Page 81 of Her Blood Revenge

‘It’s not me!’ I argue back. ‘This magic isn’t mine!’

The deep purple vines twist and grow, forming the figure of a man. This creature stands between Hel and us, his whole body nothing more than twisting and writhing vines. He’s at least eight feet tall, if not more.

‘ATHIR!’ the goddess screams. ‘SHE IS MINE! MINE!’

Hel grips the chain and swipes it hard to the side so it sweeps across the sand.

‘Fuck!’ Dorian grunts, watching it head straight towards us. He grips me tight. We’re entangled in the vines now, unable to move.

The man of vines reaches out his hand, and more vines shoot from his fingers, stopping the chain dead in its tracks.

He turns, and brilliant purple eyes glow as they meet my gaze.

There is a crown of green leaves and delicate lilac flowers atop his head, and although he is made of nothing but vegetation, I see his smile.

‘Athir…’ I breathe. ‘Theearth god.’

‘Run, my child. Do not give in to the darkness.’ He turns to me, ignoring the screeching blood goddess behind, and kneels before me. His free hand rests on my cheek. A warmth and kindness pass between us, and I lean into him with a long-lost longing I never felt before

‘Daughter. My daughter. You are of me. I am of good. I will help you defeat the blood queen if you let me. When you are ready.’

‘I’m ready,’ I reply.

He destroys the magic-stealing cuff around my wrist and frees my magic.

The vines tighten around our legs.

‘Soon, daughter. You will be ready soon.’

We’re pulled down.

I reach for Athir and scream his name. I long for him.MyGod. The giver of all my earth magic.

And now I know.

He’s my father, too.

Down we are pulled.

Down. Down. Down.

Chapter thirteen

The Shadow Master

We’re spat upwards and fly several meters in the air before falling back to earth with a thud.

I’m up in an instant, on my feet and scouring the area for her.

For my old mistress. For Hel herself. The dark goddess of blood and death who commands the darkness. Who commanded me.

But all I see are the dense and ancient trees of a forest and the same vines that pulled us from the shores of hell carpeting this clearing. Rain falls steadily against the deep canopy above us, and the air is clear of sulphur and blood.

‘ASHE?’ I call. I can’t see her. ‘ASHE!’

The sound of painful groaning leads me straight to her. She’s on the floor, struggling to get to her feet as she rolls around in pain.

My hand rests on her back, and she lifts her head to look at me. Her lips are parted as she struggles to get a breath inside her body. Her pretty eyes bulge.

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