Nova
“People rarely surprise you if you pay enough attention.”
-From the journal of Nova Tershetta, 9261 AS
Talon stood with one of my knives in his right hand and a shadow sword in his left, both pointed towards Iblis Altair’s back.What the fuck is he doing?
“Let her go right now or I’ll kill you.” Talon’s voice didn’t waver, didn’t break or crack. Instead, his back straightened as General Altair choked back laughter. When the general turned to me, it was with rosy cheeks and a bemused face, the relaxation shown across his features jarring.
“What is it about you that convinces young men with so much potential to risk everything for a moment between your legs?”
“I mean it. Let her go. Now.” Talon had gotten closer, the blade only a foot or so away from General Altair’s head. I wondered what could have possibly convinced Talon to rebel now, after all he’d done and witnessed. Was it my near death? Was it Az’s potential end? Wheezing, I let my head lull to the side.
“Maybe I need to test out that cunt for myself. See if your poison can contaminate even me.” He leaned closer, brushing his lips against my chin. I squirmed, trying to force my foreheadto connect with his jaw but swinging it into open air instead, dizziness making my stomach roll. “You do smell good. Maybe you taste good too.”
“Don’t you dare lay another finger on her!” Talon shouted, his blade now pressed into Iblis Altair’s neck by the look of it.
Amusement fleeing his face, the general set me down fully, his upper lip lifting as he said, “I’m going to give you a chance to back away, Talon.” When Talon only remained where he was, General Altair sneered and cracked his neck. “Suit yourself.”
One second I was in front of the general, his hot breath on my face and his blood-soaked hands around my neck, and the next I was being thrown to the ground, the stone snapping two of my fingers when I landed. I screamed, the pain merging and causing my body to shake violently. Looking up, I watched in horror as Iblis Altair shoved his fingers into Talon’s chest, silver and black coagulating all around his hand before bursting into Talon’s skin. Talon flew backwards, slamming into the wooden wall in a similar way to Azazel, blood quickly soaking his black leathers, which had ripped and exposed his russet skin below.
General Altair stalked towards me, his lips in an almost comical frown. At least, it would have been funny if it didn’t mean the end. He grabbed me by my cloak, dragging me across the cobblestone. I kicked and thrashed, screaming and throwing out bursts of magic carelessly, but it didn’t matter, he held firm.
“Tell me,Nova Tershetta,will you save him? Will you help the boy who just sacrificed everything for you?” The general tossed me to the ground beside Talon, who was wheezing, his chin pressed into chest and blood dripping from his lips as he desperately applied pressure to the gaping wound. “Or will you once again choose your eadi family? Will you forgive him now that he has risked his life to save you? Or will you selfishly let him die?”
Suddenly feeling emotions barreling up my sore throat, I cried, shaking my aching head. Blood coated me, my entire body sore beyond explanation. Still, I got to my knees, leaning over Talon and watching as he offered me a small, knowing smile.
“Tell him you forgive him,” General Altair cooed, his voice both soft and sharp, a contradiction that met my ears with scorching intensity.
Silently, I cried, a numbness beginning to take over my body as I stared down at Talon. He only smiled wider, his bloody hand reaching up to stroke my cheek. I couldn’t help it, I flinched out of his hold. He’d tried to save me, and still I was thankful he’d die now.
“Ungrateful creature,” General Altair hissed, yanking me backwards. I gripped his wrist, trying to dig my nails into his skin and free myself. My eyes found Az, his body unmoving save the slow rise and fall of his chest. “Maybe he needs to watch you die first so he can understand what kind of monster you actually are. After, he can watch my son die too, just to prove how poisonous you are. How does that sound?”
Enraged now, I gritted my teeth and screamed, feeling the magic bubble in my chest. I pictured it flying out of my skin in time with my racing heart, imagining it melting his skin and shattering his bones. I begged it to listen, to help me. And itdid.
I was thrown back from the power of the burst, landing on my ass and watching as Iblis Altair warded, blocking most of the burst. He laughed as I rose, though I knew some of that magic had hit him. Without hesitating, he fired back, slashing his hand down diagonally and sending a wave of shadows my way. While I tried to dodge the hit, it caught my legs, twirling me midair and sending me back to the ground.
One thing he didn’t understand about of eadi was just how desperate we were. How unwilling we were to give up. So when I stood again, planting my feet, he lifted his brows, the shockevident on his face. He underestimated me time and time again, and that was his fatal flaw. I forced myself to straighten, sending shadowy knives his way, picturing them cracking his magical shield. They flew forward, his grey eyes wide as his wards shattered beneath them.
Again and again, I fired off bursts of shadows in the shape of knives, forcing him to go on the defensive as he cut them out of the air. And then, as he reinforced those wards, I did what an eadi would do. I took two of the knives from my tactical straps, ignoring the ache in my fingers, and threw them at him. They hit him in the stomach and the thigh, earning a grunt of pain.
Adrenaline rushing through me and a sort of vibration coming from the soles of my feet, I forced another giant burst of magic out of my chest, letting my mind speak to the stars, though they’d left me.
This is where we prove I was always worthy.
General Altair had no time to block, his shout of agony loud as the magic hit him and sent him soaring down the alleyway. I collapsed to my knees just as he landed on the ground, my eyes straying to Talon beside me before flicking to Azazel a handful of feet away.
“I can’t get both,” I whispered to myself, knowing Az would hate me for not saving his friend. His brother of sorts. The boy he grew up beside, loving and protecting. I’d never forgive him if it was Celeste he didn’t save, after all. The love of family was more important thananything.
Talon’s fingers brushed across my forearm, causing me to recoil. He only chuckled, blood bubbling out of his mouth. “It’s okay, Nova.”
A shuffling came from down the alley, stealing my attention for a split second. Iblis Altair was groaning as he attempted to stand, the darkness around him looking alive, dancing him in and out of view.
Talon’s voice came again, this time shaky. “I know you picked him.” I looked back at the man beside me, wishing I could forgive him, if only for Az’s sake. But I couldn’t. Not even as he smiled and said, “Save my best friend. Do what I should have.”
Fuck.
He reached his hand up again, his fingers shaking so badly they didn’t even steady as they met my cheek. I held still, doing my best not to jerk away. “I’ll always love you, Supernova. I’m sorry I didn’t do it better.”
