Page 20 of Fallen Star

“Let’s just say I’m well-versed in handling delicate creatures,” he counters, and I can’t help feeling comforted by his teasing.

“I wouldn’t call myself delicate,” I reply. “Unless we’re counting your ego—because I’m handling that just fine.”

“Oh, you’re handling something all right,” he says. “But I wouldn’t call it my ego.”

We continue like that for the next few minutes, following what seems like an endless stretch of trees. But no matter how hard I try focusing on Riven’s banter, my mind circles back to Zoey. Every second feels like another step closer to losing her.

That’s when I hear it.

A crunch in the snow.

Heavy. Deliberate.

Riven tenses beside me. “Don’t move,” he whispers.

Another snap, closer now.

“What is it?” I ask, my magic stirring beneath my skin.

“Be quiet, and stay close,” he says, and a shadow emerges from the trees—a hulking, humanoid figure that’s almost nine feet tall, with frost-covered skin and eyes that glow like embers.

“A Stalo,” Riven says, drawing his sword. “They die if you stab them in the heart. The trick is getting close enough to do it. And whatever happens—don’t run.”

Before I can reply, the Stalo looks at us, charges, and the forest explodes into chaos.

Sapphire

The Stalo’sroar shakes the forest.

Riven’s sword flashes like silver lightning, and he charges, fluid and precise.

The monster swings a claw toward him. But Riven slashes his blade in a wide arc, and a sheet of ice races across the ground, spreading toward the Stalo’s legs.

From there, everything happens in what feels like a blink as Riven goes in for what should be blow after crippling blow.

Each time he gets in a hit, the Stalo’s skin hardens. The wound sparkles with frost, and in less than a second, it’s sealed. Faster than any supernatural healing I’ve ever seen.

Although I’m hardly the most experienced in all things supernatural, given that I didn’t know supernaturals existed until a little over a week ago.

Still, I clutch my dagger, looking for an in so I can help.

“Its skin is like armor!” Riven calls out, ice forming beneath his feet as he slides gracefully away from a devastating blow.

Where the Stalo’s fist hits, the ground fractures.

It swipes again, but Riven pivots, his sword meeting the Stalo’s arm in a clash of steel and frozen flesh. Frost creepsfrom his blade, spreading up the creature’s arm and slowing its movements.

Finally spotting an opening, I gather water from the snow and hurl it at the monster’s eyes.

“Riven!” I call out as the Stalo rears back, one massive claw raised to strike.

With a flick of his wrist, an ice spear forms in his free hand, and he hurls it at the Stalo’s chest.

The monster staggers, but it doesn’t fall. Instead, it snarls and pulls out the ice spear, the wound healing in a second.

Riven continues his assault, and my magic stirs within me as I remember the way I attacked the shadow monster. A deadly combination of water and air, pelting it with makeshift bullets until it collapsed in the snow.

My nerves crackle with the need to do it again. To use my air magic combined with my water magic.

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