“You can’t do that.” Her voice is soft and worn out. “By fay rules, I must be within the thousand ranking, and it must be an official challenge.” She breathes heavily.
“I’ll endure such punishments if it means your life ends here and now.”
Our silence appears to reverberate at first listen. *Thrum–Th–Thrum* It repeats. Turning more physical than audible, until I realize that our hearts have fallen in sync with one another. Hers pounds out of fear, and mine…ecstatic to hear it cease.
“Do it then. You have me where you want me, and no one’s here to stop you,” Kyra says with conviction, yet her words taste like panic and silent pleas. I adjust so both of her hands are captive in one of mine, then summon a golden dagger.
The blade kisses her neck’s soft flesh, and its frigid touch causes tiny bumps to form around it. Her vein beneath it throbs faster. Itwill only take a slight rotation of my wrist to slice right through it and watch her blood bleed out.
She watches me through cascading tears, refusing to shy away. Within them is every answer, truth, and lie that has eluded me for years. The longer I peer, the deeper I’m pulled in, finding myself searching for an explanation and becoming lost. Kyra’s breath shortens on each one taken, and her lids close, keeping my thoughts imprisoned as if she is accepting her fate.
With a flash of red light, she explodes out of my clutches, flipping me over, and straddles me in one motion. Placing a warm blade of her own against my neck, she nicks my skin, drawing blood. Kyra leans down, merely inches from my face, and speaks.
“Don’t ever think killing me will come easy. I may not be as strong as you, but remember this, Death will not have me. Not now, not ever. If you’re a hurdle I must go through to get to Her, so be it. But pick a God and pray you’re not. Because Ethan…” Leaning lower, she places her lips against my ear. “Whether you like it or not, Iwillget to Her. Nothing you do will stop me. So, either teach me, or move thefuckout of my way.”
She sits up with her blade still in position, keeping her full weight pressed down on my hips, and those eyes–Bold…Obstinate…Noteworthy…Doubtless. Every ounce of her mother flourishes, which only makes my hatred burn brighter. The same look her mother set upon my father before killing him and taking the last of my parents. A nightmare that still haunts me.
“This’ll be your only chance at killing me, little Nova. I suggest you not squander it.” I raise my head slightly as her dagger pierces deeper into my flesh and draws more blood.
Clenching her thighs tighter from my movement, she nestles over my hips, and a sudden heat enters me. She glances down then snaps back to meet my gaze. Still wearing conviction and now something more, I can see Kyra contemplating my offer. The same flick of her wrist would slice my vein and turn her into the monster I know she is becoming.
“Why, Ethan? Why do you insist on killing me as if I’m the villain in your story? You don’t know me, and I, you. So just…Why?”
The alarm sounds, ending our forty-five minutes, and a wave of energy, not of my own, knocks Kyra off me. The force is strong enough to send her flying, and I stand in haste.
“You should’ve killed me when you had the chance.” I scoff in disappointment then raise a hand and remove the barrier. My will and brewing anger must have been strong enough to defend myself without me commanding it. An ability I’ll look into. “This training session is over. Get out,” I yell.
Everyone halts and blows a thankful breath. Surveying the room, I see that most students had already stopped due to running out of magic or damn near depleting it. Those still standing, quickly gather their belongings and race for the exit. The others follow promptly.
Alise stops as I pass her and grabs my arm. “Thank you,” she whispers.
“I didn’t do it for you.”
“All the same, thank you,” she insists before running to aid her friend.
Kyra’s mother killed Alise’s father as well, so, for the life of me I don’t understand why she wants her alive. Something Alex and her have in common. I understand Angie’s reasoning. She has nothing to do with that, and in fact, their mothers were best friends. Though neither are aware.
Making my way over to one of the black, wooden benches, I perch and watch the last students clear out. I heal my wound with trembling fingers, reflecting in peace when a dark glow interrupts my solace.
“Is your magic topped off?” Alex asks, stepping out of a black sigil and approaching.
“Overflowing.” I look down at my hands, now relaxed. His aura invades my space, testing, and I respond in kind. My vision glows gold, and he halts once my aura slams into his.
“Good. You’re going to need every ounce of it.” His own stare isa cloud of stormy gray, now encased by a midnight gleam. “I suggest you change,” he adds, giving me a once-over. Alex wears his all-black battle threads–a fine magical armor, sleeveless, with a hooded cloak flowing past his thighs and concealing his features, matching his armored, thin, fitted bottoms.
Standing, I wave a hand, transforming my clothes into an identical, golden version.
“Angie’s waiting on us. We’re heading to the wolf’s domain with intel of shifters being slaughtered.”
Chapter 18
Kill or be Killed
ETHAN
My hands becomea vice around the gloom’s throat as I squeeze, piercing my thumbs through its skin and slicing the veins until dark blood spills out, and the being is no more. We have been here all day, and it still looks never-ending. The glooms come in waves, and my muscles ache and burn from extensive use, depleting my magic at a steady rate.
More and more glooms explode from the trees, surrounding us with a bone chilling howl, riding wolves they’ve killed and turned into shadow creatures.
