Page 29

T he wind carried a bitter chill as I traced my fingers over the map spread across a rather large boulder.

The worn parch- ment, smudged with dirt and frayed at the edges, reflected the state of our journey, haphazard, desperate, and far from over.

Azrael sat opposite me, his eyes shadowed by exhaustion but unwavering as they scanned our surroundings.

He hadn’t spoken much since we left the nexus, and I could feel the weight of unspoken thoughts pressing down on him.

I wanted to reach out to draw him from whatever dark corner of his mind he had retreated to, but I didn’t. Not yet. Azrael wasn’t someone you could pull into the light; he came willingly or not at all. And my guess is, not. Especially after what happened in the nexus.

I still don’t know what the fragment took from me. I shouted ‘dreams’, but I don’t think I have any. Not now anyway.

Instead, I concentrated on the task at hand, forcing myself to steady my breathing as my fingers hovered above a marked point on the map. “If we take this route to Ebonshade Keep,” I said, breaking the silence, “we can avoid the council’s patrols. It’s longer, but it will buy us time.”

Azrael’s gaze flicked to the map, his jaw tightening. “Time won’t matter if we don’t get to the other two nexuses. The Council is closing in, Elara. We can’t outrun them indefinitely. We have already had to dodge a few enforcers.”

The way he pronounced my name sent a shiver down my spine. There was a rawness to it, as though he was clinging to it like a lifeline.

“Then what do you propose?” I asked, striving to keep my voice steady.

He leaned back, running a hand through his hair. “Darius? Do you suffer from motion sickness?”

Darius glances up from sharpening his dagger. “I never really considered it; why?”

Azrael’s smirk broadens across his face.

“With the last of my energy, I could materialise all three of us to Obsidia first. Find that nexus. And whilst we are there, I can gather enough strength and energy to materialise us to Ebonshade Keep to retrieve the last fragment there.” He glances between me and Darius.

It’s not actually a bad idea. It saves us from constantly running and hiding.

“I vote yes, Darius. What do you say?” My head turns towards Darius, awaiting a yes. In all honesty, no was out of the question.

“I suppose we have no other choice, really... Yes.”

A smile spread across my face. “Let us get moving then.” As we stood, the wind picked up, whipping the edges of the

map with frenzied energy. Azrael closed his eyes momentarily, and I could see the tension in his posture as he gathered his remaining strength. This plan was risky, but it was our best chance.

Darius sheathed his dagger and stepped closer. “How long will it take you to recover sufficiently to make the second jump?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.

Azrael exhaled deeply, his eyes opening with renewed determination. “Not long, but every second counts. We must be prepared for whatever awaits us in Obsidia. Stay close and stay alert. ”

With a nod, I folded the map and tucked it securely into my pack. The three of us formed a tight circle, with Azrael at the centre. I placed a hand on his arm, sensing the faint tremor of his fatigue. Darius did likewise, his grip steady and reassuring.

“Hold on tight,” Azrael murmured, his voice hardly dis- cernible above the howling wind. He closed his eyes once again, and a subtle glow started to radiate from his hands, spreading outward and enveloping us in a gentle, shimmering light.

The world around us blurred and twisted, the sensation of being pulled through space both exhilarating and disorienting. I clung to Azrael’s arm, my heart pounding in my chest as the landscape shifted and reformed around us.

When the light finally faded, we found ourselves standing on the outskirts of Obsidia. The air was thick with the scent of molten rock and smoke, remnants of a volcano erupting.

Azrael swayed slightly, but Darius and I steadied him, our eyes scanning the surroundings for any immediate threats.

“I’ve got you, Azrael,” I say, holding him up with all my strength. God, this man really does make my heart skip a beat.

“Thank you, Elara,” he whispers, voice low and tired.

“We’ve made it,” I whispered, my voice trembling with a blend of relief and apprehension. “Now we merely need to locate that nexus.”

Azrael nodded, his resolve unshaken despite his evident fatigue. “Let’s move swiftly. The Council won’t be far behind if they discover the nexus in Lunairis.”

We walk for what feels like miles, searching for rune-carved stones. Once we find them, the nexus is close.

Azrael looks exhausted, he’s been my rock through all of this. I can’t thank him enough.

Obsidia had a curious blend of creatures drawn to Azrael’s power and the intensity of the realm.

