“Malakai—” My hands shot up, trying to remove his hands, but they wouldn’t budge.
“This one is the first fire mage in decades,” he raised his voice, lazy, yet playful. “If I consume her, I’ll have enough energy to wipe out the entirety of your little platoon of pretend-soldiers. Is that problem enough for you?”
Izera stared at him, wide-eyed, completely dumbfounded, her mouth opening and closing without any progress.
Lionel tensed, watching us, but he didn’t move.
“You—” Izera stammered. “You’ve resorted to asking ademonfor help?” She shot an accusing glance towards Michlael, who pressed his lips into a thin line.
“Well, well,” a voice called out within the Ashen Corps’ ranks. “Looks like he’s finally showing his true colors.”
A man stepped forth, dressed in finery, clearly of higher rank. His white suit was tailored from the finest cloth, with golden embroideries running up and down its entirety and his brown hair was slicked back underneath his hat.
Was he really of the Ashen Corps? All the people who weren’t soldiers were poor, starving, and yet this man was able to walk around dressed as if he was the king of the lands?
“Ah,Jarkas,” Malakai sneered, his wicked side returning. “I was hoping you would join us.”
Malakai dipped his head, his lips brushing against my neck, a smile lingering on them.
“Sorry,sweetie,” he whispered. “I’ll be borrowing some of that energy of yours.”
“Malakai, what are you—”
“Don’t you see?” he cut through, his voice balancing on a fine line between threat and caress. “I’m here to kill their leaders.”
My eyes widened as his teeth sunk mercilessly into my neck and I gasped.
“Abomination.” The man named Jarkas wrinkled his nose, and Michlael turned with worry spreading across his features. This wasn’t what we had signed up for.
No.
This wasn’t whatIhad signed up for.
“Malakai, stop!” I hissed, thrashing around in his grip.
Along with my words, his teeth retreated, his tongue lapping lazily at the wound, soothing the sting. Blood curled around us, shooting out in all directions. The scarlet threads clung to Jarkas first, his smugness wiped away with blood bursting out from all the places the threads mutilated.
Screams of agony, echoing around us as panic broke out. Ashen Corps soldiers began firing wildly at us, but Malakai simply swept their bullets away.
The mages trembled, nervously, filled with uncertainty, before the blood swirled against them as well. Michlael used his winds, pushing the sanguine onslaught back.
A gun fired, and Malakai grunted in return, turning slowly as I saw Ashley pointing her weapon firmly at him.
“Let. Her. Go,” she worded, baring her teeth.
Malakai chuckled slightly, pressing harder with his fingers against my throat. “Never.”
“Stop this,” I pleaded, my voice barely coming through as I clawed at him, my eyes desperately searching for his.
“Twomore,” he whispered, his voice unnatural, untamed.
“I knew we made a mistake trusting a demon,” Michlael bit out, his eyes flaring at us. “Remember this, fire mage, this is all on you.”
At Malakai’s command, the red threads grew wilder, spreading as they snaked around Michlael, choking his magic, forcing the air out of him, before eventually gutting him from the inside.
“Michlael!” I croaked, tears beginning to pool. “Malakai,please. Stop this!”
His breath was ragged as he turned back to me, the warmth stroking my hairline. I heard his teeth clench, before he transformed into a cloud of blood spreading in the air, curling away towards the forest we had emerged from.
