Page 56 of The Path of Blood and Betrayals

The beast twists, turns, coming straight for me and before I can raise my dagger, the heir is there, blocking the blow. The sword catches his claws, pushing the beast back as it shrieks, mad at missing a meal.

Kaden growls, looking down at me. “Your training is abysmal.”

Flipping him off, I stand, legs trembling, fear running rampant as my magic responds. The Skrull returns to prowling, looking for a way in.

Inhaling, I let it consume me and stain my fingers red. If this is one Skrull, where is the second one I sensed?

The snapping jaws force the heir to jump back, our sides clashing as he growls, holding me steady. “You need to learn to fight if you’re going to survive.”

Holding up my hands, I sneer, “I have this, heir.”

His eyes turn black, cooling my irritation. “And I havethis. It doesn’t mean you should relyonlyon your magic.”

Scoffing, he shoves me to side, further back, sword blocking from the beast swiping again.

The Skrull hunkers low, body poised to leap, eyes trained on me. The heir rushes it, his movements lean like a warrior, but the beast is large, batting him away before jumping at me.

I dart away, Kaden tackling the beast to the side as I pant, lips quivering.That was too close.

“Can you do anything?” He asks, annoyed.

Glaring, I stand, knees muddy, and hold my hands high. It takes a moment to locate the heart. It’s irregular, five chambers instead four, and the blood is thick like molasses, but I hold it, let my magic swirl and take with glee.

It hungers for its heart and I smirk, hearing the drum beat inside my skull like a twin heartbeat.

Roaring, I pin it down as the heir stands, sword raised. Before it pierces, I jump, another drum thumping into my skull.

Pausing, I feel my magic at my fingertips, pounding with awareness and I turn, searching the bushes. I can feel the other one, but where?

“Focus, blood summoner!” Kaden struggles with the beast, blade to its throat, my powers lax. It’s fighting my control and I shake my head, mind whirling.

Two drums, two hearts.Two beasts.

The bushes shake again and I drop the Skrull that tangles with Kaden, hands raised in front of me.

“There’s another one!” I shout out, my voice cutting off as something dense drives into my chest. Knocking me into the ground, my vision goes black, head knocking into the compact dirt.

Blindly, I twist, clawing at the grass to get away, but a heavy paw presses me into the mud. My nose rubs into the forest floor as the scent of earth surrounds me followed by the distinct smell of decaying flesh.

A growl, right at my ear, vibrates as it pushes me further and my body snaps, cracking at the pressure. It’s going to kill me, this newSkrull before I’ve had a moment to fight back.

Fear hammers into my chest, throat clogging with terror as his claws rip into my flesh, shredding me. Is this how I die? Before I’ve even returned to my hut?

Air rushes past my lips.I can’t breathe.

“Fight back!” Kaden shouts over me, the sounds of metal and coarse fur ringing above me.Fight back.

Inhaling what little air is left, I focus my magic, sensing the beast above me and tug. The image in my mind is grainy, depleted, but the heart beats loudly, thunder roaring over the landscape.

My fingers twitch in the dirt, bending and broken and I pull his blood, forcing the heart under my command.

The beast won’t go without a fight, large fangs biting into my shoulder. It’s absolute agony as his teeth rip into my joint. Screaming, I flail, legs kicking up muck and debris as his spit burns my skin.

It smells like hot burning skin and death.

My magic reacts, twisting his heart with more strength than I can muster, the need to protect me strong. It latches on and squeezes with a firm grip.

It convulses, shakes, teeth finally releasing from my shoulder as it slides away. Coughing, I roll over, the heir coming to my side, sword dripping red.