Page 30 of Immortal Origins (Chronicles of the Immortal Trials #1)

Patience thinning, Ambrose’s head snapped up at the sound of the voice. Walking towards her was the lieutenant who had been watching her during the king’s speech. The wind picked up and Ambrose wiped her face, and pushing herself to her feet, eyes locked onto the mage that stalked towards her.

“Careful, young mage. This one is strong,” the spirit warned.

“Who are you?” she asked, her hand reflexively going to her hip.

Damn it.

She didn’t have a sword. She knew that.

“You mean you don’t know who I am?” He pursued her slowly.

“No.” Her eyes narrowed as she stepped to the side. “Should I?”

“I know you. ” He walked a circle around her with stalking footsteps. “I’ve known you for weeks. Months now.” The charge around him vibrated as the wind whistled. “Waiting. Every day. And here you are… finally alone.”

“Why?” The current inside her swelled with her heartbeat.

The mixture of their charges sparked in the air.

“Was it really so forgettable to you?” the lieutenant demanded. “Was he of no consequence?”

Ambrose’s hands shot up reflexively. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The breeze turned to a rush, howling as it moved. The lieutenant released a roar like his control was on the brink of shattering. “You killed my son .”

She had no words. That was the last thing she expected but now the reason for the hatred in his eyes was clear.

She felt utterly defenseless against the mage that opposed her.

Her magick still too unreliable to count on in an actual fight, and she had no sword to protect herself.

All that new training and it counted for nothing.

“He means to kill you and he can.”

“Shut up. Please.” She pushed the spirit from her mind, refusing to take any precious focus off the man.

“I didn’t mean to kill him.” How many times was she going to have to say that ?

The lieutenant glared at her, shoulders tense as the wind whipped his silver hair and crimson cape. “I’m going to mean it when I kill you .”

Ambrose launched herself to the side—down onto her knees—as she dove away from the burst of wind that slammed into where she’d been standing.

The lieutenant left her no time to recover as he turned and launched another blast of wind at her.

She lifted onto the balls of her feet and light as she could, twirled her body away from the force. “Stop! You can’t hurt me. It’s law.”

Reason didn’t work as the winds swept with more ferocity. Fallen leaves picked up and spun through the air as they rode the twister.

“I don’t care.” He snarled as he threw his magick at her again and again. Wisps of air sliced her skin like a thousand paper cuts. “I’m going to shatter every bone in your body and watch you bleed.”

Not again .

How did she end up in this situation a second time?

She couldn’t kill him.

Not this time.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she pleaded.

“Arrogant of you to think you can,” he replied as the current inside him pushed against the waves of wind. His son might not have been a mage, but one didn’t get the rank of three-star without good reason.

Wind slammed into her back, sending her forward face-first. Before she could lift herself to her feet, another rush came from the front and threw her on her back, her head cracking the ground with a painful smack as she hit.

The wind came from above, pinning her to the point that it sucked the air right out of her lungs. She gulped as she forced herself to her knees against the wind that rattled her bones.

“I’ve never encountered a wind mage before,” Ambrose forced out above the roaring in her ears. The wind coming from all directions as it struck her.

“Don’t worry,” he offered through wild eyes, “you won’t get the chance to meet another one.”

A burst of wind crashed into her side and almost knocked her off her feet again.

Each time it slammed into her she braced herself and prepared for the blow.

Wind howled and beat her so forcefully she struggled to breathe against the mighty current.

Her lungs burned as though a fire raged inside her chest with each breath she couldn’t fully take.

At this rate, she’d pass out long before she could counter his attack.

Her head whipped from side to side as she knelt to the ground, desperate for any air she could find.

“I said stop!” The words burned her hoarse throat as she pushed against his next attack with everything she had. Her charge snapped as his wind was met with the ghost of an immovable wall.

The cool wisps of his magick tapped against her wall, urging her to release it but she held strong. Even as her head throbbed and her eyes struggled to focus, she held strong.

Enraged, the lieutenant half abandoned his magick and hurled himself at her, hands moving to pull the sword from his side.

Ambrose threw her hands up and as the sword was pulled from its sheath, she pounded against the air and a powerful burst of wind knocked it from his hands. She stared at her palms in shock, unable to process what just happened.

He reached for her but she dodged his grip, ducking under his extended arm and sent three alternating, quick jabs into his abdomen before she turned her body away and out of his reach.

She faced him, hands raised and ran through the possibilities in her mind.

She had no idea how to escape but she knew one thing—

She couldn’t kill him. No matter what.

Not this time.

“You’re a sneaky little one, aren’t you?” he hissed as he held his side where she jabbed him.

If she was lucky she broke a rib.

“If I have to be,” she declared, standing tall .

“Ambrose of Eltoria…” He laughed as a burst of wind hit her from behind, sending her flying back onto her hands and knees.

