Page 163 of Malcroix Bones Academy

“You should be happy, girl,” Ankha spat. “It’s a great honor. Far more than you deserve. It was only sheer, animal luck you survived this long. With our ancestor’s magic and greatness in you, you will ascend?”

“Funny how you don’t seem too keen on that honor, yourself!” I snapped back.

The silver-black light and that sickening buzzing began to reach a crescendo.

I had to run, screw my chances. I pushed off the fireplace stones, ready to sprint for the stairs, for my brother who might still be alive on the second floor?

When a muscular arm wrapped tightly around my waist.

36

Caelum

Ilet out a shocked cry, what might’ve been a scream if I’d had more air in my lungs to expel.

I looked up and back, and saw who I’d somehow expected to see, even before I felt the sharp planes of his chest and abdomen against my bare shoulders and back.

Before I could emit a word, he pulled me roughly behind him and held up an arm, both warning me back and shielding me from Ankha.

I wasn’t really in the mood to argue, even if he’d given me a chance.

As it was, he raised his other hand, aiming it at my aunt like a weapon.

Ankha burst out in a laugh.

“You fool of a boy,” she scoffed. “Your father will tear the skin from your back for this.” Her voice filled with a darker, more vicious contempt. “Blood heir or not, you’re hardly a man. Do you really want to match magics with me? Do you even know who I am?”

Caelum didn’t answer.

I felt the barest hesitation on him, like a held breath.

Then the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck abruptly stood on end. It felt like I’d stuck my finger in a light socket. My heart stopped in my chest, my breath choked off without warning, every muscle in my body clenched like I’d pressed my hand to a live wire.

Gold light shone sharp and bright from somewhere in front of me.

It was coming off him. Off his chest, off his eyes.

I realized, a split-second before it happened, what he was about to do.

By then, it was already leaving his hand.

Black-silver light shot out of him, cracking the air like a bolt of lightning.

Instead of effort, I felt relief on him, even peace, like the effort of holding it back was exponentially greater than whatever he did to finally relax his hold. The coil of magic tunneled out of his chest and hand, reminding me of videos of tornados I’d seen, only a tornado of pure black fire. The sound was deafening, the air blindingly bright with silver sparks and threads. It made my teeth clamp together, even though I stood behind him. The intensity seemed to compress my skull, to press against every part of my flesh, stopping my blood in its veins.

That fire slammed into my aunt.

I heard her neck snap before I comprehended what it was.

Then her whole head wrenched violently to one side, and a second, even more sickening crack made me gasp. The force was so violent, so seamless, I was more shocked at how quick and nearly mundane the actual death part was in the end.

Then the black and silver flames engulfed her for real.

A series of smaller cracking sounds filled my ears and head, so many of them, so closely together, it was like a long string of firecrackers going off.

It seemed to go on and on, but I knew, somehow, it hadn’t.

It was over fast.