Page 121 of Of Blood & Stone

He was going to die, might already be dead…

No. She wouldn’t let that happen—couldn’t. A fresh hurricane raged through her limbs as she urged her power into the dying trees surrounding them. They fought against her, their energy far more difficult to connect to than the lively rootsunderneath the ground. Still, she drew the trees down, five of them bending precariously over Kharis.

“Distrathrus has you under his control, but you don’t have to give in,” Sylzenya yelled, the Dynami slicing away at her upturned roots.

“There’s no one else I would rather serve. You used to understand this.” He smiled, his veins glowing a bright yellow.

Sylzenya continued sending vines and roots at him, attempting to overwhelm him, but he sliced and sliced and sliced. She was slowing him down, but she needed more time before the trees obeyed her completely.

“What about Elnok’s brother?” she asked, “The man you love? Is it worth abandoning him to serve this god?”

Kharis’ smile faltered, the light in his veins flickering. “The price for life will always be pain, even if it means giving up a dream.”

“Would he give up on you?”

Kharis missed a root, the sharp point slicing through a layer of his leather armor. Wincing, he continued his fight. Sylzenya held her ground, commanding more and more roots. Pain, heavy and sharp, sliced deeper into her back.

This needed to endnow.

“Does he know you’ve deserted him?” she asked.

Kharis’ power shifted. It no longer flickered, instead glowing brighter, his blades moving faster.

Shit.

Blood and sweat dripped like rain down her skin. She needed to uproot these trees and send them on top of Kharis, and she refused to give in to the pain until he was subdued.

“I’m afraid that if anyone should be questioned for their abandonment, it would be you,” Kharis replied, “You abandoned Distrathrus at his most important moment. You abandoned your decade of work because an outlander showed up in your life andconvinced you of his lies.” His eyes softened, the light dimming, “I understand the temptation. I know exactly how you’ve felt, but you need to learn as I have that they aren’t worth it in the end.”

Flames billowed along her cut, harsh and unrelenting.

Just one more moment, and the trees would smother him.

One more moment.

“Consider my words carefully,” he continued, “Do you truly believe Elnok will forgive you? After learning of all you’ve done to his land? His people? The man isn’t dull. He wants the medicine to cure his friend, and he knows he can’t make it through this forest without someone with power by his side.”

Curling her hands into fists, she ignored his words. Instead, she forced more roots out of the ground, willing the trees to bend and bend and bend.

“Why waste your time with a man who sees you as a means to an end when you have a god—afather—who sees you for everything you are?”

All at once, Distrathrus’ dark barrier slammed down on her, breaking her away from the roots and trees.

Her goddess’ heartbeat ceased.

Aretta’s power vanished from her fingertips.

Sylzenya, why won’t you listen to reason?Distrathrus’ cold voice slithered along her spine.

“No,” she gasped, but it was too late.

The earth’s song faded, the roots falling limp as she crumpled to her knees. Skin slick and head pounding, Sylzenya dropped the orodyte serum and sword, the vial hitting a sharp rock and shattering—her only way of turning Kharis… gone.

The lack of Dynami reinforcements, her access to her power… it’d given her the confidence to try and beat Kharis.

A trap,and she fell right into it.

She hadn’t overcome Distrathrus’ hold.

---