Page 145 of Of Blood & Stone

Thump.

Her goddess’ heartbeat thrummed against her skin. No longer did it bring her comfort, but it would bring her power, and for that reason alone, she would continue to reach for it.

Suddenly, a shock rushed through her veins. Opening her eyes, she could see deeper into the forest, as if some of its shadows moved aside for her. Ears perking up, she realized the forest wasn’t silent, there were chitters and screeches somewhere far in the distance. With each step, her muscles no longer spoke of tiredness, but of anticipation.

The dark barrier of Distrathrus was nowhere to be found.

This time, she wouldn’t celebrate. She would remain cautious of his tricks until the very end.

“Of course you’d be a natural.” Kharis smiled. “Estea’s greatest Kreena, indeed.”

Blinking quickly, she let out a breath, her heightened senses dissipating, the power flowing out of her body and into the ground.

“Alright then, your turn,” Sylzenya offered, motioning to the ground. “Is Estea’s greatest Dynami ready to harness the earth’s power?”

He listened intently as she described her method.

“Think about it as if you aren’t trying to get your body to work as one, but rather, your body is a part of something more, something bigger than yourself. Feel how similar the roots underneath the earth are to the veins running along your arms. Or how the dirt covers the layers beneath it like our skin covers our blood and organs. You aren’t separate from it, but rather, you are whole because of it. But most importantly, listen for Aretta’s heartbeat. She might be dead, but her blood still lives within the earth, and it’s through this you’ll be able to create.”

“You have no liberty to make fun of my instructions when yours sound this absurd,” he said.

She scoffed. “Absurd? I don’t think I could’ve been any clearer. Do you know how many acolytes I’ve had to aid in a given year?”

“Three?”

“Try all of them. Now,just give it a try,” she mocked.

Suddenly, the earth tremored. Sylzenya smiled, Kharis’ eyes wide as he turned to her.

“And you sayI’ma natural.”

Kharis shook his head. “That wasn’t me.”

Sylzenya turned to find trees shaking and then crashing in the distance.

“Fuck,” Kharis said, unsheathing the sword Elnok had given him, “Do you think you can spear the serpentums with your roots like last time?”

Digging her shoes into the dirt, she felt for the earth. “I can try.”

“I hope you can turn thattryinto ayes, Kharis, of course.”

“Why?” Sylzenya questioned, her palms sweating.

Kharis arced his sword. “Because if I had to guess, we’ve got about ten headed our way.”

Her mouth gaped. “Ten?”

Metallic chitters split the air, echoing through the trees and filtering across the dirt.

“Great. Arachnis too.” Veins crackling and eyes glowing, Kharis readjusted his weapons. “Suppose this will be our first test to see if we can kill a god, won’t it?”

Arms shaking and legs wobbling, Sylzenya felt for the earth, her goddess’ heartbeat thrumming heavily through her body. The roots writhed underneath the ground as yellow sparks erupted from the ground, circling her arms and slicing into her back—that familiar pain grounding her.

“I suppose so,” she muttered under her breath.

A tree to their left crashed to the ground, the earth shaking violently under their feet. Sylzenya remained upright, Kharis keeping her steady with an outstretched hand. A large iridescent figure slithered over the toppled tree. Clouded eyes blinking, the serpentum tasted the air with its black tongue, directing its head downwards—smelling them.

More trees collapsed. Two. Three. Five. Seven.

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