Page 53 of Oleander
“Ander!Run faster!What are you doing?” he pleads, the fear in his voice like a sword to the heart.
“We won’t make it,” I whisper in despair, slowing down even more. I come to a standstill, and Skyler’s bulging eyes nearly gut me.
“What are you doing?” he repeats, voice quaking with excess adrenaline. “Ander,pleasekeep moving.”
I ignore Skyler, concentrating as much as I can under the circumstances. I reach out with my mind and speak to the plants, asking for their protection and guidance. I feel them respond, reassuring me and infusing my aura with peace.
“Ander!Move!” The angry tremor in Skyler’s voice absolutely destroys me, but I know what I have to do.
I watch as thick vines drop down from the trees, lashing out at the hellhound and restraining it mere feet away. The angry creature snaps its jaws at me, teeth dripping with venom.
Zephyr, Hawk, and Leo are long gone, and it’s a relief knowing that at least they’re going to make it. But the fact that Skyler stayed behind for me fills me with a confusing mix of emotions.
He stayed back forme. Even knowing it might mean our deaths.
The hellhound struggles against its confines, but my magic alone is no match for this terrifying beast from the Underworld. It thrashes, ferociously whipping its head back and forth like a rabid animal unconcerned with its own safety. Thick globs of toxic saliva fly from its mouth, and I jump out of the way, avoiding contact with the deadly spit bomb.
The hellhound continues to bite through vines like butter, and I can’t keep up. Can’t replace the vines fast enough.
“Skyler, you need to run!Please!” Desperation laces my tone when I realize he’s runningtowardthe beast.
“As if I’d leave you to die alone!” His handsome face is serious and determined, that playful dimple nowhere in sight.
“Not exactly the words of inspiration I need, Sky.” I don’t take my eyes off the beast, continuing to use my magic to urge the plants and trees to help us.
“Well, no one’s dying tonight!” Skyler shouts, rephrasing his words onlyslightlybetter.
The electricity in his hands intensifies as a powerful ball of lightning grows, hovering between his palms. His eyes pulse brightly, a silvery blue hue that matches his magical energy. He walks closer to the restrained hellhound, making it thrash and growl more ferociously. The hellhound is reacting to Skyler with even more aggression and continues chomping through vines the moment new ones grab hold.
Skyler’s chest heaves as he inhales a massive breath, letting it out with a war cry. The built-up electricity shoots from his palms with such force that he stumbles back a few steps.
I rush toward him, continuing to feed my magic to the vines. I grasp Skyler’s elbow with one hand, making sure he stays upright. “I got you!” I shout into his ear, raising my voice over the wind and the currents buzzing through the air around us.
Skyler barely acknowledges me as he grits his teeth through the immense power pouring from his body. The smell is horrendous as fur and flesh burns. The howls of pain are equally disturbing. Skyler’s power lights up the darkness around us, allowing me to see the sweat dripping down his temples and the fatigue on his face.
This is too much magic. We’re using too much magic.
It’s all about balance and control, and I’m worried we’re both going to crash soon. Wehaveto get out of here. Only an iron sword infused with Fae magic can truly kill a hellhound, sending it back to the Underworld. And we haven’t so much as a pocket knife.
Skyler continues to electrocute the beast non-stop, sweat pouring from him. “Ahhhh!” His voice croaks at the end. He’s getting weaker.We both are.
I grab him from behind, finally allowing the vines to drop the toasted hellhound. But Skyler still doesn’t stop. “Enough!” I shout, wrapping my arms around his torso and grasping his forearms, gently lowering them. Skyler’s electricity burns my toxins away on contact, the stress of the situation making the poison uncontrollable. “That’s enough, Sky!”
He needs to stop. Goddess,please. He needs to stop.
A few small zaps shoot from his fingertips before fizzling out all the way.
“You’re okay. You’re okay,” I chant as he continues trying to use his magic even though nothing is coming out.
“We got the hellhound,” I whisper and Skyler whimpers, his body and mind exhausted and relieved, the same as mine. “Shh. You’re alright. Lean on me.” Skyler nearly collapses, sinking into my body and letting me hold his weight.
“Is that fucker dead?” he croaks, his voice hoarse from screaming, not to mention all the acrid smoke we inhaled.
“Well, not quite. Just incapacitated. Hellhounds can only be killed with an iron blade.”
“What?! Andyou don’t have one?” he shrieks in horror.
“Not at the moment, Sky. I don’t keep them in my pocket,” I say in exasperation, trying to explain this to his still intoxicated and now exhausted brain. My eyes catch movement, pulling me from the conversation. The steaming, charred remains of the hellhound twitch behind Skyler, and now Iknowit’s time for us to go.
