Page 1 of Magic Unmasked

Chapter

One

LILITH

Lilith Silverwing moved swiftly through the dense forest, her steps silent and deliberate. She was eager to return to the fae realm, to taste the crisp air of her home and feel the magic hum under her skin. The forest path ahead was illuminated only by slivers of moonlight breaking through the thick canopy above, casting long shadows on the ground. She could sense the presence of the portal just ahead, a shimmer of energy on the edge of her awareness, calling her back. After weeks of battling rogue vampires and exiled fae, she was ready for some time off.

But fate had other plans.

The air shifted suddenly, thickening with malice, and Lilith's instincts flared to life. She stopped abruptly, her violet eyes narrowing as her hand instinctively gripped the hilt of her enchanted blade. Shadows coalesced in the trees, darker than the natural night, their forms twisting and contorting until they solidified into grotesque figures.

Demons.

Lilith cursed under her breath. She had sensed them too late.

From the shadows, a hulking demon lord emerged, flanked by a small group of snarling minions. His skin was the colorof ash, marred by glowing crimson runes, and his eyes burned with the fire of the damned. His massive horns curved forward, framing a face twisted in cruel amusement.

"Lilith Silverwing," the demon lord purred, his voice like gravel scraping across stone. "I was told you might come this way."

"And here I thought demons couldn't think for themselves," Lilith shot back, her tone cool and measured, despite the thundering pulse in her chest. She slowly drew her sword, the blade gleaming with silver-blue light, its magic thrumming in her grip.

The demon's smile widened. "I don’t need to think to kill you."

Two of the minions lunged first, claws outstretched and fangs bared. Lilith twisted out of their reach, her blade arcing through the air as she spun, slicing through one demon’s chest with lethal precision. Dark blood sprayed, sizzling as it hit the ground. The other demon came at her from behind, but Lilith was faster. She pivoted, driving her sword into the demon’s gut before twisting it and yanking it free.

The demon lord laughed, a sound that made the trees tremble. "You’ve got fight in you, little fae. But you’re outmatched."

He was right. Lilith could feel the burden of fatigue slowing her movements, her body aching from weeks of battle and unrest. But she wouldn’t give in, not yet, not ever.

Lilith’s sword felt heavier with every swing, her muscles burning with exhaustion. Weeks of fighting rogue supernaturals had taken their toll, and now, facing a demon lord and his minions, every movement felt sluggish, her limbs crying for rest. But rest wasn’t an option—not with death staring her in the face.

The demon lord grinned, a cruel glint in his fiery eyes as he stalked toward her, his ash-colored skin glowing with infernalrunes. "Tired, little fae?" he taunted, his deep, gravelly voice sending chills down her spine. "I can see it in your eyes. You have nothing left to give."

Lilith didn’t respond—she couldn’t afford to. Her chest heaved with shallow breaths, and the ache in her side from a bruise she’d taken earlier throbbed in sync with her racing heartbeat. Her vision blurred at the edges, a telltale sign her magic reserves were running dangerously low. She adjusted her grip on the hilt of her blade, the familiar hum of its enchantment faltering, as if even the magic within it was worn out from overuse.

More of the demon lord’s minions lunged, grotesque snarls ripping from their throats. Lilith moved purely on instinct, parrying the first clawed swipe with a clumsy block. Her sword slashed downward, cutting across the second demon’s chest, but the strike lacked its usual precision. Dark blood sprayed in an arc, hissing as it hit the forest floor.

Too slow.

A second too late, she felt sharp claws rake across her shoulder. Pain bloomed, hot and angry, but she gritted her teeth and twisted, her blade arcing toward the minion. The demon gurgled as her sword sank deep into its side, and with a sharp jerk, she tore it free, sending the creature crumpling to the ground in a steaming heap.

Lilith stumbled, her boot catching on a root hidden beneath the undergrowth. The small misstep sent her heart racing, panic threatening to close in. She couldn’t afford mistakes—not now. The demon lord was still advancing, and she could feel her magic sputtering inside her like a candle about to burn out.

The demon lord chuckled, a low, menacing sound that reverberated through the clearing. “You’ve fought well enough, fae, but we both know you’re finished.”

He swung a massive, clawed hand toward her, and she barely managed to raise her sword in time. The impact sent a jolt of pain up her arms, the force of it nearly ripping the blade from her grasp. Her boots skidded against the damp earth, and she collided with a tree, the rough bark biting into her back.

A gasp escaped her lips, the air knocked from her lungs. Her knees buckled, and for a moment, she slumped against the tree, every fiber of her being screaming at her to stop—to give in. But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t.

The demon lord loomed over her, his hulking frame casting a suffocating shadow. “Stay down,” he rumbled, lifting his hand for the final blow. “It’s over.”

Lilith’s vision darkened around the edges, her grip on her sword slipping. Her body begged her to surrender, to let the darkness pull her under. But deep inside, a spark of defiance flared—small, but enough. She had come too far, fought too long to die here.

Growling, she forced her legs to move, stumbling back to her feet just as the demon’s claws arced toward her. She ducked beneath the swing, her movements unsteady but effective. Gathering what little magic she had left, she infused her blade with a flicker of power—just enough.

“Not yet,” she whispered, her voice raw and breathless.

With a sharp cry, she drove her sword upward, the blade sinking into the demon lord’s chest. The enchanted steel shimmered weakly, but it was enough to pierce through his thick hide. His eyes widened in shock, a guttural roar of rage and pain ripping from his throat as her magic spread through him like wildfire.

---