Page 27 of Bitten By the Fae
The snakes, however, would prove to be a problem.
Hence the petal shield.
A root wrapped around Kolstov’s ankle, tightening, only to be engulfed in red and yellow flames.
I screamed as the fiery embers reached my heart, my tree crying out in pain. “Stop!”
“You first,” Kolstov ground out, his destructive essence screeching across the floor and destroying my creation with horrifying ease.
I fell to my knees, agonized over the destruction of life, his vile powers eating at the goodness of mine.
Hatred unlike any I’d ever experienced bloomed inside me, all directed at this monster of a royal. Energy blazed from his golden eyes, overtaking mine in murderous lashes that obliterated my vines and all traces of the earth I’d brought into his suite.
Including my beloved tree.
He hadn’t stopped at the roots, taking the entire thwomp and incinerating it into ash in a matter of seconds.
My chest ached at the loss.
So wrong.
How could you?
Why?
The thwomps outside wept with me, their branches rattling angrily in protest.
“That was fascinating,” Zephyrus murmured.
“That’s not the word I’d use for it,” Kolstov retorted, his booted feet appearing in my vision. “What the actual fuck, Aflora?”
I glowered up at him. “You’re a monster.” My voice was hoarse, the black magic coating my earth source leaving me breathless.
He scoffed at that. “You just unleashed amonsterinto my suite, nearly killing all of us in the process. Have you lost your fucking mind?”
“It wasn’t going to kill us,” I returned, livid. “Youare the murderer here.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Really?” He bent down, grabbed me by the neck, and hauled me to my feet. “Let’s see about that.” He dragged me through the living area to the back windows. “Watch.”
“No.”
When I tried to struggle, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, capturing me with my back to his chest. His lipswere at my ear. “Fucking watch or I’ll drag you back to the Council and throw you in the dungeon for the week.”
I bristled at the threat and considered conjuring more pollen dust to suffocate him with, but our heads were too close together. I’d probably end up inhaling the potent mix, too.
An outburst in the distance caught my eye, causing me to gasp. “What was that?”
“Keep watching.”
I had no ideawhathe wanted me to see. It was pitch-black outside, which seemed to be their version of the day. From what I recalled, Midnight Fae held opposite hours to Elemental Fae, choosing to sleep when the sun rose and to work during the night. Not a schedule I wanted to?—
An inferno billowed into the sky, followed by two more from different positions on the Academy grounds.
Narrowing my gaze, I focused on the source and gasped when Ifeltthe burning thwomp closest to our building expel its burning embers into the sky.
Oh.
That was why they possessed charcoaled stems and didn’t have leaves.
