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fifty

Carnaxa

W e walk amongst the men who are gathering their weapons once again. While I love Ereon’s belief in our ability to tackle another attack of kukhe , I’m worried we won’t be ready. While the magic that flows through my veins is simple to use now, I do not yet know its limits or how quickly I will drain, especially without being near a large body of water.

The sun is hidden behind the dark gray clouds, the colors around it can barely be seen, and the air is tense as we walk along. Ereon holds his head held high, trying not to show the doubt I can sense beneath his confident expression. Concern fills my mind as I ponder if this will work. Upon reaching the frozen lake we all pause at its edge, taking in the breathtaking sight of the glistening ice beneath our feet.

“Where will we go?” I ask. We should have discussed our destination, but right now we are fleeing and it doesn’t matter as long as we are away from here.

He grabs my hand and squeezes, his voice caressing me like velvet. “I’m taking you home ... that’s what I said I would do. That’s where we are going. ” I try not to flinch at his words, and my thigh aches at the thought of Shaston. I know it is my home now, but I’m not ready to return. I’m not ready to be around Atlas again either.

“How will your father react if we show up unannounced?” I ask.

“I said I’m taking you home. I’m taking you to Antalis. You need to be back at your father’s side. If I can, I will plan to end up there,” Ereon says.

“Not all of us should return to Antalis.” Thylas steps up beside Ereon. “Someone needs to be in Shaston, to at least try to throw off King Atlas’ suspicion.”

Rhenor shuffles behind us. “He’s right. We can say we left days ago to return to Shaston, but if he receives reports that we are all in Antalis, then he will know something has happened. Especially if none of us are wearing our bracelets.”

With a hand pressed against his face, Ereon paces in front of us, his muttered curses barely audible. Coming to a halt, he pivots and directs his attention to us. “I’ll travel back to Shaston myself, then. Anara can take the rest of you to Antalis. Build a fire large enough to carry everyone.”

Ereon changes his focus, looking directly at me, his voice barely above a whisper so only I can hear. “I’ll come find you when I can, Ryehro . Until then, I’ll make sure my father doesn’t bother you or Antalis.”

My eyes widen at his words. I don’t want to be separated from him. My heartbeat picks up and begins to race. “No.” I grab at his waist, pulling him by the belt loops to me. “I can’t do that. I won’t let you return there with no one to help you. Your father — he’ll punish you. He’ll think we left Shaston, or you released us from the bracelets, Ereon ... No, I refuse to leave you.” Tears threaten to spill from my eyes as he wraps his arms around me — his fingers dig into my back as he does.

“I’ll go alone,” Anara declares, her voice firm and filled with a hint of defiance. “He doesn’t care about me, and I’ve already survived Atlas once. I can do it again.”

“No,” Thylas and Ereon say simultaneously.

Ereon releases me and turns to meet Anara’s eyes, his expression unreadable. “I won’t have you sacrificing yourself for me again.”

“I didn’t sacrifice myself for you the first time. I knew what the bargain I had made required. I was fully aware of the price I would have to pay. I’m not afraid,” she says confidently, her voice echoing off the lake.

With each step the creatures take, the ground beneath them shifts and emits a faint buzzing noise. Looking toward the horizon, they appear through the shadowed trees. Time is running out, we need to make decisions. As I look around at everyone, I notice Siphonie casting a resolute glance in my direction, yet I sense a hint of fear lurking beneath. Her hand instinctively reaches for Rhenor’s as she clutches her stomach. With a swift motion, he snatches her hand and brings it to his lips, bestowing a soft kiss on the back.

A lone kukhe nears the edge of the lake, gingerly testing the strength of the glistening ice beneath its weight. When it holds, it begins a gradual advance towards us and more gather to watch it cross.

“ Pla nloph !” Ereon yells before he grabs my hand, pulling me onto the ice. “Grab one another’s hands then. We all go to Antalis. We will figure it out together. Deal with my father later.” Ereon’s face mirrors the stoic expression he often wears when he wants to intimidate people, showcasing his determination with his final decision.

We are stepping out in an ice storm and on a prayer, hoping his magic can transport all of us. We grab hands, creating an unbreakable line as we stand side by side. I hold tight to Ereon and Thylas, even though the latter still looks undecided. Siphonie grabs Thy’s hand and Rhenor’s. Anara looks at the approaching creature, their heavy steps making hairline cracks in the ice beneath us. The creature looks at us, roaring loudly as it increases its pace.

“They’ll be here soon,” Anara says, her hands igniting in flame.