The following gust that she knew would come from above was too quick for her to dodge as her knees gave way and her face hit the ground.

Her cheek stung as it struck a rock and blood poured from a fresh wound.

“Servant turned Trial Champion.” He approached her, unaffected by the wind that pinned her from every side.

“First of her name. No Elemental mastery. Unclassified.” He leaned down as he reached her, his face inches from hers and she scowled at him defiantly.

“I’ve been briefed on your entire life. According to your records, you have repeatedly failed to master an Element even though you’ve been trained by the Grand Mage himself.

And all this time, you’ve been hiding your own Wind Magick.

Sneaky… And you clearly know how to defend yourself. What else are you hiding I wonder?”

“I’m not hiding anything,” she pleaded.

“Liar.” The pressure on her body grew as the wind pushed and she was sure every bone in her body would splinter.

“I swear!” she cried against the force crushing her skull.

“ Liar .”

“I swear to the gods.” Her chest tightened as his magick pressed down on her.

“You stopped my magick, I saw you. The gods don’t make mistakes, which means you’re a liar,” he snarled as he reached down to her hand splayed out on the ground, grabbed her index finger in his hand, and bent it back with a snap.

Ambrose’s scream couldn’t be heard over the wind that rushed in her ears but by the time it was done her throat seared. The lieutenant screamed as a purple-white streak tore through the sky and connected with his shoulder.

In that instance, the power that pressed her to the ground lifted enough for her to pull herself to her feet and meet her opponent. Her body ached as she stood ready for his retaliation.

The smell of charred flesh invaded her nostrils, the scent all too familiar to the smoked meat from the festival earlier that day. She slapped a hand over her nose and mouth as she gagged .

Gods, it was awful.

That’s what burnt flesh smells like? Ambrose thought as she recoiled from the stench.

The shrieks of pain and rage that escaped Thornehart were like an animal trapped in a cage.

Raw. Senseless. Primal.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” he shrieked as he dropped his hand from his shoulder and threw both of them in her direction.

This time, she was ready.

She planted her feet and slammed her hands against his wind. As their magick collided their wind slammed into each other’s with such force it blasted away in every direction.

“Lieutenant, may I ask what it is that you think you’re doing?”

Thank the gods.

Akadian.

“Your Highness.” Thornehart fell to his knees as the prince closed in.

“I’ll ask again. What do you think you’re doing?” Akadian looked at Thornehart as though he might tear him limb from limb.

The lieutenant nervously glanced from her to the prince. “Sire, she’s a criminal.”

Akadian looked to her, barely able to stand on her own feet. His brow furrowed as he took in the sight before him with a deadly calm.

“The only criminal I see is the one breaking Divine Law.” As Akadian stepped closer, Thornehart was smart enough not to move a muscle, though a tendon in his jaw flexed.

“Your Highness, her title is an abomination against Divine Law,” Thornehart spat in her direction.

Akadian brought his hand up and slapped the back of it against Thornehart’s cheek so hard Ambrose was impressed his head stayed on his shoulders. Satisfaction flooded her veins as darkness flirted with the edges of her vision. Justice .

A devious smile tugged at the corners of Akadian’s mouth. “Are you questioning Divine Law? To do so would be to question the gods themselves.” He leaned in dangerously close and spoke his next words softly, “Are you questioning the gods, Lieutenant ?”

Thornehart tensed. “Of course not. I would never—”

“Because that would be suicide,” Akadian cut in.

Thornehart swallowed his response.

“I don’t know whether to consider you lucky or not,” Akadian mused, hands clasped behind his back. “Usually, I’d be the one to deal out your punishment. However, Casimir has taken a particular interest in this Trial Champion.” Akadian’s smile grew. “Which means you get to answer to him .”

Thornehart had the decency to look absolutely terrified.

Though the deadly fury that emanated off Akadian was enough to kill on its own, and his current hummed as powerfully as it always did, he called no flames to assist him.

Why isn’t he using his magick? Ambrose wondered. Is it because of Casimir’s orders?

She didn’t know and didn’t really care. She was way too happy to see him.

“Sire…” Thornehart pleaded, knowing there was nothing he could say.

“Silence.” The word sliced as though it actually cut Thornehart who snapped his mouth shut.

The unrelenting mage Ambrose had just been in the throes of battle with was gone, and what was left was a man who knew his place. Ambrose allowed herself to feel the satisfaction that rushed through her.

Akadian straightened but kept his eyes trained on the lieutenant.

“Report back to the palace immediately. If you flee, I will track you down and kill you myself. Fail to report to Casimir and I’ll have every soldier in the kingdom searching for you.

I will personally find you and throw you at his feet as a gift. Go. Now .”

Thornehart lifted himself and rushed towards the gates of the city without another word of protest.

“Thank you,” Ambrose told him as the world began to sway.

“It’s my duty,” Akadian replied without looking at her.

Gods, she was sick of that word.