Page 12 of The Gods We Defy (All Gods Must Die #2)

CHAPTER 12

“ V eles can train with me,” I tell Kestral.

“I’m going to let you two work out this little misunderstanding,” Veles interrupts with a laugh.

My head whips to him as he heads for the door. “Traitor,” I hiss, which only makes him laugh harder.

He leaves, closing the door behind him. It echoes around the quiet room, bouncing off the walls.

My eyes find Kestral’s and the hesitant look in them.

“How are you feeling?” His eyes trail down my body and it brings nothing but heat. It leaves me feeling annoyed and frustrated. More at myself than anything else.

I can’t deny the attraction I feel between us. It was there the moment we met. But maybe that was the bond trying to push something that will never be. He didn’t want a mate after all. And I wasn’t going to chase after someone because of some misfired match the fates made.

“Where’s Cyra?” Asra is training with Oryn and Nevan, but everyone else seems to be here. Maybe he is too. “Maybe he can train with me.” I glance around the room and my eyes fall on the wooden stairs across from me. There is a thick railing that runs the top of it and a long landing above that seems to go nowhere but around the room. Like a small gallery.

My gaze finds the wall of weapons once more and a shiver of excitement rushes through me at the chance to use them.

“He’s busy,” Kestral replies, drawing my eyes to his.

But instead of letting him ruin my growing good mood, I give him a smile. “Then I’m sure Asra won’t mind.” I’ll wait until he’s done.

Kestral’s eyes flash at the mention of Asra before they narrow on me. “No.”

My entire body freezes at the how much vehemence I hear in one word. “No?”

“You’re training with me. It’s not up for discussion.” He narrows his eyes on me, daring me to object. I open my mouth to do just that when I realize how foolish I sound. Any other time, I would be jumping at the idea of learning a new skill or trick, no matter who it was from.

“Fine,” I tell him.

He releases a harsh breath, and it loosens the stiffness in his body, and he nods to himself before moving a step closer. “We don’t have much time to train, but I’ll make sure you don’t go into the trials blind,” he promises.

“I… overheard someone mention that the trials are different each year. How are we supposed to train for something that constantly changes?” I ask.

“The three trials change in what happens during each, but what challenge they entail is usually the same. The first two trials require you to find something you will use to create a weapon that is to be used in the final trial. Each will test you, push you beyond any limits you think you have, and then further beyond that. They will try to break you. Make you believe and see things that are not real. For the final trial, you will use the weapon you created to fight the god beasts.”

“God beasts?” I ask as my stomach drops, imagining the worst.

“Monstrous creatures with great strength. The kind we have though, are fortunately not true god beasts, but made from magic to mimic them,” he explains, giving me a look that ensures I understand just how dangerous they still truly are.

“Worse than the dark creatures?” I ask.

“Much worse. They’re far more intelligent, lethal, and can rip you to shreds within seconds.”

A shiver runs down my spine, reminding me of the true purpose of this. “Why didn’t you tell me about the Godkiller?”

A slash of fear and panic slides across his eyes. It’s there and gone before I know it.

“I never wanted you to be a part of this world,” he admits, making my stomach drop at the hard look he gives me.

“And now that I am?” I ask, clenching my fists by my side.

He releases a harsh breath. “Now that you are, I’ll… figure it out.” A determined look graces his face, and he spins the sword in his hand. “Let’s see what you’re really capable of.” He throws me a sword and I catch the hilt.

Pushing the strange feeling churning in me aside, I focus on the here and now. On the fight that’s about to happen. Fighting is what I know best.

An excited thrill rushes through me as Kestral positions himself, ready to attack. But his first mistake is readying himself, thinking I would do the same. I strike without a second thought, my blade clashing against his. He swiftly blocks it with a chuckle, his eyes lighting up like he is enjoying the opportunity to fight just as much as I am.

I spin out of reach, only to move back with the slash of my sword. I strike and attack, letting out every frustration and anger I’ve pushed down since arriving in the fae lands.

Everything falls away from me. The fear of the unknown and what each trial might bring and the doubts that follow it. The sadness of being away from my family and friends, of not being able to see and talk to my mother, Ryuu or Jarek, and the worry of what they may be going through.

I shoot forward and attack without mercy while he deflects each move, evades every sneak attack, and attempts to gain ground on me.

Effortlessly, he blocks and defends each strike and slash of my blade, and we move, dancing once more, his blade an extension of his skill and talent while mine becomes an extension of me.

I let years of training and instinct take over and let go, to exist in the here and now.

We attack, defend, evade, and advance, while the only sound between us is the clashing of steel mingling with our heavy breaths.

