Page 25 of A Clash of Embers

Within seconds, Leo had alerted everyone in the platoon about the Kyonis being there, and they grabbed their swords and bowand arrows to prepare for what was to come. We all stayed where we were, waiting for the Kyonis to make their move.

I saw another pair of eyes a few feet away from the original one we spotted. There were more than one. The creatures were creeping slowly to where we were, surrounding us. Their presence was becoming more pronounced with every second that passed. I thought of something that I could do, something to try. I knew under the curse that I could talk to animals, and I wondered if I could do that now.

You need to leave.

The two Kyoni stopped walking instantly and their attention turned to me.Directlyat me.

Shit. Maybe I shouldn’t have tried to talk to them.

I decided to stand and part of me urged my body to move closer to them. As I did this, one of the Fae in the platoon prepped his bow and arrow. My head quickly turned to the man holding the weapon, readying to release. The Kyonis’s eyes trailed my eyesight. They began their prowl again as they saw their next threat and now, they wouldn’t stop. They had their target.

Shit.

Then, they attacked.

Within seconds, there were agonizing screams as the Kyoni ripped the Fae's arms clean off his body and started to devour him. In front of everyone. No one moved. Everyone was terrified. But I wasn’t, not anymore.

I squatted down where I stood and pressed my hands into the dirt. I focused my thoughts into the soil, the roots of the trees, and I imagined my power gripping the Kyoni’s and pulling them away.

A soft light started to glow from my hands on the ground, and it illuminated all around me. I pushed into the ground and the roots of the nearby trees punched through the surface andgripped the Kyonis’ by their necks. It gripped them tightly and pulled their bodies back, throwing them against the trunk of the trees. My gaze trailed the Kyonis’ as they watched me. I stood slowly with my hands by my side, glowing, and they bowed to me.

The monsters bowed. The same creatures that bowed to me were the same ones that had killed one of our own. There was nothing left of him, only his tattered clothes and blood.

I spoke to the Kyoni with an otherworldly voice, “Leave. Do not harm any others like us again. If you do, I will kill you myself.”

The Kyoni nodded their heads and ran off into the woods. For good measure, I pressed the light through my hand in the direction the Kyoni ran to illuminate their path, to let them know I would be watching. When I did that, the trees around us started to shake, and the bark that once was gray and broken ripped away from the trees.

“What the abyss just happened?” Callan asked.

I sighed, turning to look at him. When I did, everyone in the platoon except Callan and Leo stepped back. Afraid of me.

“I just told them to go away and they did,” I sighed. Breathlessly trying to cover the fact that I was indeed a goddess to all of them. I already knew that Leo was aware of my status, but not everyone else.

Callan stepped towards me and his eyes narrowed at me in interest, “Clara, are you a—”

Leo cut Callan off before he could continue his questioning. “Clara is a goddess.”

Everyone in the group immediately froze and turned their full attention to me. I felt the burn of their gaze on me. It was intense. Their fearfulness was more overwhelming than any other feeling. Callan’s face looked hurt. Hewashurt. Hazel eyes raked over me. Studying me, unsure of who I was.

It was a look of uncertainty and clarity all at the same time. He had realized that I saved his mother because I was a goddess. He now knew why it was important for them to find me and why Athiana was invested in keeping me safe.

“Now I understand,” Callan whispered. Then he walked toward the same jacket that he had placed on the ground as a pillow. “Let’s get some sleep, shall we?” He gestured to the group.

As he did that, the rest of the group gathered materials to cover the deceased Fae’s body, or what was left of it. They didn't speak. Didn't cry. Nothing. No shred of emotion.

I nodded my head and followed his lead.

For the rest of the night, no one dared to look at me or speak to me. I was ostracized and it hurt. Mentally and physically. It felt like I was under the curse all over again. One step forward and ten steps back. I wanted progress, to be able to move forward, but I kept getting knocked back on my ass.

I felt the brush of a hand over my cheek, but I thought I was dreaming. When I stirred awake, I saw the amber eyes of Leo focusing on me in such a loving way that I couldn't help but smile.

"You were so peaceful. Your mind was at rest and you were so relaxed. I've never seen you that content," Leo whispered.

I blinked a few times to focus on him. His curly hair was still laying across his face, but it didn't stop his eyes from shining through. His exquisite smile enveloped me with comfort, just as a version of him had done years before.

"I have too much to think about sometimes. My mind is never truly at rest," I replied.

He scooted closer to me, reminding me of a time that Madok and I were thrown on the ground outside of Manzanita, but that wasn't really him thinking back on it. Part of me would never let that go. What Theo did, it lingered within me. A small emberburning, reminding me of the anger and hate that I had towards those who hurt me or undermined me.

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