. By some chance, if Kyra did encounter one and was killed, then she wasn’t a fay after all, and I’m justified. Plus, a favor would’ve been done on my behalf.” His smile widens.
I suck my teeth, contesting his bullshit. “We’re leaving, and I don’t care if she’s a mortal or a fay; you’re forbidden from killing her.” Not allowing him a rebuttal, I wave my hand and undo the magic. Kyra’s complexion has turned a blistering, murky red shade, and drops of water freeze into thin sheets of ice beneath her footing. Yet, she doesn’t miss a beat and continues stampeding towards us.
Fury shows in the depths of her features, and though this cold has her flesh lined with miniature bumps, the shivers of her muscles aren’t enough to cool her anger. I cast a warming incantation, but with her teeth bared and fists clenched, I feel I’m adding kindle to the flames of her rage.
“If the mortal passes our Awakening, she’ll live. For however short that time may be, is up to you. There’s your warning.” He sneers and magic gathers over his hand as he prepares to summon a sigil.
Kyra approaches in haste, ready to attack when a pair of mastodonic reptilian eyes appear through the white mist behind her, accompanied by an even larger pair of sharp fangs, glistening against the sun’s rays.What the hell is that?Its body slithers closer, stretching upwards to an unclimbable height, until a silhouette casts an ecliptic shadow over us.
“Look out behind you!” I scream, and Kyra glances back before scurrying around me in a panic.
“What the fuck is that?”
A clamorous rumble trembles the earth, and a viper slams down, creating an explosion of snow from its sheer weight. My hands flex, ready to conjure an ashen sigil.
“Don’t move,” Ethan advises.
“Fuck that. I’m not dying here,” Kyra bites.
“I don’t care what you do, mortal. Angie. Don’t. Move.”
The viper’s scales pierce the ground with ease, advancing and kicking up debris as a roaring hiss shakes my core. Like a statue on display, I freeze. This majestic, yet terrifying beast commands fear, and I unwillingly oblige. Ethan, on the other hand, doesn’t and ventures closer.
“Don’t you dare,” I warn, gritting my teeth, yet he refuses to heed me.
The viper lifts skywards and slams again, prompting a massive whirlwind of snow, engulfing them both, leaving Kyra and I ten or so feet away.
Whatever spell was cast upon me, relinquishes, and I move in front of Kyra in case it attacks. Legend states their speed is unmatched. They are able to strike before a fay can finish a single blink. It’s fucking insane. If it takes Ethan out, it’ll be up to me to get us back safely. Although, I’m not sure how, when it can attack faster than I can summon a sigil.
While Ethan holds its attention, my wrist flicks, and I mutter the barrier spell, “Obex,” placing a translucent ward of protection around us, with sparks of white light. Trapped inside, I strategize away of getting all three of us out, but movement gains my focus as the snake strikes.
Kyra whispers, “Do you think he’s dead?” And I groan.
“That’s a Saw-scaled Viper, the deadliest snake in our realm with venom so potent, your organs liquify. A full-grown viper can destroy hundreds of fays with one swing of its tail, and its fangs are sharp enough to slice through mountains in a single bite.”
“Yeah, he’s definitely dead then,” she says, without care.
