Page 5 of Wicked Prince of Curses
Chapter 3
Iwasn’t going to die. Not this dawn. Not by the hands of a Zamarien no less. I turned my wings into an extension of my arms, using all seven pairs toscoopandpushthrough the water. Each thrust of my wings allowed me to surge higher, creating distance behind me. I cut through layer after layer of water. I could not let Tharic catch up with me.
I maneuvered through the waterfall with great effort, forcing my way through, pushing against each rushing wave. But the waterfall pushed back. Like a living force, water slammed into me, wave after wave, trying to drag me down.
I found an open pocket, churning with water. Tucking in my wings, I aimed myself like a spear. Pulling on my starfire, I launched through the water. When my body hit the pocket, it shot me higher up the waterfall, like the explosion of a geyser.
Thankful for some momentum, I whipped out my wings, and began meticulously climbing through this wretched waterfall, pushing higher.
Stars. Ellabeth had been so right.
This was a special kind of Hèls.
My muscles were already straining from the effort. I blinked droplets from my eyes. My chest squeezed. I wanted a break tocatch my breath. Looking above, I counted six air pockets. When I made it to the sixth, I would let myself take a break.
Just ahead of me was a brown-skinned male. He was colored like sand, with short-cropped brown hair, and a tall, muscular form. He navigated through the water as if he spent every waking moment swimming around the Ouanaviel Island. The male bent to look down at me. Then he focused on a spot further down, past me.
“Little prey,” Tharic called. My hearts seized. “I’m coming for you.”
Trying not to panic, I cut through the water harder. Faster. I pushed my wings to their limits. Tharic was both taller and stronger. I was going to have to rely on my nimbleness if I was going to make it out of this waterfall alive.
The male above looked at me and said, “Go. Pass me. I’ll distract him.”
I blinked. Was he helping me? But we weren’t supposed to help each other. He could forfeit Ascension.
“Hey, I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry.” He nudged his head. “Go.I’m notactuallyhelping you. I’m just…slowing him down. Which also benefits me.”
He winked and moved to the side, waiting for me to swim past him.
“Safah,” I called out, findingthanksinsufficient. “I’m Safah…and thank you. Infinitely.”
“Omarion,” he called out, using his wings to swim down. “And I know who you are. The Wyliums love the Anathelles.”
Omarion winked at me with those light green eyes of his, so light they looked hazel. I kept swimming as he headed for Tharic. The waterfall began to curve, the current flowing down through the columns of the Starfell Mountains. I followed the bend, enjoying the breather with the curve. My hearts pumped less which made reserving my air easier.
Leaning to the side, I used my wings to fly through the water, instead of swim. I gained speed, aiming for the next air pocket. The moment I reached it, I took a deep gulp of air, flooding my internal air reserves, before the pocket launched me upwards.
Sneaking a peek below, I found Omarion already swimming away from Tharic, expertly maneuvering through the water. I searched for Tharic’s form, finding him multiple wingspans behind. Whatever Omarion had done had royally ticked him off. His pale cheeks were splotchy with crimson.
After Tharic, a female was swimming through her Ascent. She was pretty with wide silver eyes, deep umber skin, and long, ivory hair.
“Stars, I’ve waited so long to finally Ascend,” she squealed.
Idiot. I wanted to throttle her for opening her mouth.
Tharic heard the female, turned, and rushed down to meet her. Before she could react, Tharic wrapped his wings around her petite frame, snapped her neck, and punctured her chest with one of his talons. He ripped the talon out, and slapped all seven pairs of his wings into her body, sending her hurling through the water until she collided, face first, into the waterfall’s side.
I flinched as her body snapped against the rock, her golden blood seeping through the water, turning the waterfall into a grave.
I blinked, conflicted. What about her spirit? Her body couldn’t just belefthere. Her spirit had to be siphoned so it could be filed. Everything inside of me screamed to swim to her lifeless body and collect her abandoned spirit.
“Safah,go,” Omarion called.
I blinked and realized he’d already reached me, and swam right past, headed for the next peak of the waterfall that would push out to the edge of the Goldstone Bridge. Tharic turned away from the female he’d just killed and looked up at me.
“There’s my little prey.” He grinned. I felt sick. “You’re next.”
I whipped around, cutting through the water faster than before. Omarion was swift. One moment, I was pushing through the water after him. The next, he was gone.
