Page 15

CHAPTER EIGHT

“ A nimal bonding magic may seem futile in the face of war,” Reaper Lily called out to us across the vast plain of snow where the Raincarvers had been led at dawn, her golden cloak whipping around her in a flurry of motion.

“But Familiarising can create advantages in all walks of life, be it battle or farming the land.”

Rows of war horses were lined up beyond her, the beasts every shade from inky black to purest white. They stamped their hooves in the snow and streams of fog puffed from their nostrils, the heavily-built animals fit for cavalry.

Anticipation rolled through me at the prospect of this magic, bonding myself to a horse bred for war.

I had learned to ride at a young age on the back of my mama’s work pony, and I’d eagerly awaited the day I would claim my own steed.

I’d ride into battle with the wind in my hair, sword raised and a cry of death upon my lips while my enemies shouted my name in terror when they saw me.

Because they knew me. The legendary, valiant, dauntless Everest Ar-

A scurrying of tiny feet on my neck made me flinch and I swore as Calcifiend crawled out from the folds of my hood and nestled within my hair upon my shoulder.

The little bastard must have snuck into my room during the night again.

The Nightfire had been growing day by day, building within me and pressuring me to go to Kaiser, but I had refused time and again.

Perhaps Calcifiend had come to encourage me himself, but I’d be damned if I gave in to the wants of a deceitful little lizard.

“Oh good, the traitor’s here,” I whispered to the Sayer Dragon. “Go back to your piece of shit master, nordkreshing elizar.” Backstabbing lizard.

“Look Ran, she’s talking to herself,” Alina Seaman’s voice came to my left and I glanced her way against my better judgement, finding her elbowing Ransom.

He sniggered at me then lowered his voice to speak into Alina’s ear, making my skin itch with the certainty that they were plotting something.

The smile that slid across her face made my hackles rise and magic crackled at the fingertips of my right hand in preparation of what they might do. Come for me, and I will destroy you.

I forced my focus back onto Reaper Lily who was explaining how to Familiarise with an animal.

“Establish a connection with your steed by petting, coddling and speaking with it to earn the animal’s trust. If you achieve a true connection, the horse may offer you their star-chosen name through the voice of the heavens – though this is a mighty feat and only true warriors will manage it. ”

Excitement poured through me at the prospect. It was not every day Fae like us were offered a whisper from the stars so I was going to ensure I achieved a close bond with my destined steed.

The Reapers ushered us toward the horses to select one for practice and I ran to ensure I claimed one of the finest animals.

My gaze caught on a brindle mare who had a spark in her eyes, her hooves stamping the ground in anticipation as if she was disappointed not to be running into war already. She was perfect.

Before I made it to her, a hand came down on my shoulder and I turned sharply, my right palm raising defensively but I quickly curled my fingers.

“Reaper Lily,” I gasped and she pressed her thin lips tightly together so they were barely visible at all.

Calcifiend slipped away into the mass of curls that fell over my neck, his tiny feet tickling me before falling still.

I remained eye to eye with Reaper Lily for a lingering moment and when a frown creased her brow, I realised I hadn’t acted formerly.

I should have been dropping my head in deference to her, but instead I’d forgotten the ritual of respect.

Because honestly, I didn’t respect her anymore.

She had likely had a hand in leading that monster to Harlon and the other Reaper acolytes and that truth lined my throat with vitriol.

My list of enemies was growing too long to remember, especially if I was going to add every Reaper’s name to it.

I feigned a bow. Inspiring a Reaper’s attention for the wrong reasons in Never Keep often equalled a gory death and I rather liked my head where it was.

“You are Commander Rake’s daughter, yes?

” she questioned briskly and I nodded, disguising any confusion that might have slipped across my face over that question.

“Follow me,” she clipped, turning and treading a path through the snow around the rows of horses where Ransom was standing with Reaper Pavros.

“Your father has sent two steeds all the way from Cascada and has decided that if you can bond and claim their star name from them, they will belong to you both. He has already organised their transport back to your homeland if you succeed. Then they will await you in Cascada upon your graduation,” Reaper Lily explained.

Ransom patted the nose of the fine white stallion beside him, the beautiful creature perhaps even as large as my father’s horse Karkinos.

