Page 59 of Dance of the Phoenix (Cloak of the Vampire #3)

Ragnor

Ragnor saw his fears come to life when Aileen ran across the arena frantically, pale with eyes full of tears, seeing things only she could see. Things that Atalon dug out of her memories and used against her. To weaken her. To beat down her will.

Because unlike many others, Atalon would not be satisfied by a quick kill. He could’ve killed her at any moment since he used his magic on her to force her into this trance. But he wanted to break her first.

Only then would he complete the hunt.

“You can’t interfere,” Eliza said over and over again, her own voice pained as she, along with the entire audience, watched Aileen crying and running around like a madwoman.

“You can’t take all the Lords together. The Association will hunt you down for breaking the rules. You’re not above the law, Ragnor.”

“My Alara Morreh is going to die!” he snarled, holding the railing so hard, his knuckles turned white. “She’s going to die, and I’m just standing here, letting it happen!”

“Please, Ragnor,” Eliza begged, wrapping her arms around him. “Please!”

Ragnor could not stand it anymore. He pushed Eliza off him and away, climbed the railing, and prepared to jump—

But then Aileen suddenly stopped. She stood in the middle of the arena, frozen.

Then her eyes rolled, showing the whites.

Ragnor’s heart dropped.

And Aileen exploded.

Out of thin air, fire erupted, engulfing Aileen’s body.

The smell of smoke filled the arena, as ashes and flames circled around the tornado of fire that took over Aileen.

The temperature in the arena rose in response to the fire sucking up the oxygen, and Ragnor could feel it was becoming harder and harder to breathe.

Atalon coughed, stepping back, staring, like everyone else, at the fiery storm that had taken over the arena. His eyes grew impossibly wide when the tornado suddenly disappeared, revealing not Aileen, but a giant bird made of fire.

“The Phoenix.” Eliza’s whisper made Ragnor’s skin crawl.

But as much as he wanted to deny what Eliza had just said, he knew it to be the truth.

The Phoenix was here.

Not in Esheer, the Realm of Fire, where it belonged.

But here.

And it had taken over Aileen’s body.

“Fuck,” Ragnor growled, the tiny hairs on the nape of his neck rising. “It’s ...”

“A level-five threat to the Realm of the Living,” Eliza murmured, and this time, Ragnor turned to look at her. He saw her right eye fixed on the Phoenix, and her left, under the eye patch, glowing green.

The situation had just turned from the worst to an utter disaster.

“Eliza,” Ragnor said, jumping down from the railing back to the gallery, grabbing her stiff body. “Fight it. Fight them .”

She didn’t respond.

When the audience collectively gasped, Ragnor whirled around to look back at the Phoenix, and he saw a scene out of the depths of hell.

The Phoenix danced.

It spread its left wing, and flames took over Atalon’s left arm, cutting it off from the rest of his body.

It spread its right wing, and flames took over Atalon’s right arm, burning it to ashes, which then wrapped around his crotch.

Then the Phoenix raised its head, and as if that was the command, the ashes severed Atalon’s penis.

Atalon screamed.

And continued to scream as the Phoenix continued its horrible dance.

Atalon’s left foot was soon burned to a crisp.

Then his right foot twisted in an unnatural way and was severed by the Phoenix’s command.

Bit by bit, the Phoenix cut Atalon into literal pieces, but did not sever the head. As if it was enjoying the torture. As if it was intent on making his death as painful as possible.

Then the Phoenix bowed, finished its dance, and a sickening sound sliced through the air as Atalon’s screams were cut off by his final beheading.

And with his limbs spread all over the floor, while others were burned to ashes or disfigured beyond recognition, Lord Orion Atalon died.

But Ragnor was not able to feel any sense of relief. For the Phoenix was here, and next to him, Eliza was about to be taken over by as frightening a being, if not more so, as the Phoenix.

That’s when the Phoenix burst into flames, its horrible croak reverberating through the arena, and burned, revealing Aileen beyond the ashes, naked and full of burns.

This time, Ragnor didn’t think twice; he released Eliza and jumped into the arena, laser focused on his Alara Morreh.

The moment he reached her, he pulled her into his arms, cradling her, making sure she was alive, that despite her injuries she was well.

Her heavy breaths told him she was asleep.

As if she hadn’t just summoned the Phoenix, one of the three major catastrophes that were forbidden from setting foot in the Realm of the Living.

As if she hadn’t just cemented Eliza as her enemy with no way to turn back.

As if she hadn’t almost stolen herself from him forever.