Page 23 of The Eye of the Fifth
She stayed firm and repeated with more vigor, ‘Fuck. Off.’
‘I warned you,’ the soldier growled, seconds before he ripped the cloak from her shoulders and lashed a whip across her back so hard she lurched to her knees. The sting of the blow throbbed absolutely.
‘NO! KYRA!’ Rosary’s voice cut through the rest like a knife.
‘Get up,’ the Union soldier demanded, jerking her up to stand once more. ‘Now,walk.’
‘No,’ she breathed through gritted teeth. Another lashing whipped against her, not once, but twice more, the barbed whip ripping through her cotton shirt to flesh and muscle. She cried out this time as she felt the skin on her back slice open.
‘STOP! Let her go! Kyra!Kyra!’
The Union soldier pulled her up again, one hand on her shoulder as he stabbed his fingers into the fresh gash on her back. She recoiled away, gasping as pain blinded her. ‘Walk now, or I’ll detain your friend too for assisting a murder.’
No.No.
His fingers retracted and she breathed with relief.
It was for Rosary that she put one foot in front of the other, surrendering to defeat, walking without further protest to whatever certain doom the Union had planned for her ahead.
She wanted to open the earth again and let them all fall to their deaths, let them all be crushed. But there was nothing within her left to give. She wasn’t even sure the newfound magic would come if called.
Where was Roheia? Would she not save the female who had finally succumbed to the power she had bestowed upon her? Where was the Earth Goddess now, when there were those who would hurt her muse, her ward… her cherished chosen one?
For that was what Kyra was.
And suddenly that wild power within her, that writhing monster made sense. She was the Earth Warden. She always had been. And she'd never known.
Chapter Seven
Return Of A Foe
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Dracyg Dominion, Zarynth.
Gedeon.
Almost a week had passed since the newest fledgling girl had begun her lessons with him, and Amala was already proving herself to be quite the wielder. She listened intently to every word Gedeon said, and had thus improved day after day. He had begun to almost admire her determined spirit.
On this day, however, something was different. ‘That was careless of you,’ he scolded her. She’d been unable to counter his attack, the blast knocking her from her feet. ‘Again.’
As soon as she stood, Gedeon threw another blast of magic at her. She gritted her teeth and let out a cry as her own magic soared out of her, but it was wild, weak and unfocused and his blast hit her square in the chest, catapulting her backwards.
She sat up after a moment, resting her elbows on her knees and breathing heavily. Gedeon approached her. ‘You cannot fight if your mind is not present. I pray you leave whatever troubles you outside of our sessions. It has no place here.’
Gedeon could feel her anger. Reckless, for her to show such emotions so openly. ‘Amala, look at me.’
Slowly, she lifted her head. Her face was set with tenacity, as though she were furiously holding back tears, but she did not dare break his gaze.
‘Isthis to be a wasted session?’ Gedeon asked. ‘You have the potential to be a great wielder, Amala, but only if you are focused-’
‘I know my father is here,’ she interrupted him. Her bottom lip quivered. ‘I… I want to see him.’
Gedeon paused. Her defiance was bordering on stupidity. ‘Where have you heard this?’
Her gaze flickered and she deigned no reply, though her silence was enough to tell him how she’d acquired the information.
‘Need I remind you that sneaking around the castle is strictly forbidden?’
