Page 73 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

Looping my bow through my arm, I make the climb down, landing on soft feet as I prowl forward. Az is close behind me, his indigo eyes surveying the area for any signs of the remaining demons.

We spot them on the winding trail, and I raise my bow, the thick string tensing between my fingers. With a steady force I stretch the bow to its full strength, feeling the heat of exhaustion as my muscles fight against me. I'm determined not to miss.

Luck is not on my side, because they hear the arrow whistling through the trees and duck.

My heart roars in my chest, but I remain still, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, but it appears they're circling around. When they near the giant willow, Az and Emeric use a combination of their shadow and metal magic to bind them, folding the trees into an inescapable cage.

Finally, I fire an arrow, hitting my mark and striking one of the fae in the chest. He lets out a scream of agony before crumpling to the ground.

The man and woman are almost exact replicas of each other. They have pale, glowing skin and sharp features with icy eyes that shine like moonlit diamonds. Their movements are graceful and precise, as if they were performing some kind of unheard-of dance.

Az and Emeric unleash a flurry of their own magic, a storm of purple and pink energy that clashes against the ice magic of the captives. The ice shatters, fragments of frozen power cascading onto the forest floor, but still the cage refuses to unlock. No matter how hard they try, they remain trapped and isolated, unable to break free from the iron grip of Az and Emeric's powerful combined magic. Is it fair? No.

Do I care?

Also no. That's probably why I ended up here in the first place.

Clenching my teeth, I draw back the bowstring to its full extension, the quivering arrowhead seeking retribution. Two successive shots fly through the air towards my foes, their screams a mortal plea as each arrow pierces their flesh. The creatures crash to the ground, dissolving into a cloud of vapor, colorful fireworks bursting into the night sky as an ear-piercing siren reverberates throughout the forest.

My head jerks around to Az, eyes wide with anticipation. "Is it finished?" I demand.

"It's done," Az replies with finality as thunder crashes in the background, rolling through my bones with the weight of a deadening finality. My heart misses a beat, and my body stands still, daring to hope.

It's over.

"How do I know if I won?"

"Aggonid will steal you from your sleep, and you'll spend the next thirty days in his company," Az growls.

CHAPTER TWENTY

MORTE

Irip off my blood-soaked garments, leaving shredded cloth and pieces of armor in its wake. The damp stickiness seeps into my skin, an inescapable reminder of what I've endured. Though I can't say I have remorse for killing. Whatever it takes, I’ll find my way back to him. I don’t know if its exhaustion or the adrenaline from all the killing, but I’m finding it harder than ever to push away the memories.

To push awaythatmemory.

The judge’s sentence rings through the courtroom, as I hold Wilder’s parent’s hands in a death grip. “Wilder Nereus, guilty of eight counts of murder, you are sentenced vita damnationem.”

When Wilder had seen what I’d done, there was zero hesitation. A split-second decision to follow me into the dark has kept him in it for hundreds of years.

I’ve been fighting for a way to drag him into the light ever since.

The putrid stench of death and sweat clings to my body like an evil omen. I'm both looking forward to and dreading winning.

After the hunt, we flew to Emeric's place so we could avoid the beasts that come out after midnight. We'd encountered a dozen flying monsters, but none we couldn't handle with the three of us, and still managed to make it back here in under two hours.

"Please tell me you have a shower." I poke my head out of the bedroom door, shouting down the hallway. The scent of warm spices drifts my way, so at odds with the filth and grime coating me. I want to scrub it all away.

"There's a tub and shower in the en suite," Emeric calls. "But the handle is tricky. You've got to jiggle it to get it to work."

Before I can shut the door, Az appears in the hallway. "Need any help?"

"I think I can figure it out." I bite my lip to keep from smiling, the coppery tang of someone else's blood filling my mouth.

Az's eyes smolder as they drift across me, a dare. "If we shower together, we could save water," he murmurs in a low voice. He brings up the prize I owe him, and my heart thumps loudly in my chest.

I glance behind him, spying Emeric tidying up the living room, and I swallow hard. "What about Emeric? I owe him one, too," I ask meekly.

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