A dark chuckle came from somewhere in the forest. The sound danced along my bones. The hairs on my neck stood. My conjuring hummed to life, awoken by my fear.
33
ERIK
The scent of fear filled the air surrounding Ariana even though she did not yet see what I knew headed straight for us. Silently, she remained behind me while I faced where they approached, cursing myself for not bringing my sword. I had not expected Ariana or anyone to be with me, so I left everything at home. The sword I carried was not to protect myself, but those with me. Sometimes fighting with fire was riskier than using a blade.
A chuckle sounded before me, followed by Hedrek stepping out from behind a tree. His blond hair was loose and flowing down to his middle back. His cold gaze settled on me. A scar I had given him a few years ago pulled at the side of his lower lip, slashing over his chin and down his neck. Five other Lysians also came into view. If I was on my own, it would have been no trouble handling them all. But having Ariana with me changed everything.
“Who do we have here?” Hedrek tilted his head as if to better see the Bavadrin standing behind me.
I shifted, blocking her from his view.
Damn it.In the single move, it was clear I wanted her unharmed. Hedrek would use that.
He tsked softly. “What are you doing with that little thing, Erik? A girl like that could easily be turned to ash.” Holding out his hand, fire flared over his fingertips.
Ariana’s breath hitched behind me.
“Go back to the hole you crawled out of, and I will let you live to see another day,” I stated flatly.
Hedrek had been born outside of the main Lysian group. His great-grandfather and a few others left long ago, exiled to live on the edge of our lands where the mountains met the ocean. I frequently monitored their movements in the past, and if any of them dared to come down from the hills, I killed them. My skills sharpened on the bones and blood of his followers. The exiled Lysians had turned me into a proper killer.
However, since my father’s death, my focus was redirected to retrieving my sister and our stolen conjurors. My attention shifted, and that opened a window for the exiled pack. I never expected them to so quickly become so bold as to wander this close to the main city. I had been reckless. After this day, my errors would be amended. They would think long and hard before stepping foot off their mountain again.
Hedrek smirked. “Where is the fun in that?” He took a couple of steps to the side to gain a better view of Ariana. “It has been a while since you have come to massacre our family, Erik. I was beginning to wonder if something had happened to you. But I now see that a young Bavadrin seems to have drawn your attention elsewhere.” His gaze moved to her. “I suppose I owe you thanks, girl.”
A growl rumbled in my throat, bringing his attention back to me.
He smiled, the movement shifting the scar running through his lip. “I’ll tell you what, seeing as the two of us can burneveryone else here to a crisp, I’ll make you a promise: I won’t use my conjuring if you agree not to as well. Swear it on our families.”
It was his lucky day and his best opportunity at standing any chance against me, no matter how tiny that chance was.
By the looks of his men, they were trained fighters. Each bore swords and weapons on their hips, while I had none. Conjuring would have been the easiest way to end them, but that exposed and risked Ariana to my cousin’s flames. Hedrek used that to his advantage. Fire could only be controlled so much, and I was uncertain whether I could protect her from his flames. Though I had no doubts regarding my strength or skill, the five with Hedrek only had me to concern themselves with. Taking them all down myself was going to be a challenge.
Behind me, Ariana’s heart thundered in her chest, yet she remained unmoving except for those wide green eyes that stared at the danger before us.
“Fine,” I agreed.
Hedrek’s smile widened. “Marvelous.” He then addressed his men, “Do try and keep the King alive. I’d like for him to witness the fall of his family’s rule.”
What he didn’t say was that I was alsohisfamily.
Hedrek came frommyfamily line, one that broke off because my great-grandmother ruled the Lysians, and her greedy little brother thought it should fall to him and not a female. He rejected her claim. Instead of killing him, my great-grandmother took pity on him, allowing him to flee. He and a handful of others who shared his beliefs fled to the distant mountains at the ocean’s edge, making a home there.
I bared my teeth, claws lengthening, before Hedrek’s men attacked. They lunged at once, swords drawn. Staying close to Ariana was a greater risk than protection, for a blade aimed at me could quickly strike her if I dodged an attack.
A flash of steel thrust towards me. I sidestepped, avoiding it.The Lysian snarled just as another came from my side. Again, I managed to evade the blade, though he didn’t evade me. My claws sliced through his side, deep enough to scrape against his ribs. He stumbled forward before turning on me once more.
Adrenaline pumped into the chambers of my heart, shooting through my veins, sharpening my senses. My eyesight enhanced and muscles tightened. Fire burned underneath my skin as I kept the power leashed. I was going to kill them all.
Four of them surrounded me, taking their turns attacking. Meanwhile Hedrek stood at a safe distance. He had always been afraid to truly dirty his hands for as long as I had known him. Instead, he watched. The fifth Lysian was standing before Ariana.
“It isn’t fair if you come at me with a blade when all I have is my hands to defend myself with.” Ariana’s voice was surprisingly steady when she spoke to him. “Unless you are afraid of a Bavadrin girl, in which case, please keep the weapon.”
The male grunted, tossing the sword to the side.
Smart girl.She got rid of her opponent’s blade with only her words.