He retreats and I follow suit as we circle one another, trying to find a weakness in the other.

“You have skill, that’s no question. But your skill—no matter how advanced—will not be enough to get you through these trials.” His gaze veers to mine as a reel of emotions flicker across his face.

Fear. Sadness. Worry. Guilt. Longing ?

He clears his throat and rolls his shoulders back. “Let’s move on to abilities. You will need to use every tool at your disposal. Show me your Caligo shadows.”

“I…” A pulse of warning shoots through my head at the thought of the underground prison. “Let’s just focus on my Sidus abilities for now.”

Kestral frowns but nods.

Without warning, a vicious wind rips through the room, shoving me back against the nearest wall. “Always expect the unexpected. Never drop your guard. Those you come to consider friends can easily become your worst nightmare.” He steps closer to me and his wind rips the sword from my hand. “Use your Sidus light to fight back,” he demands as the wind shoves me tighter against the wall.

Snapping out of my shock, I close my eyes and reach down to find my Sidus abilities, and they roar to life. I open my eyes to push them out toward him, to wrap around him and trap him, when a flicker of something familiar slivers through me before coming to the surface. I push it out toward him instead and his eyes widen as another wind rips through the room and shoves him to the center.

It’s enough of a distraction to release me from his hold, and a choked chuckle slips from his lips.

He looks at me with a smile. “Well, that’s…” He doesn’t finish whatever he was about to say, instead he reaches a hand out and sends a blast of wind around me. It winds around my wrists like rope and pushes me back against the wall, raising my tied wrists above my head.

Kestral wears a satisfied smirk as he slowly walks toward me. “If you want to tap into my powers, then use them to free yourself.”

The wind curls around me, almost caressing me, the binds only tight enough to keep me from moving.

“Feel my power. Feel it and use it to free yourself.” He keeps walking, his eyes never leaving mine as he steps in front of me to lean forward. Placing a hand on each side of my face, he cages me in with his body. But I don’t feel trapped, instead, my body comes alive.

“Push me back,” he whispers. But I don’t want to. I want to pull him closer. I want to feel the heat of his body against mine and the scorching burn of his lips. A burn that still lingers from our last kiss.

Warmth pools low in my stomach and he dips his head closer, his eyes dipping to my mouth.

The air changes around us, the wind growing warm. It curls around my face before moving down my body in a delicious caress.

“Seren…” he warns, as if sensing the change in me. “You hate me, remember? I lied to you.”

He did. But he also saved me. Helped save my family and the Sidus town. He’s helping me again now, even when he doesn’t have to.

His actions war with his words, with his lies. He’s using them like shields to protect himself, but from what?

“You want me to hate you,” I surmise as I continue to watch him. Continue to watch the heat in his eyes grow as his body curves over mine.

“Yes,” he hisses, as if pained by the answer.

“Why?” My mind starts to grow muddled as the warmth from his body seeps into mine.

“Push me away,” he says, his words pleading as his body moves closer. But a flicker of something flares to life inside me. It’s warm. So warm, the feel of it burns .

“Tell me why?” I ask and hear the crack and splinter of wood from the sides of me, but my eyes don’t leave his. The rise and fall of his chest grows as he stares at me in silence. A myriad of emotions flash across his face before he answers, the pain and truth in his eyes.

“Because if you hate me, you cannot love me,” he says with a harsh whisper. Before I get a chance to reply, he slams his lips to mine, capturing my mouth in a searing kiss meant to utterly destroy me. And it does, in every sense of the word. It breaks down wall after wall, all of my barriers, until all that’s left is him and me. Each brush of his lips and lick of his tongue only fans the flames inside me, growing until I feel them along my skin. As if it’s seeping outward.

Kestral groans. A deep throaty sound that hovers the line of pleasure and pain.

I can’t get enough. It’s like I’m already addicted to him. To the taste of him. I want to touch him, to run my fingers along his face, his sharp jawline. To drag my hands through his hair. I want to feel every hard inch of him.

As if he senses my need, instead of freeing me from his wind binds, they tighten.

The burn intensifies and something inside me ignites. A crackle hits my ears and a blistering light flashes behind my lids. I pull back, only to see flames as they alight across my body.

Kestral steps back and his eyes widen on the flames now enveloping me. His wind disperses, freeing me from my binds, but I can’t move, fear now holding my body hostage.

“What’s happening?” I ask him as I glance down in shock, watching bright orange flames curl around my hands and body. But no part of me is in pain. The flames are as familiar as my shadows or Sidus light.

He swallows hard as he gazes at my flames, my clothes still intact, but the heat is unmistakable. It will burn this entire place down if I don’t stop it.

