Page 19

As we settled in for the night, curled together in our nest of soft moss and fragrant leaves, I felt a sense of peace wash over me.

I woke with a start, every nerve in my body screaming danger. Beside me, Thornix was already on his feet, his eyes glowing with an eerie green light in the darkness.

"What is it?" I whispered, reaching for the crystal-tipped spear I kept close at hand.

"Intruders," Thornix growled, his voice low and dangerous. "At least a dozen, maybe more. They've breached the outer defenses."

My blood ran cold. "Blackthorn?"

He nodded grimly. "Stay close to me. We need to-"

A deafening crack cut his words off. Our tree-home shuddered violently, and I smelled the acrid stench of corrupted magic.

"They're attacking the tree directly," Thornix said, his face contorted with pain. I could feel his anguish through our bond. The tree wasn't just our home, it was a part of him.

Another blast rocked the structure, and I heard wood splintering. We were out of time.

"We need to get out of here," I said, grabbing Thornix's arm. "Now!"

He hesitated for a split second, clearly torn between defending our home and ensuring my safety. I decided for him, pulling him towards the exit.

We burst out into chaos. Shadowy figures, twisted and unnatural, filled the clearing around our tree. Corrupted wood nymphs, I realized with a jolt of horror. They were using their connection to the forest against us, turning our home into a deathtrap.

Thornix roared with fury, tendrils of pure forest energy whipping out from his body to lash at our attackers. I raised my spear, ready to fight, but he pushed me behind him.

"Run!" he shouted. "Get to the heart of the forest. I'll hold them off!"

For a moment, I almost listened. The old instinct to flee, to let Thornix protect me, was strong. But then I remembered his words from earlier. I wasn't just someone to be protected anymore. I was his partner, his equal.

"Like hell," I growled, planting my feet firmly. I reached out with my mind, connecting to the web of life around us. The forest responded eagerly, recognizing me as one of its own.

I felt the corrupted magic trying to twist the trees against us, but I pushed back with everything I had. Roots erupted from the ground, entangling our enemies. Branches whipped down like angry snakes, striking at the shadowy figures.

Thornix glanced at me, surprise and pride warring on his face. "Together, then," he said, a fierce grin spreading across his features.

We fought back-to-back, my spear and his forest magic creating a whirlwind of destruction. But there were so many of them, and they kept coming. For every corrupted nymph we took down, two more seemed to take its place.

I was tiring quickly, the strain of maintaining my connection to the forest taking its toll. A blast of dark energy caught me in the side, sending me sprawling. I heard Thornix cry out in pain and knew he'd been hit, too.

As I struggled to my feet, I saw a figure detach itself from the shadows. Tall and imposing, with eyes that glowed with malevolent green fire. Blackthorn.

Thornix moved to stand between us, but Blackthorn waved a hand dismissively. Vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Thornix's legs and arms, holding him in place.

"I'll deal with you in a moment, old friend," Blackthorn said coldly. "First, I want to see what your little pet can do."

Fury rose in me, hot and fierce. I was nobody's pet. As Thornix's mate and defender of this forest, I would no longer tolerate being underestimated.

I reached deep within myself, tapping into a well of power I hadn't known I possessed. The forest responded with a roar that seemed to shake the very earth. Every tree, every blade of grass, every living thing in our territory answered my call.

Blackthorn's eyes widened in shock as nature itself rose up against him. Roots tore free of the earth, wrapping around his followers like grasping hands. The very air seemed to come alive, leaves and petals swirling in a maelstrom that cut like razor blades.

I advanced on blackthorn, my spear glowing with pure forest energy. "I am no pet," I snarled. "I am Acacia, mate of Thornix, and this is our home. You are not welcome here."

For a moment, fear flashed across Blackthorn's face. Then he snarled, dark energy crackling around him. "You think you can stand against me, human? I am ancient, I am power itself!"

He lashed out with a wave of corrupted magic that would have leveled a lesser opponent. But I was ready. I met his attack head-on, my power, clean and pure and wild - clashing against his tainted energy.

The resulting explosion sent us both flying. I hit the ground hard, my vision blurring. Through the ringing in my ears, I heard Thornix calling my name.