“Kaské, which one is mine then?” I asked eagerly, wondering if Father was testing me at last, allowing me to show my true worth.

Ransom smiled at me in a way that turned my blood to ice and he led his white stallion aside by the reins, revealing a donkey hidden in its wake.

My cheeks scorched and a screeching laugh behind me told of Alina watching on.

“Father chose a steed fit for each of us, sister,” Ransom boomed, his smugness clouding the air.

A snarl built in my throat and I lunged at him, feral in my rage as my fist snapped out and I punched him straight in the nose. He staggered back into his stallion and the beast reared up in fright, his hoof slamming into Ransom’s shoulder and sending him crashing to the snow.

The Reapers walked away, seeming to have no care for our fight and I snatched the reins of Ransom’s horse, stepping on my brother’s ass to give myself a boost as I swung myself onto the animal’s back.

“Runt!” Ransom bellowed, lunging from the ground in a spray of snow and grabbing for my ankle. I kicked out, my boot connecting with his chin and his eyes flashed silver with a glint of his Merrow Order.

“I could outride you on a donkey or a dolphin, Ransom,” I spat. “But I will not be made to look a fool.”

I kicked the stallion’s sides, urging him into a trot but a tether of water lashed around my waist, nearly yanking me off the horse.

I willed my own magic into Ransom’s, severing it with a surge of power, but he only sent more whips out to grab me.

I yelled in anger as his friends ran to help, Alina sprinting over with Lucas and Maria behind her.

They cast power out to join Ransom’s, strengthening the whips holding me and I was torn off of the stallion, thrown into the snow at their feet with a cry of anger.

My brother’s asshole friends dropped their hands and raced forward, their fists pummelling me while Ransom kept the magic in place to hold me still, my limbs bunching as boots and knuckles hammered my stomach, my hips, my ribs.

My gaze met Ransom’s amid the beating and I cursed his name upon Pisces, swearing I would be strong enough to destroy him one day soon.

That day would come. I swore it on everything I held dear.

An untold power, dark and full of promises leapt to answer the call of my destructive vow and that beautiful magic spilled from me in a potent flash.

Ransom’s magic stuttered out and his brow creased, his pig brain slowly catching up with the fact that he was suddenly disarmed. And that gave me the opportunity to throw myself to my feet with a burst of water propelling me skyward.

I grabbed Alina by the hair, my fist cracking once against her jaw then twice against her tits, making her shriek and stumble away, while Maria and Lucas exchanged a glance then backed up.

My goal was Ransom, a fiery, unbridled hatred for him coiling through my flesh as water twisted between my fingertips.

I shot it at him in a torrent, making it tighten around his throat while I held the other end like a leash, yanking him into a slight bow that made him look at me eye to eye.

“The clock is ticking, brother of mine. Eshina lavon va kerind, eshina racind va kerinder,” I spewed those words from my lips like a curse, certain he knew the meaning of them as well as I did.

The famous phrase of the legendary warrior Mayanda Oceanfall.

She had spoken it to the Fae who had killed her child and vowed a bloody vengeance upon him in return.

May life be cruel, may death be crueller.

Something flickered in Ransom’s eyes as if he was seeing me for the first time, and there was nothing like the rush of adrenaline I gained from that flash of uncertainty dancing a merry path across his face . Oh yes, brother, this is what I truly am.

“One day you will kneel and proclaim my glory whilst begging for my forgiveness,” I hissed. A step too far apparently because his fist flew up as he finally recovered and his ice-coated knuckles slammed into my gut.

I staggered back, the bite of pain causing my focus to falter. He gained control over my cast, slicing through the whip of water around his neck and banishing it to nothing. With a growl, he strode past me, his shoulder slamming into mine then he grabbed the reins of the stallion and marched away.

The Reapers called for focus and Alina wailed about her sore tits as she hurried into the throng of horses, her hands slapped tight to her chest.

The time it had taken to face that fight had meant nearly everyone around me had mounted a horse, answering the call of the Reapers who were currently announcing a race.

I ran back through the throng of beasts, seeking out the brindle mare I had originally chosen, but everyone was already trotting on, making me duck and weave to avoid the mass of horses flooding away across the plain.