Reyla lowered her hand. “That's disappointing.”
“The phoenix exists beyond normal magic.”
The next time the bell chimed, and the phoenix burned into view overhead, I braced myself. “Let me…” I flitted to the perch the bird flew under before chime three. Landing crouched, I spread my arms to balance myself on the creaking, rusted bar.
Reyla gasped below.
The phoenix cut through the space like it had before, its wings bright, and its feathers almost boiling, poised to burst into flames.
The moment it drew near, I reached out, straining… ding. The phoenix flared. Fire exploded toward me. I flitted before the full wave roasted my face, barely escaping the blast.
I landed on the floor next to Reyla.
She grabbed my wrist, holding me steady. “Are you alright?”
“Too close. Another second and I'd have been turned into ash.”
She curled her finger, and I lowered my head, kissing her like she was air, and I'd been drowning. She pressed her forehead into my chest after and just breathed.
Backing away, she glared at the ceiling.
The bird appeared on cue again, soaring across the upper part of the chamber before flames licked across its wings.
Reyla frowned, and I sensed her tugging in power and sending it out. Her shoulders slumped. “Nothing to nullify.”
Time to try something else.
I gathered wind magic, keeping it loose, and nudged it through the space above us, curling toward the route the bird repeated every pass. A steady tug to see if something could make it dip.
The moment the phoenix blinked into view, I caught the pressure shift. Its wings adjusted to my wind but didn't drive it off course. The key kept swinging across its chest, taunting us.
Wind wouldn’t do it either.
Reyla watched the path it took, her jaw clenched. “We’ll have to climb and physically retrieve it.”
I followed her gaze up to the beams, the layers of vines netting around the room. One large arch was slick with ivy on the west wall.
“Race you?” I quipped.
She snorted. “Not unless you want a broken arm. But let's do it.”
“Together then.”
She stroked my side. “Always.”
The moment we split, she climbed up the vine-encased west wall, using shadows as handholds and lightning to burn new grips. I went for the central vine-net, a mess of twisted chains and creeping moss.
We moved fast.
I didn’t let myself think past the next grip.
Above us, the caged perches jerked back and forth. I couldn't tell if they were traps or protection, but they looked ready to crumble.
I climbed fast, not thinking past the next grip. The chime rang, and the phoenix appeared, trailing fire behind it.
“Two,” Reyla called from her perch on the arched beam. “And…”
The creature burst into flames and vanished, leavingonly ash.
