Page 93 of Ancient Magic

Chapter 17

Micha cautiously headed toward the opening across the cave. He could feel the faint breeze coming from the hole in the far wall that revealed it opened into another cave. More importantly, it carried the faint scent of fairy. Lynx had gone through the hole.

Which meant they had to go through the hole.

Even if it felt like an obvious trap.

“What happened to the demons?” Skye asked, as if hoping to ease the tension that hummed around them.

Micha shrugged. The demons hadn’t been overly powerful, but they’d rushed back to attack him with a furious determination.

It’d taken him longer than expected to convince them to play somewhere else.

“A few refused to accept defeat. The others scattered,” he informed her. He didn’t feel guilt for ripping the throats out of the ones who continued to fight. He would destroy anyone or anything that was a threat to the woman walking next to him. “They won’t be back anytime soon.”

“Then it’s just Lynx we have to worry about,” she said, only to come to a sharp halt when the pungent scent of rotting vegetation swirled through the air. A second later the ground beneath their feet began to tremble as if something very large was about to break through the stone. “Crap. I just jinxed us, didn’t I?” she rasped in horror.

Pulling her close, Micha spread his legs as the quakes intensified and the rock started to crumble.

“Is it magic?” he demanded.

She grasped his arm to keep her balance. “I think we tripped a ward.”

Micha hissed as the floor crumbled to dust, and large green vines poked through the rubble. At first they were the size of a tree trunk, looking like the arms of an octopus as they waved in the air, seeking something to grab. But as they continued to grow, sharp thorns ruptured through the green flesh.

It looked like a monster out of a nightmare.

And it wasn’t alone.

From high above, Micha could hear the sound of the stones popping and fracturing as a massive force pressed against them.

Moving to stand in front of Skye, Micha used his arm as a shield as the vine struck toward them with lightning speed. The thorn sliced through his flesh and he winced in pain. The wound was deep, but on the plus side, he didn’t feel any poison pumping through his body. Within seconds his skin was knitting back together.

“Why didn’t the creature attack Lynx?” he growled, glancing up as more vines punctured through the ceiling. “The fairy would never have survived.”

Skye considered her answer, the scent of laurel leaves filling the air as if she was struggling to determine what was happening.

“It’s possible the crystal allowed him to pass,” she at last admitted.

“Because this is the place where it was created?”

“I don’t know. The power is strange.”

Micha felt a blast of energy zoom past his shoulder before the nearest vine shuddered, as if hit by a spell. The vines jerked back with a shrill cry, as if they’d been injured. It was unnerving as hell. Almost as unnerving as watching a crimson glow form around the plant, melting Skye’s spell and healing the vines.

“Really strange,” Skye muttered. “I don’t know how to stop it.”

“Then we go through it,” Micha announced.

Not giving her the opportunity to protest, Micha braced himself as the nearest vine lashed toward them with a furious intent. The thing was obviously self-aware enough to be pissed off. But so was he. All he wanted was to find Lynx, kill the bastard, and get back to his lair with Skye. Anything getting in the way of that plan was going to be destroyed.

Waiting until the vine was mere inches from his face, he snatched the tip and started to squeeze. The flesh was spongy beneath his grip, easily collapsing. Micha tightened his grip, refusing to allow the creature to slip away. There was another shrill squeal. This time it was fury, not pain, and the remaining vines slithered forward, preparing to strike.

Micha ignored the threat as he focused his powers on the pulp squashed in his hand. The plant was magically enhanced, but it had been created out of nature and he could sense it response to his touch. Plus, they were at the edges of the nearest Gyre. Just close enough to amp up his power.

Releasing a sharp burst of energy, he directed it back through the vine. Usually he was attempting to mold the world around him to satisfy his needs. Like creating his cavern out of the wetlands. Or twisting the native vegetation into a lethal defense around the temple. This time, he was trying to kill. As quickly as possible.

As if sensing it was in danger, the nearby vines swung toward him, the thorns now the length of daggers. Micha didn’t falter. It was going to be a test of endurance to see if he could kill the creepy thing before it sliced him to ribbons.

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