Page 99 of Dark Captivation

Despite his stubbornness, my instincts were right all along. All I’d learned today made it clear, Malek was good. He could turn away from the war path. All he needed to do is heal and make peace with the demons who tortured him. Come to terms with his past then there’ll be no need torture or subjugate anyone. Malek can be saved.

Varcus sprouted from the mist, taking a dagger swipe at Malek’s throat.

Moving with the force of a hurricane, Malek grabbed me, twisting away at the last second.

Malek’s heavy breaths sounded like an engine that was about to burn out. If he pushed himself anymore, he would succumb to his injuries. I needed to step up and fight Varcus alone.

I summoned the shift, glaring murderously at Varcus.

I felt Mellow’s presence, but she brushed off my command to shift, nestling herself into a deeper sleep.

Fuck. She was still angry at me.

“Hand me my mother’s necklace.” Malek said.

Not knowing why he’d need it right now, I slunk it off, tossing it into his palm.

Varcus came at us again and I raised my fists, clocking him in the jaw hard enough that I heard a crack.

He snapped his jaw back into place and ran his tongue over his upper lip. “You’re stronger than I gave you credit for, she-wolf.”

To my confusion, Malek stuck out his tongue and pressed the emerald to it.

The pendant elongated, morphing into a sword with a sharp blade made of pure sparkling emerald.

“I hope you know how to use it.” Malek handed me the sword, clutching his chest in pain.

My sword training sessions with Chasten came bustling back. I widened my stance, positioning the blade just as he’d taught me.

The mist rose up around us again, and using it as cover, Malek bared his claws, starting for Varcus like a bull that had seen red.

Malek shifted to beast form, I was shocked he could still summon his beast. His moves were slowed by his injuries, but he gave Varcus all he had left.

Malek roared in pain as Varcus cut into his side.

I marched on Varcus, taking Malek’s place. His giant beast toppled on his side, having spent all he had left.

My sword clashed with his dagger like the bang of a cymbal.

“You should have listened when you were warned, she-wolf.” Varcus strained. “You are no match for the Angel Song Dagger. It was forged by the gods and imbued with their celestial power.”

My arms burned like fire, and we were locked in a death stance. My sword was five times the size of his dagger. Yet the weight of the dagger defied all logic. Just trying to hold him back punished every joint in my body. It felt like I was trying to stave off a boulder from crushing me.

“Which god in their right mind would give you a celestial dagger?” I grated out.

Sliding his blade sideways, he took a swift stab at my thigh. My dress sliced as the dagger stabbed me. It was a shallow wound, but it stung like hell.

“You don’t know the extent to which the gods hate your lover.” Varcus boasted, seeming to relish the news that someone hated Malek just as much as he did. “Why do you think the gods let me torture him for all those years without lifting a single a finger to help him?”

He left his left side wide open, and I took a swipe and I aimed my sword there. He wormed his way out of my path and instead of his arm, all I managed to take was a few stands of his hair.

We sliced the air between each other in a game of cat and mouse. I did most of the aggressing, my blade moving so fast it was hard to follow with the naked eye. He dodged most of my blows and I’d only managed to draw an insignificant amount of blood from him.

It was harder for him to strike with such a short blade, but he made up for it with his incredible agility and speed.

He was different from the last time I’d fought him. He was faster and more sure-footed. The blade must have supplied him with added abilities.

Mutually exhausted, we paused to take a breath. “Why. Would. The Gods Hate. Malek?” I panted choppily.

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