Page 43 of The Road to Hell

Flames spilled from the wound, flames I called to my hand, then threw back in his face. It didn’t burn, but it distracted him enough that I could duck behind him and deliver a mighty kick to his left knee.

He dropped, bracing himself. But he recuperated faster than I expected. With a roar, he pushed back to his feet, then whirled, backhanding me with the full force of his molten fist.

I flew—and not in a good way.

Damn it.

The world spun violently, then came to a sudden stop when I crashed into a stall. Pain ricocheted through my body. I blinked away my double vision to find Rathiel standing behind Eliza and staring at me with part disappointment, part concern in his eyes. He met my gaze and shook his head, then gestured for me to get my ass back into the fight.

I picked myself back up and faced the brimlord, who stalked toward me with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“You hit like my father,” I muttered.

“Flattery won’t save you,” he grumbled.

“Who said I was flattering you?” I bantered.

The brimlord let out a snarl and charged, but this time, I was ready.

I surged forward, dodging low, spinning around him, and drove Inferno’s Kiss straight through his back. At the same time, I raked Shadow’s Embrace down his spine, the tenebrous metal slicing deeper through already-weakened flesh.

The blade pierced through the molten crevices in his skin, sinking deep.

He roared.

The sound rattled my bones, but I held firm, twisting the blade, forcing fire to ignite from within.

The brimlord whipped around, grabbing me by the arm, and with frightening ease, he hurled me over his shoulder.

I slammed into the ground hard, air ripping from my lungs.

His foot came down.

I rolled—just barely—before it crushed my ribcage, but his heel still caught my shoulder, driving pain through the joint.

I hissed, pushing to my feet. All right. No more playing around.

I met his gaze and smirked.

Time to finish this.

His molten chest heaved with exertion, but he didn’t back down.

Neither did I.

He lunged.

I ducked under his swing, dodging at the last second, and with every ounce of strength I had, I drove Inferno’s Kiss into his side—right between his ribs, where the flames burned brightest. Then I twisted Shadow’s Embrace upward in the opposite direction, deepening the wound from both sides.

The blade sank deep, but I knew my flames wouldn’t harm him. I had an idea, though. One I’d never tried before. If this worked…well, it’d be freaking cool.

I gritted my teeth and reached out with my magic, connecting with the fire that flowed through his veins. Except, my goal wasn’t to ignite but to drain.

A low, crackling sound rumbled through the brimlord, and his entire body began to sputter, like a suppressed flame. His veins flared with light and heat—then flickered.

I pulled harder, and from the wound where Inferno’s Kiss still pierced his side, a stream of fire bled from his core, drawn to me like smoke funneling through a draft.

The brimlord’s heat rushed toward me, tendrils of his searing hellfire unraveling from his body and racing to my outstretched hand.

---