There were fiery imps, their skin shimmering with embers, who served as his messengers and spies.

Fierce, blood-driven flesh hounds, their bodies carved from the very rock of the volcano, patrolled the land, their piercing eyes vigilant against any intrusion.

And there were the demon warriors, their bodies infused with the fiery essence of their prince, wielding weapons of obsidian and molten metal.

They resembled the enforcers back in Lunairis, but more fierce.

Azrael’s presence appeared to attract the enforcers to us like moths to a flame.

However, there was something amiss about them, they weren’t merely here to patrol; their eyes, glowing a menacing red, were fixed on Azrael with a disquieting intensity.

One of the demon warriors steps forward, his molten weapon raised, and the others followed suit, closing in on us.

“Azrael!” I shouted, but he was already moving, albeit sluggishly, his fatigue evident in his every step.

The demon warrior lunges, and Azrael barely parries the blow. The enforcers pressed their advantage, forcing him back. I couldn’t stand by any longer. There was something new inside me, a power I had yet to fully understand, but now was the time to unleash it.

Channelling all my will, gathering all my strength, I thrust my hands forward. A shock wave of energy erupted from my palms, sending the enforcers flying back. They crumbled to the ground, momentarily stunned. Azrael looked at me, a mix of surprise and gratitude in his eyes.

“Let’s go!” I urged, grabbing his hand and pulling him

forward. Darius flanked us, his dagger at the ready. We pushed on, the air growing thicker with the scent of sulphur and smoke.

Finally, we reached what seemed to be a cave, its entrance adorned with glowing, red runes. “There!” I pointed, my voice strained but hopeful.

We hurried towards the entrance, hope rising within me. Our plan was set in motion; this was it.

We came to an abrupt stop, just a baby step away from entering the cave, when a voice resonated through the air .

“You must each answer a simple question. If you are telling the truth, you may enter...”

Azrael and I exchange glances.

“I shall go first,” Azrael proposes.

He gazes into the cave’s mouth, awaiting the strange voice

to echo once more.

“Whom do you desire the most?”

Azrael pauses, shifting a stone beneath his boot before glancing back at the endless abyss of the cave.

“Queen Elara of Lunairis,” he breathes, effortlessly, as if it had been on the tip of his tongue all along.

My heart skips a beat. Does he desire me? Does that mean he loves me? This whole time.

He waits for a moment and then raises his foot to step forward. Gradually, he manages to pass the test and gains access to the cave.

I smile at him; I know there is something breathtaking about the kiss we shared in his keep.

Darius then steps forward. “I suppose it’s my turn...” He exhales, appearing nervous.

“What do you seek the most?”

“Freedom for Mythrendel.” Darius wasted no time in answering, as if he knew what it was going to ask. He stepped through the entrance and sighed in relief, then turned to face me, waiting for my question.

I nod, ready for whatever question it throws my way.

“Do you desire a life with Prince Azrael or Lord Kae- len?”

The question hit me suddenly. I never expected to be put on the spot like this!

My face hardens as I see Azrael gazing into my eyes with hope. I close my eyes...

“Prince Azrael.”

I keep my eyes closed and step through the threshold. I’ve made it. I exhale in relief and open my eyes again to find Azrael in front of me, wearing that gorgeous smile of his. He palms my cheek, stroking his thumb along my cheekbone. Do I tell him I love him? Is it too soon?

Darius leans heavily against the cave wall, clearing his throat. “Shall we proceed?”

Azrael quickly plummets to the ground with fatigue. I manage to catch him, with what little strength I have. “I’ve got you,” Darius makes haste to assist me.

“Come on, Prince, let’s save Mythrendel. And then you and your woman can live in harmony and all that lovey-dovey crap.”

Azrael chuckles whilst using us as posts to lift himself.

“I am alright now. Thank you,” he says, catching his breath whilst not taking his eyes off mine. “Let’s go. We are so close to the nexus now.”

Darius and I supported him as we made our way deeper into the cave. The runes grew brighter, their glow illuminating the path ahead. At last, we reached a chamber where the nexus pulsed with an otherworldly energy.

Azrael took a deep breath, gathering his remaining strength. “We need to activate it in order to gain access to the fragment,” he said, his eyes locking onto mine. “Elara, with your fragment

power, do you think you can help?”

I nod, feeling the energy within me surge in response.

Together, we approach the nexus, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.