Page 54 of Maiming
My brows crease and suddenly I know where I know her from.
The dusty portrait in the King’s attic doesn’t do the aging woman any justice.
She’s more serene and beautiful in person.
And nothing makes any sense.
My big eyes meet Kain’s and I know he’s the last person I wanted to say this to, but he’s also the one person I need on my side.
“We need to go to the Northern Kingdom, Kain. It’ll be peaceful there. More secluded. Life will be so much easier there. Please come with me.” My words spiral through me and fall out in a rush of sentences as I look from one man to the next.
And I’m met with silent confusion and brooding looks. I need him. I need the four of them so much it hurts.
“What are you doing with the Solstice Queen, My Tamer?”
“This doesn’t feel right.” Sinister backs away from Ellise until he’s inches from me.
“I’ll go where ever you go. I’ll always follow you.” Kain’s deep green eyes are shadowed with concern. “But don’t follow this woman you don’t even know.”
My heart squeezes painfully at the sound of his words.
“She and I are the same. We share a bond that you couldn’t even begin to understand.” Ellise’s words are composed and gentle and they’re cut off with scraping anger.
“Don’t fucking pretend to tell me about bonds.” Kain turns on her, his shifting eyes taking in everything about Ellise.
Apprehensive energy builds with the harshness of his words. Dust and debris swirl through the breeze around us. It stings my eyes and makes the world impossibly hard to see clearly.
“I’m here as a friend.” Small hands come out in front of her, but I feel something the moment her palms raise. Magic singes the air, poised and ready. It’s a defensive stance. One wrong move will send her powerful energy slicing through our surroundings.
“Kain, it’s okay.” My fingers slip into his, but Rime never releases his hold from around my waist.
Tension rises with each passing second.
The moment Chaos’ massive foot kicks hard against the remaining few bars in the ground, they rip from the brick flooring. Another strong kick and a single rod flies through the air. It happens so fast. It smacks against Ellise’s arm. Her shawl slips quickly away but her magic strikes out even faster.
It’s a simple reaction. A matter of cause and effect. She was harmed and the effect … it’s monumental.
Flashes of brilliant green slice through the evening air. Striking bright colors sink into the inky scales of the beast I love so much.
A screeching cry leaves the shifter. His body collapses against his left wing as he lands hard onto a pile of brick.
My legs lunge before I can even think and Rime slams me hard against his chest, reeling me back before I ever really move. I thrash against his body. My nails sink into his skin. My hair flings across my face and still I’m held safely in place.
Skovence backs away from the threatening magic. His big silver wings tuck in close and he steps away from Chaos and the assaulting mage.
Kain’s chest rises and falls rapidly. Then smoke wafts from his lips. He exhales that smoke into his fist and I’m still fighting to get to Chaos. I stop moving the moment Kain flings that peculiar smoke from his hand. A fiery ball of power slings toward Ellise. It rolls, building in size as it aims perfectly toward the mage.
Her wrists turn with ease and a crackling shield of green and white magic ricochets the blast of flames.
Her jaw tightens with an eerie smile, and I know the moment she sets her sights on the alpha shifter. My elbow hits hard against Rime’s ribs. His body slackens and then I leap. My own defensive magic stings through my fingertips.
That emerald color lashes out of her palms and it collides against my blinding white power at the very last second.
I have to protect them. If I do nothing else right in my entire fucking life, I have to protect them.
The strength of her magic pounds against mine, knocking over and over into it in pulsing colors that mingles into mine. I feel that sickly, weird dark energy crawl to life as if it knows I need it right now. I refuse to release the foreign magic within myself.
My magic blooms, growing in size against hers. My right hand shakes, pain stabs along my skin as I hold her off with trembling efforts.
