"Phoenix, that book—shut it, burn it, throw it—whatever you just did -undo it!"
"You told me to bleed on it, jackass!" I shot back.
“Well clean it the fuck off, Phoenix! Or we are both dead!” The second creature came at Caelen from the side. He turned, barely in time, slicing through its shoulder. But there were more. Dozens. Circling. And every single one of them was looking straight at the book. Straight at me.
I backed up to the fire, breath sharp in my throat. “Caelen,” I said, my voice tight, “we don’t fight these. We run.”
His eyes flicked to the darkness. “You think they’ll let us?”
“I think,” I said, lifting the book higher, “we don’t have a choice.” And then I threw it into the flames. Flames roared up as it hit the centre of the blaze.
For a second, just one second, I thought it might work— then the fire recoiled. The flames twisted sideways, like something inside the book pushed them away. The logs cracked. Sparks shot up, sizzling—and the book just sat there, untouched. Glowing brighter. Feeding on the fire.
“Shit,” I breathed.
“It’s not burning,” Caelen shouted, backing toward me as two more creatures slithered from the brush, their eyes glowing dull and hungry.
“Yeah, no shit,” I growled, snatching it back.
Caelen’s blade lifted again, sweat shining on his temple. “Then next time, throw it in a lake or something!”
“Do you see a lake, Your Grace?” I snapped.
“Then chuck it! Into the woods—anywhere!”
“I can’t! It’s Elle’s—she needs this.”
“She needs us alive!”
“Iknow that!Just—fuck!I’m trying.”
Caelen grabbed the book and hurled it into the trees. It spun midair—then curved back like a godsdamn boomerang, landing at my feet with a thud. “Fuck.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” Caelen growled.
“Helpful as ever, Caelen.” I snapped, snatching the book again. I hurled it—harder this time. It still came back. Every damn time.
I stared at it, panting. “I guess it’s mine now.”
“Tell me this is the part where we run.” Caelen said
“Yup. Running would be good right now.”
We fled. But they cut us off.
Caelen slashed one down. Another lunged. I singed it with fire.
"They just keep coming!"
A new snarl. Louder.
The largest burst from the trees.
Too fast. I spun, ready to strike—but something else moved quicker. A flash of steel.
"Slade?!"
He crashed into the creature, blade driving deep. It gave a strangled cry before crumpling to the ground.
