Page 50 of Immortal Origins (Chronicles of the Immortal Trials #1)

She crouched behind a tree and let her focus slip into her feet and as the charge in her hummed.

She let her channels flow freely into the dirt until the echoes of movement pulsed in her mind.

Within moments she could clearly see the men tightening their circle on the dragon, the metal mage throwing daggers into the dark, only to call them back again.

And finally, a man in the trees pulling back his bow for another strike, as well as something fuzzy in the trees. A shape she couldn’t quite make out.

Ambrose kept the image of the archer clear in her mind, the way he bent his elbow pulling his bow back, how his breathing slowed as he prepared to let his arrow fly.

She expanded through the darkness, merging with it until she was able to reach through the world of shadows.

Using the inky black tendrils, she wrapped her hands around his head and snapped his neck to the side.

The soft thud of his body hitting the ground startled the rest of them just enough for her to grab her sword and launch herself at the metal mage.

He confidently turned and threw his dagger before she could reach him. It sank deep into her lower abdomen and he sent the second one flying into her shoulder. His hands were so quick he sank two more daggers into her leg before her body even hit the ground.

One of the mages, a short man with chopped hair pulled a boulder half the size of the dragon and threw it at the creature with all his strength. It crashed into the beast’s wing, pinning it to the ground as it viciously clawed at it with its massive talons, chunks of boulder flying everywhere.

Seeing their opportunity, the rest of them rushed forward, eager to be the one to deal the killing blow.

Every nerve in her body begged her to stop. Told her that this was it and she could finally just let go. Enough was enough.

But she didn’t listen. She clawed her fingers into the ground and just as she had for Felius and the others she called deep into the ground as it rumbled and shook.

With her other hand she called the fire inside of her, the fury that raged, and the same time the ground opened into a chasm, their bodies burst into purple flames and she willed them to feel every ounce of pain that she did.

Their dying screams carried from the open chasm as their bodies disappeared into the land and she closed it around them, snuffing out their very existence.

The dragon destroyed the last of the boulder and ripped the chains from its face, claws digging new scars down the sides of its jaw that it would likely wear for the rest of its life.

It opened its wings wide and roared at the place where their bodies had just been.

With a few beats of massive wings, it carried itself to the sky.

Ambrose coughed as the taste of blood and iron filled her mouth. At least she’d been able to save the dragon.

The metal mage stalked towards where she’d fallen—her chest rising and falling with labored breaths.

This close, she could see the scars that littered his body, likely from hunting beasts and men, and his expression turned to disappointment.

“I’ve never seen a mage wield two Elements before.

That is quite astounding. It’s a shame to have to kill you, I’d much rather have you on my crew.

” He pulled a dagger from his hip and pressed it into the middle of her chest. “But not even I can ignore the bounty on your head, and the only condition was to bring you back, deceased .”

Ambrose saw someone, a young man, peek out from behind the trees and she wondered how she hadn’t noticed him. He stared at her with wide, terrified eyes as the metal mage put the dagger to her throat and she closed her eyes and prepared for it to finally be over.

At least she wouldn’t die a servant’s death.

She’d die a true warrior.

But the bite of his blade never came.

When Ambrose opened her eyes, her attacker’s feet dangled helplessly in the air, kicking at nothing.

Her eyes struggled to focus as they followed his body to where he clawed at a hand wrapped firmly around his throat.

The mage emitted a guttural sound as he sliced his blades at the being crushing his windpipe who swatted his daggers away like he was a child holding a stick.

Akadian!

The look on his face could kill on its own, his brow furrowed into a twisted expression as he dangled the metal mage in the air. The power radiating off of him was so strong, the plants around him curled and shriveled away. He was beautifully terrifying.

She choked back the sob that rose to her throat.

How had he found her?

He must’ve been so mad she ran off on her own but words couldn’t express how happy she was to see him.

“Akadian,” she managed between bloody gasps as her tears soaked with blood.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to find you.” He glanced at her softly before returning his murderous gaze to the man in his grasp.

“You came,” she cried between sobs.

“Of course I did,” he assured her as he pulled one of the metal mage’s blades from his hip and dragged it down the man’s chest. The mage buckled and shrieked but Akadian held strong, never relenting his grip for a second.

“I’m going to make you feel everything she felt and so much worse.

For every mark on her body I’ll cut you so deep no one will be able to recognize you when I’m done. ”

Akadian spoke with a cold calm that didn’t reflect the pure power lapping off of him, singeing the forest around them.

Ambrose had never felt this much of the prince’s power before and she was left in awe knowing it was only a fraction of what she could feel he was capable of.

She could only imagine the devastation if he released it.

He pulled another dagger from the mage’s hip and sank it slowly, inch by inch into his abdomen.

The mage thrashed and screamed but it had about as much use as a juvenile fighting off a full-grown bear.

Blood trickled down his chin as he coughed, splattering Akadian’s face who simply threw his head back and laughed.

“You don’t get to die yet,” he told the mage.

“I’m not even close to done with you.” Akadian pulled the dagger in his hand down the man’s face who twisted against his grip, screaming as crimson soaked his dragon leathers.

He released his grip on the man’s throat just enough to be able to hear the full force of his screams as he flailed and cursed.

“I’m going to watch you die.” He pointed a dagger at Ambrose before slamming it into the man’s thigh.

“She is going to watch you die. And I’m going to enjoy every second of it. ”

As much as Ambrose wanted to see him suffer, she could feel consciousness denying her as her wounds seeped too much of her blood into the ground.

Where were the rest of them?

Were they all dead?

Did he know Felius was dead?

Holding her head up any longer became an impossible task and she let her cheek fall to the ground. Cold washed over her and she wished so much that she could just sleep…

“Akadian…” She wasn’t sure if she actually said it or if he even heard her, her voice so weak in her throat.

The last image she saw was Akadian glancing towards her with a look in his eyes— Was that fear? —before he turned back to the metal mage and said, “it’s your lucky day.” Then, he placed the blade against the mage’s throat and sliced it from ear to ear.

Unable to fight it any longer, Ambrose let the exhaustion finally take her.

“You did well, young mage…”