Page 60 of Immortal Sins
Heat licks my ribs, my flames rising to the surface. Does he believe I’m the weakest link? That I’m his way back to Cole? Better yet, am I doomed to give in?
* * *
A wide andpleasant trail snakes toward an emerald-green river. Thick oaks and petulant brooks forged their way into the rock bed. Fallen leaves crack underneath Bay’s hoofs. We ride together at a lazy pace for about ten minutes before the bird chirps stop abruptly. The trail widens here, a few tall rocks laying at the bottom of a steep slope.
A shadow moves between the trees, and my shoulders tense. Cole assured me Unseelie creatures couldn’t reach us here, the borders of his lands patrolled by royal guards. But then again, he also mentioned the monsters popped out of new areas every day.
Bay walks backwards and shakes her mane in alarm.
“Woah. Steady.”
She spins around.
My head collides with a low-hanging branch, and the spooked horse starts galloping back the way we came. I grip her mane and lower my body.
Zzzsh.
An arrow—a fucking arrow that looks pointy as hell—wizzes by my face.
Zzzsh. Zzzsh. Zzzsh.
I crane my neck around to glance behind me.
One arrow buries deep inside Bay’s rear muscles, and when I look in front of us again, my stomach churns.
A white horse blocks our course.
Bay’s front limbs rise high in the air.
I roll to the ground, pain exploding across my nerves.
I cough up a mouthful of dirt and crawl to my knees, too dizzy to stand up yet. Magic swarms my body. Purple veins creep up my hands and arms. A perfectly formed purple orb crackles in my open palm, and I clamp down the urge to hurl it at the knight.
He recoils at the sight of it. “Where’s your fire, witch?”
“Surprise!” I spit at the Fae.
Ten or twelve soldiers catch up to my rear, each of them holding swords. They prevent me from escaping, but they keep a safe distance, and quite a few of them steal glances at the purple orb.
The leader might be the only one that can use magic.
A leather strap runs diagonally over his chainmail, holding his quiver tight against his shoulder blades. The bow hangs from the saddle’s pommel. A blue-tinged barrier shimmers around him, no doubt a magical armor.
I keep my eyes riveted on the archer. “What do you want?”
Last time I unleashed my new powers, I had no idea what they could do, or if I might explode along with them. Now, I’m more confident. They better watch themselves; I’m done holding back.
The man nocks his arrow and draws his bow.
I hope infernal magic will blast right through the protective barrier, because if not, I’m dead.
Sweat sticks to my temples. My hands shake. The orb snaps from my hand and flies directly to the arm holding the bow. The infernal magic zooms past the magical armor and cuts right through the archer’s wrist.
His arrow bites the dust, two inches in front of my knees.
A gut-wrenching holler booms through the woods. The man’s intact hand claws at his severed limb. Blood splashes the white’s horse coat, a deep red splatter marring its braided mane.
I jump to my feet and watch the others’ reaction, nursing another infernal orb to life. Raw breaths heave my chest.