As if mirroring my worries and panic, the flames grow and the floor beneath my feet starts to turn black as I burn through it.

“I didn’t—How…” I start, but I don’t know how to make sense of what’s happening.

“I have power over all four elementals.” He eyes the flames as they continue to gather and grow around me. “You’ve tapped into a different one.”

“How do I stop it?” I ask, hearing the tremor of panic in my voice.

His eyes flash to mine and he steps forward. “Give it to me,” he demands.

“How?” The flames burn brighter, curling around me as if trying to search out some unknown threat.

“They’re mine. They’re a part of me, too.” A determined glint fills his eyes, and he takes the last step forward and into the flames, reaching out to me. His hands gently touch the side of my face.

I try to move, to get away from causing him pain. I reach up to shove his hand away, but the minute my fingers graze his wrist, he hisses in pain, making me freeze.

“Don’t,” he says, but winces again, moving closer until his body lines up with mine once more.

I ignore him and try to pull away, but he dips his head to me, leaning his forehead against mine.

“I’m hurting you, let go,” I beg. I can feel myself unravel. He’s too close and I can’t protect him. I don’t know how to control these powers.

His eyes darken but the glint of flames lighten them. “Let it out. I can take it.”

I try to pull back the flames, but they pour out around me, flooding the room. My chest grows tight, and my eyes burn with the blur of tears.

“I can’t…” I whimper, pushing him a step back as the flames turn painful and burn higher. The fear of what is about to happen consumes my mind and body. “I can’t stop it… I’m going to burn this place down.” I look at him and plead, begging him to listen. To get out of here. But instead, his eyes soften, and he moves a step closer.

“Go… please…” I shake my head and move back against the wall before he follows silently.

Ignoring my pleas, he dips his head and molds his lips to mine with a scorching kiss that only makes the flames blaze brighter. I try to push him away, but his grip tightens on me, unwilling to let go.

He groans, a low throaty desperate sound, his hands slipping up my back, my neck, to tangle his fingers in my hair. Gripping it, he tilts my head to deepen the kiss.

Each stroke and swirl of his tongue, each teasing brush of his lips, slowly drags me under his spell, until my entire body is trembling with need and the heat grows and grows, threatening to consume me whole.

But instead of spreading out around us, I feel a tug from the center of my chest. The pull draws outward and away from me, taking that searing energy and dragging it straight to him.

I hear the crackle of the fire slowly die as he easily absorbs it, pulling it, drawing it into himself. My panic slowly eases as I let go, finally trusting him as I fall into the kiss, into the inferno that still blazes bright between us.

Reaching up, I slide my hands up his chest and he groans, sending sharp, hot delicious sparks down my spine.

“I can take it. Give it to me,” he rasps, demanding more. Hearing his command, the energy flares to life, burning brighter as he pulls, his lips growing more demanding, ravenous. Luring more and more energy out of me, until finally it slows. The kiss grows lazy and languid, drawing out each last pull and stroke of his lips as the fiery heat dims and disperses, the flames disappearing while the blaze of heat within stays just as hot.

He draws back slowly as if pained to do so and leans his forehead against mine as we try to catch our breath. His eyes find mine, and a myriad of emotions flicker across them.

Lust. Longing. Awe. But then they shift, revealing anguish and pain. So much pain, it shocks me to my core.

Torment and guilt darken his eyes and with a wince he steps back.

“Kestral?” I reach out to him, but he stumbles back another step trying to escape me, escape my touch.

“Don’t…” His voice is low and full of agony as the pain in his eyes seeps out, consuming him.

I clench my trembling fists at my sides and watch as he slowly locks away his pain and suffering, piece by piece until his emotionless mask is once again in place.

He straightens and glances over at me. There’s not a glint of the heat that was there moments ago, but I can still spot the flicker of fear. It’s there and gone in a flash, replaced by his usual distant, cool look. And instead of feeling hurt about it, all I can think about is how I caused him pain and silently drown in the guilt enveloping me slowly.

“I didn’t think they would be that strong,” he admits, shaking his head with a frown. “It took me years to learn how to control them.” His eyes find mine, and they darken, a hint of a warning in them. “If you accidentally tap into them again and I’m not around, you will die.”

I blanch and he swallows hard, as if just realizing what he said. But it imprints into my mind and all I can think of is how much devastation and destruction I could cause if I did.

“Then train me,” I beg him. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but the power I felt unleash inside me most definitely would. It would destroy everything in its path. Including him.

“We don’t have enough time.” He drags his hands down his face before turning back to me, looking more exhausted than ever. He stares at me silently for a moment before a sliver of guilt filters into his eyes. It’s there and gone before I know it.

“But I can bind them.”