Page 123 of Beneath the Flames
“Maren, come on,” the boy said to her, tugging harder.His movements were frantic, glancing up at me every few seconds as if I were going to eat them.
Hmm, that’s not a terrible idea.
Baring my teeth, smoke curled from my snout.
The boy stank of fear as he pushed the girl backward, away from where I towered over them.
“He doesn’t remember you,” he said to the girl.
The girl protested, digging her feet into the ground, unwilling to move.“But Rhydian—”
“The Rhydian you know is gone,” the boy yelled, and surprise licked through me.
Rhydian.
The name clanged, ricocheting through my mind, but I couldn’t figure out why.I had no memory of such a name.The only memory I had was of darkness, a deep ache in my bones from not being able to stretch for so long, and a never-ending, unrelenting cold.
And then I suddenly woke up and here I was.
Who was this Rhydian?
“What are you talking about?”the girl asked the boy.
The boy pointed up at me.“That’s Kharos, the Beast of Eroth.”
Power surged through me at the sound of my name.It had been so long since I had heard anyone utter it.It was laced with the proper fear it deserved.
Avaleashouldfear me.
I was its destruction.
And now that I was freed, I would be its wrath.
The girl’s gray eyes met mine, and it was clear that she knew me somehow.I searched my memories, trying to figure out why she would look at me like that, but I could find none.She was just a human.An easy snack.And yet those gray eyes, and the sadness streaking down her cheeks, drew me in.For a moment, I felt a flicker ofsomething—then it vanished, and I felt nothing.Only rage.Only the need for revenge.
I bared my teeth at her, expecting her to cower like all humans once did, but she didn’t move, didn’t shrink back in fear.
The boy spoke once more.“When the curse was laid, it trapped Kharos in a Fae body so that he could no longer rain destruction on Avalea.Rhydian was his Fae form.”He pointed up at me once more.“He won’t remember you.Rhydian is gone.”
A growl bubbled in my throat.That was what the queens did to me?Trapped me in a pitiful Fae body?All this time…
Lava spilled from between my teeth, my core burning hotter, needing release.
The sadness in the boy’s voice irritated me.I snapped my teeth and he flinched, taking a few more steps back.
I relished his fear.
“He won’t hesitate to eat us.We need to run.”
Yes, run.Run so I can give chase.It has been too long since I’ve gone after prey.
The girl continued to stare at me, and it was obvious she was unaccepting of the boy’s explanation.Though she was merely a human, her gaze held me captive for some reason.I couldn’t bring myself to look away.
What nonsense was this?
I curled my lips back, baring my teeth again, expecting her to finally run so I could give chase, but she didn’t move.
“Maren!”the boy cried, pulling her arm, and this time shegave in and started moving backward.
