“Okay, but only one more. I’m getting cold,” Lori whined, raising an arm. “Go!” she shouted as she dropped it.
Faye felt her majick surge to life and she fired a bolt across the courtyard in Raxx’s direction. It blazed with such ferocity the snow beneath melted in its wake. Her target had disappeared before the spell could strike him.
Immediately, Faye turned and ducked just in time as Raxx attempted to grab her. She blocked his attack with a shield, lilac sparks flying from the collision.
In a flash of blinding light, Faye teleported herself a short distance away. It was imperative she put as much ground between herself and the shadow demon as she could. If he managed to get within striking distance, she knew her chances of success would be extremely slim.
Anticipating where the demon was heading, Faye fired a volley of bolts across the courtyard. Raxx dodged them with a speed that continued to astound her.
Within seconds, Raxx had disappeared again. Faye darted forwards, sensing his presence at her back once more and dropped down to her knees, skidding out from within his grasp once more.
Faye leapt to her feet and shot another fireball behind, without turning to check her aim. She heard the spell fizz against Raxx’s barrier behind her and felt a smug smile tug at her cheeks.
The princess fought for her breath; she was tiring, quickly. If she stood any chance at winning this duel, she had to throw everything she had at the shadow demon. With a grunt of effort, Faye turned and hurled as big a bolt of energy as she dared in his direction.
This time her aim was true and blasted straight into the demon, erupting into a barrage of bright sparks.
“Yes!” Faye crowed, but her celebration had come too early. Raxx’s visage flickered and disintegrated. A decoy.
Faye turned and tried to outrun the inevitable strike. Before she’d had time to contemplate her fate, her cloak caught, yanking back against her throat, and she fell back onto the hard cobbles with a heavy thud. Winded, the princess coughed and groaned. Raxx crouched over her, before leaning in to kiss her.
“I win.” He grinned. “I’d like stew tonight, please.”
Faye growled and swiped her fist at him. “That damn decoy gets me every time.”
Raxx held out his hand and helped her back to her feet. Faye hurriedly brushed snow and dirt from her armour.
“You’re getting better. Those bolts are much faster and more accurate,” Raxx replied.
“Hm, still not good enough though,” Faye sighed, scowling playfully up at the demon.
As she often was when she gazed into her demon’s eyes, Faye was struck by how wonderful it was to be who she was meant to be. She had never even dared to imagine what she was capable of and it was thanks to Raxx and Tabitha she had finally started to see it.
Weeks had passed them by since King Zelrus had allowed them to stay. Faye and Lori had settled well in Banesteppe, though they kept themselves out of the public eye as much as they could. Faye spent almost every day training and practising her majick in the compound with Raxx, keen to develop and hone her skills. Something told her she was going to be needing them, sooner rather than later.
“I’m really cold. Can we go now?” Lori cried, rubbing her arms. Lephas appeared beside her, sheathing his sword and wiping his sweaty brow on his sleeve.
“Are you finished for the day?” Raxx asked.
The commander nodded, throwing his cloak over Lori’s shoulders. It drowned her, pooling at her feet, but the princess wrapped it around herself and shot Lephas a grateful smile.
“Are you hungry?” he asked her and Lori nodded eagerly.
“Famished. I have a real hankering for a pickled beet sandwich.”
Faye cocked a brow. “I didn’t think you liked beets. You’ve been eating them a lot lately.”
Lori shrugged, pulling Lephas’s cloak tighter around her shoulders. “I guess a stint eating only prison slurry will make a person appreciate food differently.”
Lephas laughed. “Truer words have never been spoken. Come, let’s go get some lunch. I heard—”
An almighty, ear-splitting screech cut through the cold winter air, echoing and reverberating off the stone walls.
Lephas grasped the hilt of his sword, throwing Lori behind him. Faye automatically stretched out a hand for Raxx beside her. He took it and their majick crackled as their elemencia mixed. What had started as a painful, difficult process had quickly become habit and Faye felt the tell-tale boost of power as she readied herself for a fight.
Above them, hazy in the thick, snow-filled clouds, a dark shape approached. Faye raised a palm to her eyes, shielding them from the snow as it was buffeted around them by the mysterious creature that soared down from the sky.
“Is that...”
