CHapter 18

Alaric.

The breath of my horse comes hard and fast as we gallop into the wood. The cold night closes in. It’s too cold for summer, it’s too dark for night.

When I close my eyes I see violet.

Beside me is Elias on his chestnut mount. The screams of men in battle come from ahead, ricochet across the trees. I can hardly see in the blackness.

A whinny that sounds like a shriek comes from my horse. “Alaric—!” shouts Elias.

Before I know what’s happening I am tumbling to the ground, my horse falling forward before me. Fuck.

I get up to my feet but am knocked back by an unseen blow. I hear the sword of Elias beside me make contact with something and make a dull thud. An inhuman screech cuts through the darkness.

“Fuck you!” growls Elias.

I unsheathe my sword and swing it in front of me though I can’t see anything.

“Fire!” shouts Elias. “Make fire Alaric!”

I know what’s faster than finding my flint. I snap my fingers. A small flame appears on the tip of my index finger. A halo of light.

Something in front of me moves quickly. A tall form, a glitter of scales.

I reach below me for a fallen branch and light it. Light expands outwards, deeper into the dark wood.

Several large figures move into the darkness quicker than men ever could.

I feel something from behind cut the flesh of my calf muscle. I cry out and slump down to my knees. I feel hot blood slick behind my knee.

With my eyes closed I feel Seraphina next to me. It feels as though she is lifting me. I open my eyes but only see Elias rushing up to me.

“Alaric!” he cries out. He bends down, drapes my arm across his shoulder, and lifts me to my feet. Leaning against him he brandishes his sword in front of us. The burning branch shows no signs of movement.

Within me I feel warm. When I close my eyes I see the eyes of Seraphina. Why is she here in my mind—what is she doing?

Though I can feel wetness from the back of my leg—surely blood—I remember seeing her body glowing in the moonlight across the river. The incident that started all of this.

Perhaps I am losing consciousness…

Elias is scanning the darkness but there is no more movement visible. He carries me to the burning branch and puts another one on, growing the blaze. It seems as though the Dark Ones are in fact afraid of fire. We seem to be safe for now.

“Alaric, I saw you,” says Elias starts.

“Saw me what,” I reply.

“Saw you light that branch with your fingertip,” he says.

“Well, it’s what I had available,” I say.

Elias laughs in response. “Since when have you been a mage? What happened with Nightshade?” asks Elias.

“I’m not a mage,” I say defensively. “Truth be told I don’t know what’s happening.”

Elias laughs again. Only he could find the humor in this situation. “Who does anymore my friend,” he says.

I feel as though Seraphina is close again. Strange. There is a feeling within me building in intensity. I feel warm between my thighs, desire.

“We need to bring you to a healer,” says Elias. He lights another branch as a torch and waves it in front of us. The torch illuminates my poor horse. His proud neck has been slit, and black blood pools out in front of his body, reflects the firelight. His eyes are lifeless.

Elias tears some cloth from his tunic and wraps it tightly around my leg. He brings me to his horse and helps to lift me up onto the saddle. He climbs deftly behind me despite being such a big man.

He hands me the burning torch. “Hold this,” he says. We ride through the night and the fire seems to keep the Dark Ones away. I close my eyes and see violet. It feels as though my heart is burning, but pleasant.

“Alaric, tell me what happened with you and Seraphina and Nightshade,” says Elias.

“Nightshade took us to the old library, to Oris. Oris thinks that we’re part of a prophecy. He thinks this is because Seraphina and I are fated,” I say, slightly fading out of consciousness.

Elias snorts. “You and Seraphina? Does he know she’s a commoner,” he says.

“Part of the prophesy is that Seraphina and I have magical powers,” I say sleepily.

“So the fire thing?” he asks.

“No I—well, I don’t know what that is. But I don’t think that I have power over all the elements,” I reply.

“The prophecy says that you would have power over all the elements?” he asks. “Why don’t you try. You can see that we have nothing left to lose. There’s an enemy that we can barely see, that we hardly know, that is clearly incredibly fucking dangerous.”

“I’m not a mage, Elias. And besides, who knows how father would react to my training my…’powers’,” I say, still hardly able to believe we are having this conversation.

“Alaric, don’t be stupid. Damn your father. We’re in danger.”

We ride through the night in silence. I brood over Elias’ words. I don’t feel like some destined prince. Mostly I just miss the soft touch of Seraphina’s skin underneath my fingers. I feel as though she is inside me…and I remember what it was like to be inside her.

A screech cuts through the blackness. “Fuck!” exclaims Elias.

A figure is before us on the road, twice as high as a man. Looming. I see something glinting in the firelight, something the texture of scales. The figure lets out another noise that cuts through my eardrums, feels as though my head is being pierced in two. I can feel my vision blurring, shirring with the sound.

The creature — a Dark One — comes closer. I can see two holes where eyes should be. The fire of the torch goes out.

“Alaric!” shouts Elias. “Fire, now!”

Seraphina’s eyes flash before my vision. It feels like she’s right next to me. It feels like she’s within me.

I hold out my palm directly in front of me and envision fire shooting out.