‘Get him out of those bones, or chains, whatever they are, and I’ll handle these two,’I say to Aetheris.
I cast a quick glance down the dark tunnel behind me. Kaden took the left path, and I went right. A knot of worry twists in my chest as I think of him. I hope he’s okay. Though this place has been eerily empty so far.
My grip tightens around the hilt of my sword as I step into the cavern. The air is damp and heavy, carrying the faint, acrid scent of ogres, damp earth, and blood.
“Well, well,” one of them rasps, his voice like gravel sliding down a mountain. “Imagine the reward we’ll get for capturing her.”
I raise my sword, meeting their gazes with defiance. They don’t know. They can’t know. I am not the same weak, pathetic human they might have expected a month ago.
‘You were never weak or pathetic,’ Maxon’s voice surges through the bond, strong and steady.
I glance toward him, suspended there, and the way he believes in me stirs something deep—steadying, strong. Aetheris moves around me, heading in Maxon’s direction, unfazed by the ogres.
“Well?” I begin, drawing their attention to me. “You going to come get me?”
The two ogres don’t wait. They trudge forward, their massive fists flexing, each step shaking the ground beneath my feet. I steady my breathing, planting my feet firmly. If they want to fight, they are about to learn just how much I’ve changed.
With a burst of speed, the first ogre lunges, swinging a meaty fist. I sidestep easily, his fist crashing into the stone wall where I’ve been standing. The second ogre comes from the side, his arm swinging in a wide arc. I duck, feeling the rush of air as his strike narrowly misses me.
“You’ll regret that,” he growls, his grin turning feral.
I smirk. “Will I?”
The bond pulses again, a ripple of encouragement from Maxon.
Magic surges through me, flowing like liquid stardust from my fingertips into the trembling earth. The ground beneath us groans, a deep rumble reverberating through the cavern as I channel my power. With a forceful gesture, a sharp pillar of jagged earth and stone erupts from the ground, its edges gleaming like a predator’s fang. It strikes true, impaling the nearest ogre with brutal precision. His massive body is lifted off the ground and pinned against the cavern ceiling, the pillar piercing clean through him.
A wet, guttural gurgling escapes his throat, his blood cascading down the pillar in dark, viscous streams that pool on the ground below.
I let a smirk tug at the corner of my lips, the thrill of control and power momentarily intoxicating. Turning, I fix my gaze on the remaining ogre. He hesitates, fear flickering in his beady eyes as he glances between me and the macabre scene behind him.
“Your turn,” I challenge, my voice low.
With a fierce roar, the ogre charges, and in this moment, Aetheris’s claws strike through the chains holding Maxon to the ceiling. My heart skips as he falls to the hard, unforgiving stone floor. The distraction leaves me open, and the ogre’s fist connects with my shoulder, sending me sprawling across the ground. A sharp pain pulses through me as I try to draw in a deep breath.
Oh my god.
That hurt.
A rattling wheeze escapes my lips as I fight to roll onto my hands and knees, my body aching with the effort. Though the armor softened the blow, the impact still hurt like a bitch.
I hear Maxon snarl, the sound echoing around us, and I lift my head. Less than a foot away, the ogre freezes, turning slightly. I grit my teeth and attempt to blow my hair away from my face. Aetheris’s jaws carefully clamp over the bones around Maxon’s neck, the last of his restraints. Hope surges as the bones clatter to the ground.
Maxon stands, blood covering his entire body, his fists clenched at his sides as his chest heaves. A raw and primal fury that radiates from him like a storm about to break.
“Get away from my mate,” he snarls.
I watch in awe as his eyes ignite like kindling.
Then, the fire erupts.
Flames ignite across his skin, racing along his arms and shoulders, wreathing him in a fiery aura. The heat is immediate and intense, forcing me to shield my face with my arms. His flames are wild, untamed, yet they don’t harm him. Instead, they seem to feed off his rage, growing larger with every second.
The ogre takes a step back before it turns to run, but it’s too slow. Maxon raises his hand, and with a guttural roar, he unleashes a torrent of fire straight at the creature.
The ogre’s scream is a sound I’ll never forget—a mix of terror and agony as the fire engulfs it. The acrid stench of burning flesh fills the air, and I gag, covering my mouth. I can barely breathe, but I can’t tear my gaze away from the scene before me.
Maxon doesn’t stop. His flames’ roar with a life of their own, feeding on the ogre until there’s nothing left but ash. The fire dims, leaving the scorched ground and a few smoldering embers where the ogre once stood. Only then does Maxon’s fury begin to wane. The flames recede, flickering out as quickly as they came, leaving his skin unmarred but still glistening with sweat and blood.
