Page 51 of Marked By the Dark Lord
Water rushing downward at an incredible rate slapped at me, spinning me around wildly as I screamed and curled into a ball, knowing it wouldn’t be long before—
I hit the surface like a cannonball, air driven from my lungs on impact, while the force of millions of gallons of water falling from above pushed me deep under the water, keeping me away from any easy source of oxygen.
The turbulent waters tossed me around like a blender while my lungs screamed for air. I wanted to uncurl and stroke for the surface, but that was a surefire way to die. There was too much water coming down too hard.
I balled up tighter, willing myself to survive, fighting hard to keep calm and slow my heartbeat to let my precious oxygen last just a little bit longer. It was my only hope.
My chest was ready to explode, and my body was shutting down when, at last, I finally bobbed to the surface. The thunderous roar of the falls was behind me, only a light mist drenching the air.
I gasped, fresh panic taking over for a moment as I paddled awkwardly to stay afloat. After all, I had never learned how to swim.
My four-limbed pawing at the water seemed to work, however, because I didn’t sink. The river swept me away, and I didn’t fight it. I tried to steer myself slowly toward shore, but by the time I found footing steady enough to stop myself, I was half a mile downstream.
Of course, I knew the Gray Knights wouldn’t give up. Their portals would let them close the gap quicker than I liked. Which meant, as exhausted as I was, I had to continue.
That was when the reality of it hit me. Icouldcarry on. The red glow had long since vanished from my hands. ButI wasalive, and not only that, but I was also essentially unharmed. Soaked to the bone in frigid water and likely at risk for hypothermia if I didn’t keep moving, but no broken bones, nothing.
“It worked,” I whispered, smiling to myself. “Holy shit, it worked!”
I would have to practice and practice frequently, but if I could do that? I could do anything! Maybe I could use this newfound power to lift myself out of poverty. Live a life the wayI wanted.
Sorry, Korr’ok. But living in your shadow, under the constant threat of you taking control of my body, is not a healthy relationship. I didn’t choose any of that.
My shoes soggy and squishing with every step, I moved off, heading downriver. The slope grew less steep the farther I went. It would be faster to stay in the river, but up ahead was the first of a series of rapids, and I was smart enough to know better than to pit my meager swimming skills against the Whirlpool Rapids.
So, instead, I clambered over rocks, moving as fast as I could. With any luck, the Gray Knights would assume I was dead and not give pursuit.
A portal opened to my left without warning, the purple glow diffusing swiftly so that those farther away would be hard-pressed to spot it.
“Thatwouldbe my luck,” I hissed, heading toward the river as Gray Knights poured out.
We weren’t even that far from where they’d captured me the first time. It was like a repeat all over again. There had to be some meaning behind that, didn’t there?
“That’s far enough,” the same minotaur growled as they fanned out, weapons at the ready. “Come peacefully, or we’ll have to use force.”
Tired and aching, despite the protection of my magic, I set my jaw and feet. “No,” I said calmly, reaching deep inside me to that wellspring of magic I was learning to touch.
It took less effort that time. My hands glowed red at my side.
“Very well,” the leader growled, gesturing with his head.
Two of his men came at me in a rush, on opposite sides of the line. With a shout, I thrust both hands up andpushedat the magic in my palms.
Balls of red light shot out. One flew straight and true, slamming into the shin of the beast on my right. He yelped and went down in a tumble. The other twisted at the waist, taking the impact in his arm, and continued coming.
“Oh, crap.”
I summoned more magic but was forced to dive out of the way, narrowly missing the swing of his weapon, a simple staff of wood. It was a good four inches in diameter, though, making it more than “good enough” to drop me if it connected.
With another yell, I pointed both hands at him as he wound up to attack again and let fly with everything.
A wave of nausea and exhaustion ripped through me, but I watched with great satisfaction as both balls hit the minotaur in the chest, tossing him back into the river, where he disappeared below the surface.
My legs wavered, making it hard to evade the third and fourth Gray Knights, who came in with the leader on their heels. I dropped low, dodging their strikes, but one of them lashed out with a boot that caught me in the knee, spinning me around and dropping me on my back.
“Ahh!” I cried, crossing my arms over my face as the leader tried smashing my face with the butt of his weapon.
A crimson shield burst into being in front of my arms, stopping his attack. The minotaur grunted and tried again but was denied.
