“Civilised men know how to read and interpret a precious letter, Prince. Didn’t your parents tell you what was written in the one sent all those years ago? You are not to scheme against Naar, or else what’s left of Ilma, including your valuable healers, will be turned into nothing more than ash.”
“Then it’s a good thing that I’m not here to scheme. Now let them go.”
“Then what are you doing in this scorching Land, Ice Lord?”
“Ramel was…desperate for some ice, so I kindly obliged.”
The Phoenix raised a fisted palm and the whirl of fire contracted. The twins’ screams pierced my ears—the fear within them made its way to my heart.
“I’m not here to play games,Prince. I am here to remind you of the consequences.”
A swirl of bluish white formed around the fiery ring. Crackling sounds resonated in the midst of a battle between fire and ice.
“I did read the letter your king sent to my parents. I read it many times. Which is why I know you should tread carefully. The letter specified that no harm would come to us if we remained passive.Thatmeans we have every right to defend ourselves. We have the right to defend those children. What would your king make of it if you violate his…what did he call it?Peace treaty?”
The Phoenix moved towards Aegir’s voice, now hidden behind the monument as well.
“The King of Fire wants to know why you are here. I’m sure he would understand the need for me to take certain measures should you resist cooperation.”
“Then if you’re so desperate to know, we are here on mere trading business. Our castle is in need of new glass windows.”
“Your Ice King sent the Lord of the Vanguard to transport his decor?”
“Yes. And that’s because ofyourFire King.Hedestroyed the waterways. If he hadn’t done that, there wouldn’t have been the need for my king to send his strongest men to carry his glass. Now let the children go and get the fuck out of Ramel.”
“You know, accidents happen all the time, Prince. After all, I did have to fly a long way to get here. It would be a shame to leave without giving you a taste of what your precious Hydrans’ fate would look like should we find out you’re scheming behind our backs.”
The circle of fire grew stronger; the thin shield of ice seemed like no match against it. Screams tore out of the twins’ throats, just as the rhythmic gongs of the bell finally resounded across the yard.
The three of them were blind to my presence and deaf to my sounds. And so I took that moment as my opportunity to act. I ran until my palms hit the red sandstone. I calmed my breath, hoping to remain silent, undetected. I wasn’t sure what my plan was. I didn’t really have one. But I took out the dagger and carefully moved along the monument. I halted as I found a narrow gap through the carved sandstone, wide enough for me to peek through.
My eyes settled on Aegir first, standing tall, summoning the shield around Sabriela and the twins. Eldric was at his side, his arms raised, his face strained as he, too, held the shield. Shit. They were two against one and his fiery ring was dominating. The desert was not the best place for Ice Fae. The heat, the lack of ice, it was antagonistic to their powers.
I shifted my viewpoint, slightly, until I saw him. The Phoenix—a tall, slender male made of flesh and flames. His sharp,angular face was framed by high cheekbones, and his nose—it curved downward like the hooked beak of a bird.
The Phoenix laughed, the sound of it grating, cruel. “Your powers are weak in the desert, Ice Lord.” The Phoenix was right, but surely they would take him down, right? I had seen them, I had seen their bodies. I knew how much they trained, how fast they moved, how strong they were.
Aegir gave a slight nod to Eldric, and in the blink of an eye, reached for his axes, pulling them free. He lunged for the Phoenix. The weight of the moment settled in my bones.Aegir was about to strike. He brought both axes swinging down with the force of a thunderstorm. The Phoenix met him head-on, his hands erupting into a firestorm that collided with Aegir’s misty metal. The impact sent shock waves through the air, the sheer blast warping the space around us. Sparks flew as Aegir’s axes cleaved through the fire in one precise movement. His muscles strained against the relentless onslaught of flames. They clashed again and again, fire against steel, strength against raw power.
Aegir moved unceasingly, his attacks unyielding, just as one would expect from a Fae predator. But the Phoenix was swift, quicker than I’d expected. He evaded every hit and blow. And whenever it seemed that one of them would hit home, the Phoenix would erupt, the weapons meeting nothing but flames.
Aegir formed ice daggers, using the water from the skins, and threw them at impressive speed. The Phoenix simply let out a burst of flames, turning the ice spears into vapour. I could see frustration building on Aegir’s face, exhaustion showing on Eldric’s as he grunted, holding the ice shield by himself.
Aegir lunged once more, his axes now shimmering in whitish blue. He swung them both with brutal force, aimed for the Phoenix’s head. The Phoenix blocked the blow but was forced to retreat one step. Aegir did not hesitate; he kept them coming.Sounds of sizzling thuds filled the air around us, just like the reeking smell that emanated from that evil bastard.
Aegir’s swings were unrelenting, causing the Phoenix’s focus to slip, his concentration to falter. The ring of fire flickered and wavered, the ice shield now overpowering.
Eldric must have been waiting for that exact opportunity, as without hesitation, he darted towards Sabi and the twins. It always surprised me, the speed at which he moved despite his colossal stature. He tore through the flames like a white blur, snatched the three of them in one swift motion, and sprinted away. Not towards the school, though, no. He rushed them away from the building, away from other people.
The Phoenix blocked the next blow, then lunged for Aegir. A sound, something in between a caw and a roar, came from the Phoenix as fire shot out of his palms. Aegir blocked the blast with his crossed axes—bright white against fiery red. If he wasn’t a Fae from Silch, I was sure the blast would have obliterated his body. Aegir strained and pushed against the flames.
He finally ripped through them and went for a blow to the head, but the Phoenix was one step ahead. He countered swiftly, sending one of Aegir’s axes flying. A thud struck nearby, and I saw the axe lying a few feet away from me—it throbbed, calling to me.
Aegir regained his balance and went for another strike. And another. But the Phoenix negated each blow. Blazing-hot flames shot out of his arms like frenzied bats scurrying out of a dark cave. Aegir shielded against the flames, but the sheer force of it sent him tumbling backwards, his back sliding against the grainy terrain. Aegir was still lying on his back when I watched the Phoenix raise both of his arms, fire replacing flesh once more. “I’m honoured to be the one to end you,Prince.”
I believed him. I believed he would kill him with his next blow.
A blast of adrenaline gushed through me, and I darted towards the fallen axe, grabbing it with both hands by its handle. I could feel the weight of it—it was heavier than the one I had trained with, colder, too, but the rush of warm blood through my body gave me enough strength to throw it at the Phoenix’s back. The axe left my hands, rotating end over end.