“Get your ass over here,” Ereon shouts, grabbing Anara’s hand before he quickly snatches his own back. “Fuck. That burns.” He reaches out again, never releasing his grip on me. This time, he holds her elbow with a firm grip, desperate and unwilling to let her go. Her hands go limp at her sides, the flames extinguished.

“The magic is a part of you. Let it take over,” I say gently to Ereon, as we watch the kukhe grow in number and get closer with each step. “Everyone else ... think of Antalis.”

My hand that holds on to Ereon tingles as he awakens his magic. He closes his eyes and I do the same, praying to the Goddess for her protection. My mother. That’s something else I will have to deal with later, but for now, I think of home.

I think of my father’s smile and the people I left behind. I think of my room and the smell of the salt from the Great Sea. I think of my mother’s throne I hope one day to sit on. I think of the laughter Thylas, Siphonie, and I have shared through the years, and the night of T?ht and Mar . I think of the beautiful vendors and sweet Ilas.

The magic brushes against my skin and I can tell something is about to happen when a roar pulls me from my thoughts.

The forerunner of the kukhe is now less than one hundred paces from us. Panic rises inside me, but I cling to Thylas and Ereon. “Stay calm. Breath. Ereon, you can do this.”

The magic flares again, caressing my skin. My feet feel as if they are floating, and I pray we hurry. A loud boom reaches my ears, my heart sinks, and we tumble onto the frigid, unyielding ice. Opening my eyes, I am met with the alarming sight of a gigantic crack that is spreading from where a multitude of kukhe close in with incredible speed.

Amidst our scattered positions on the ice, Ereon’s hand reaches out and yanks me up, my eyes wildly scanning around for everyone else. Thylas is to my right, helping Rhenor pull Siphonie up. I reach out to them. Siphonie struggles to maintain her balance on the slippery ice as she approaches me, her hand reaching out for mine. We interlock our fingers and Rhenor grabs her other hand.

“Anara!” From my left, Ereon’s shout reverberates through the air. As I turn my head to face ahead, my eyes lock with hers. She walks across the ice backwards before she smiles. Ereon’s eyes dart from her to me, his feet seeming to not know which way to go.

“I can handle this,” she confirms, before she dips her head and turns away, her fists becoming beacons, glowing in the gray landscape.

Ereon looks desperate as he tries to work out a way to save us both, but the kukhe are but mere paces in front of us. His shoulders fall with defeat as he realizes he can’t get to her without losing me. “She can hold them off, then get to safety. She has too,” he says assuredly as he closes his eyes. He begins to search once more for the magic within himself.

I grasp Siphonie’s delicate hand, my eyes fixed on Anara in the distance as she channels her magic, flames erupting from her palms in a mesmerizing display. She lets out a piercing scream, her hands tightly gripping the monster with her fiery whip. A third kukhe, that she doesn’t see, appears on her right and reaches its spindly arm towards her, but it’s caught by another tendril of flame that comes from somewhere else .

It is then I notice Thylas holding his palm out, flames stretching towards the monster in his grasp. With his intense gaze fixed on the beast, he engulfs it in his orange flame, resulting in a heavy thud as it is thrown to the side, creating another crack in the ice.

Thylas looks at me, sorrow and apology flicker in his emerald eyes. I mouth no to him, but he just looks at me, voicelessly pleading with me to understand.

“Keep her safe, Prince,” he yells into the wind as he breaks free from Rhenor’s hold on him. With all my strength, I scream and thrash against the iron grip of Ereon and Siphonie.

Thylas races to the monsters that still wage battle against Anara. His boots never miss a beat on the slick ice as he makes his way toward her. Ereon mumbles something beside me, focusing his hardest to get us away from here. But I can’t let them do this.

As Thylas reaches Anara, he releases his own balls of fire, hitting his targets true. But the kukhe keep coming from across the lake, not caring that the cracks splinter beneath their weight. Too many. There are too many. Thylas reaches for the sword at his side, swiping down quickly as another monster reaches out to grab him. The limb of the beast falls to the ice, blood flowing like scarlet ribbons upon the white canvas.

A hazy feeling overtakes my body and I look at Siphonie, noticing she now appears translucent. It’s working. I stomp my foot, trying to call my magic to me. Maybe it’s fear, or exhaustion from yesterday, but nothing answers me. I can’t leave them here, I can’t leave him .

Another advances towards Anara and Thylas as they stand side by side in a beautiful display of fire and embers. Ash swirls around them as Anara continues to burn the creatures alive. She yells something at Thylas and I watch as magic flows through her and she alights the bodies they’ve piled in front of them.

A fire. She’s building a fire so they can travel. The large fire rages higher and higher. Then, as my body becomes numb and my vision darkens, Ereon’s magic takes hold. The last thing I see is Thylas and Anara stepping into the flames.