right when the Enchanter threw
another blaze at the monster, leaped at the flamed-tipped limb.
Her blade sliced through the scaly flesh,
green blood spurting from the wound. The severed tentacle landed on
the ground, its flames dying out, but almost before she could look
up, a second fiery appendage was slashing toward her. She rolled
out of the way just in time to avoid the poisonous spikes.
Springing up, she caught sight of a tentacle crashing down and
whipped both blades out before her, forming an X with them. The
tentacle landed in the crook and she pulled her arms apart, slicing
through it.
Sensing that something else was about to
strike her, she jumped back just in time to avoid the stream of
spit spewing from the thorndevil’s snout. And a good thing too—a
thorndevil’s saliva was acidic, and could burn through your skin as
easily as fire burned through paper.
A burst of green-tinted flames exploded in
the corner of her eye, calling the monster’s attention, and its
gaze shot back toward Storm. She darted forward, taking the
opportunity to cross under its belly. Though she’d hoped to gut it,
she realized right away that she was too short. Even a strong jump
and outstretched blade wouldn’t reach its stomach.
Good thing I’m in the
middle of the woods . Aurelia wasted no
time in dashing toward the nearest tree—a springy evergreen with
rough bark. That made the trunk great for climbing. The branches,
not so much. The closest one was about fifteen feet from the
ground.
She went for it anyway, leaping up with all
the strength her legs could muster. In the middle of her jump, she
tossed her right sword into her left hand, freeing up one set of
fingers, which she dug into the bark. She clenched her knees around
the narrow trunk and pressed the wrist holding both blades into
it.
As she scrambled upward,
she caught sight of another set of flames, accompanied by a low
incantation. It had to be Storm, and though she hated to admit it,
he was distracting the monster, which was helpful. But why was it
attacking him when they both served the Underworld? Shouldn’t the
thorndevil have recognized him as one of its own? And why was he
fighting the beast when he could just goldlight away? Was he trying
to prove something? Or was it because she was his ultimate target, and the
thorndevil was just an obstacle?
What in the world would an evil Enchanter
want with me?
Reaching the nearest
branch, she pulled her body onto it and reminded herself firmly
that just because Storm was kind of helping her out didn’t mean he
was on her side. In fact, he probably didn’t realize he was helping
her—just as she wasn’t really trying to help him .
They had a common enemy,
which could slaughter them both. But that didn’t make them allies.
By wielding the magic of the Underworld, Storm proved that he was
evil, and not just power-hungry evil like the Triumvirate. Evil evil. Like the
ferocious, spike-covered killer that thrashed its flaming tentacles
against the tree she was climbing.
She planted both feet on the branch and,
straightening, found herself at eye level with the
thorndevil—except it wasn’t looking at her. Its attention was still
fixed on Storm, which meant it was twisted away from her. All she
saw was a back full of spikes, when its throat and underside were
her targets. The rush of combat pounded through her veins; she
needed to kill that beast as much as she needed air to breathe, and
she couldn’t succeed when it was targeting someone else.
Recalling what Connor had
told her about the swords, she decided now was as good a time as
any to see if his magic was as brilliant as she believed it was.
Clanging the blades together, she yelled, “ Metal fire! ”
Yellow light blazed around the twin black
blades, which glowed glaringly against the night’s shadows, and the
thorndevil turned toward them, its eyes glinting with hunger.
Sensing a threat approaching, Aurelia—perched on a single tree
branch—pressed
another blaze at the monster, leaped at the flamed-tipped limb.
Her blade sliced through the scaly flesh,
green blood spurting from the wound. The severed tentacle landed on
the ground, its flames dying out, but almost before she could look
up, a second fiery appendage was slashing toward her. She rolled
out of the way just in time to avoid the poisonous spikes.
Springing up, she caught sight of a tentacle crashing down and
whipped both blades out before her, forming an X with them. The
tentacle landed in the crook and she pulled her arms apart, slicing
through it.
Sensing that something else was about to
strike her, she jumped back just in time to avoid the stream of
spit spewing from the thorndevil’s snout. And a good thing too—a
thorndevil’s saliva was acidic, and could burn through your skin as
easily as fire burned through paper.
A burst of green-tinted flames exploded in
the corner of her eye, calling the monster’s attention, and its
gaze shot back toward Storm. She darted forward, taking the
opportunity to cross under its belly. Though she’d hoped to gut it,
she realized right away that she was too short. Even a strong jump
and outstretched blade wouldn’t reach its stomach.
Good thing I’m in the
middle of the woods . Aurelia wasted no
time in dashing toward the nearest tree—a springy evergreen with
rough bark. That made the trunk great for climbing. The branches,
not so much. The closest one was about fifteen feet from the
ground.
She went for it anyway, leaping up with all
the strength her legs could muster. In the middle of her jump, she
tossed her right sword into her left hand, freeing up one set of
fingers, which she dug into the bark. She clenched her knees around
the narrow trunk and pressed the wrist holding both blades into
it.
As she scrambled upward,
she caught sight of another set of flames, accompanied by a low
incantation. It had to be Storm, and though she hated to admit it,
he was distracting the monster, which was helpful. But why was it
attacking him when they both served the Underworld? Shouldn’t the
thorndevil have recognized him as one of its own? And why was he
fighting the beast when he could just goldlight away? Was he trying
to prove something? Or was it because she was his ultimate target, and the
thorndevil was just an obstacle?
What in the world would an evil Enchanter
want with me?
Reaching the nearest
branch, she pulled her body onto it and reminded herself firmly
that just because Storm was kind of helping her out didn’t mean he
was on her side. In fact, he probably didn’t realize he was helping
her—just as she wasn’t really trying to help him .
They had a common enemy,
which could slaughter them both. But that didn’t make them allies.
By wielding the magic of the Underworld, Storm proved that he was
evil, and not just power-hungry evil like the Triumvirate. Evil evil. Like the
ferocious, spike-covered killer that thrashed its flaming tentacles
against the tree she was climbing.
She planted both feet on the branch and,
straightening, found herself at eye level with the
thorndevil—except it wasn’t looking at her. Its attention was still
fixed on Storm, which meant it was twisted away from her. All she
saw was a back full of spikes, when its throat and underside were
her targets. The rush of combat pounded through her veins; she
needed to kill that beast as much as she needed air to breathe, and
she couldn’t succeed when it was targeting someone else.
Recalling what Connor had
told her about the swords, she decided now was as good a time as
any to see if his magic was as brilliant as she believed it was.
Clanging the blades together, she yelled, “ Metal fire! ”
Yellow light blazed around the twin black
blades, which glowed glaringly against the night’s shadows, and the
thorndevil turned toward them, its eyes glinting with hunger.
Sensing a threat approaching, Aurelia—perched on a single tree
branch—pressed
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