Page 14 of Eluvonia
I take down a couple of straggler Fae as they stumble through the trees, their panicked movements easy targets. Their cries are muffled by the roar of the surrounding chaos, but I don’t pause to listen.
My eyes are sharp, every sense heightened as I make my way deeper into the forest, scanning for the next threat.
Around me, treetops ignite, Dragons tearing through the canopy, their flames a bright contrast to the surrounding gloom. A grim smile tugs at my lips.
Good.Let the Fae feel the heat.
I step deeper into the trees, the underbrush crackling beneath my boots. The forest hums with life, each whisper of the wind brushing against my skin. My shadows, like obedient soldiers, fan out around me, slithering through the dark spaces, seeking out the hidden danger lurking just out of sight.
I step around a tree, eyes narrowing as I spot her—a red-headed Fae, her back to me. She’s unaware, her focus somewhere else, and I can already feel the predatory smile creeping across my face. This one?
She’s mine.
Chapter 5
HIM
The Fae woman turns toward me, her hair cascading to her hips, wild and unbound like the flames devouring the remains of her home. Torn scraps of brown cloth cling to her slender frame, more ash and dust than fabric. Her sunken eyes, pale skin, and hollow cheeks give her an almost spectral appearance. There’s something about her frailty that tugs at something deep inside me—something I refuse to name. I crush the feeling, burying it beneath the weight of my purpose.
A twig snaps beneath my boot as I step out of the shadows, leaning casually against a tree. Her head jerks toward the sound, her body tensing like a cornered animal. She spins, her wild grey eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that pierces through the smoke-filled air. She flinches, but her stance is firm—chin lifted, shoulders squared. The defiance in her gaze stirs something unexpected, a flicker of intrigue. My lips curl into a smirk.
“Stay back,” she commands, her voice steady, though the faint tremor betrays her fear. Her fingers tighten around the crude dagger in her hand. “I’ll take you down or die trying.”
I let out a low chuckle, tilting my head as I study her. “Bold words for a Fae.” My gaze drifts over her fragile frame, lingering on the shadows beneath her cheekbones and the way her ribs press against her skin. Hunger and desperation burn in her eyes, but so does fire. “But you won’t be the one to take me down.”
The pity threatening to surface is quickly extinguished. The shadows stir around me, coiling eagerly up my arms like devoted pets. They cling to my skin, pooling at my fingertips as my claws begin to elongate. The tips turn into black, razor-sharp talons, the edges catching the faint light as they gleam with menace.
Her posture tightens, but she doesn’t flinch. I catch the slight hitch in her breath, the tension in her shoulders. Fear. It always finds a way to betray them.
Without warning, I lunge, my claws slicing through the air with lethal precision. She’s fast—annoyingly so—rolling to the side just in time. A rock comes flying at my head, and I arch a brow, swatting it away with my palm. “Really?” I drawl, my tone rich with mockery. “That’s the best you’ve got?” She doesn’t answer, only narrows her eyes as we circle each other. Her movements are calculated, her stance low and ready. There’s a fire in her gaze that catches my attention. It’s not just survival—it’s defiance. That spark of rebellion is almost enough to make me admire her. Almost.
“Go on,” I taunt, smirking. “Try again. Maybe you’ll get lucky this time.”
Her lips press into a thin line, and I can see the wheelsturning in her head. She knows I’m stronger, faster. The question is, how long can she keep me entertained?
I swing again, this time aiming high and fast. She ducks, nimble as a fox, but fate isn’t on her side. Her foot catches on a gnarled root, and she stumbles. The crash she makes as she hits the ground is almost comical. The dagger she’s been clinging to flies out of her grasp, skittering across the dirt to land uselessly a few feet away.
I step closer, my claws flexing as they catch the faint moon light filtering through the trees. “Well, that was anticlimactic,” I say, feigning disappointment. She scrambles backward, her chest heaving, eyes darting to the dagger.It’s pathetic, really.“You’re not even trying anymore,” I sigh, studying my claws as though bored.
Just as I step forward to end this little charade, the earth beneath me shudders. A vine shoots up from the ground, twisting like a living rope around my wrist. Before I can react, it wrenches my arm to the side, forcing me off balance.
Magic.
I scowl, the sharp edges of my claws glinting as I shred the vine with a quick slash. “Oh, you’ve got tricks,” I mutter, my voice low and dangerous, barely holding back the anger simmering beneath. “That’s cute.” Before I can process the situation, her fist connects with my cheek. The impact snaps my head to the side, and for a moment, I just stand there, stunned.
She hit me.Me.Slowly, I turn back to face her, tasting the sharp tang of blood as it pools in my mouth. My tongue runs over my teeth, checking for damage, and I let out a low chuckle. It’s not an amused sound. “Bold move,” I say, tilting my head. “Too bad it was your final one.”
The smile drops as quickly as it came, and I step forward, closing the distance between us in one fluid motion. My fist drives into her stomach with a force that sends the air rushing out of her lungs. She staggers, but before she can recover, my knuckles connect with her jaw, snapping her head to the side. She crumples to the ground, her body limp in the dirt.
I stand over her, breathing hard, the faint sting on my cheek only fueling the simmering anger beneath my skin. I let out a sharp exhale, flexing my fingers as the claws retract slightly, the shadows curling down to my feet.
“Looks like the fight’s over, sweetheart,” I mutter, crouching to hoist her onto my shoulder. She’s lighter than I expected, her weight barely noticeable as I straighten.
A low laugh escapes me as I start walking. “Congratulations,” I say to the unconscious Fae. “You’ve officially made my day more interesting.”
The shadows ripple around me, curling at the edges of my vision as though feeding off my irritation. They always did like a good show.
Chapter 6
