Honour or Reason - Book 1# in the Burning Prince Chronicles

Chapter Thirty-Five

Brilyn lay in a bloody heap. His clothes were shredded, his skin bled from deep scratches that covered his chest, arms and legs. His shadows had been no match for the beast. He had sent enormous waves, wolves, tendrils toward it - nothing worked. Brilyn was not strong enough to kill it yet. Perhaps he would never get the chance. His breath rattled and his chest still was not healed from his imprisonment in the crypt a hundred years ago.

"You are weak, shadow brat. I will feast on your flesh soon," the creature purred, circling him. Brilyn moaned as it leaned down and licked the side of his face with its cold, slimy tongue. The creature chuckled. "You will be screaming soon, shade master. Your screams will never end. Go on for days..."

Bri rolled away from the bleeding creature, tears springing into his eyes as more blood poured from his injured body. The only piece of clothing that was in better shape was Zoysia's old robe. It was no longer milky white, but stained with red and filth. He pulled it closer around him, the thought of Zoysia giving him a small amount of strength. I survived last time without magic. I can do it again.

Brilyn wriggled through the dark, eyes locked on the crack and the grey light up ahead. Rain was better than a bloodthirsty beast. Bri slid painfully along the foul ground, cuts opening further as they scraped against the stone. A cry threatened to escape him, stifled just in time when Brilyn bit down hard on his tongue. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and the scholar gagged. A small cough managed to escape. Behind him, two bright blue eyes bulged.

"There you are!"

Bri squeaked and rose enough to crawl on his hands and knees instead of slithering. Too many pink stars danced in his vision for him to consider standing. Moving was trivial enough. Brilyn scrambled through the dark, the creature not far behind. He was a chicken and the creature was a fox.

He tried to summon enough shadow to lift him forward, just a little closer to the crack. Nothing happened. He had wasted it all. The monster had caught him off guard and Brilyn had been an absolute fool and wasted his strength before he could escape into the light. His shadows had no desire to play with this creation of dark magic - not even the shadow wolves were competition against the beast. The only reason Bri had gotten rid of the creature the first time was because his magic had built up enough to be a match for the creature's strength.

A splash of blood soaked through Bri's robe as the beast stamped its foot down on his back. He collapsed to the ground, air stolen from his lungs. The beast seized Brilyn by the hair as it stepped off him and dragged him further into the dark. All Bri could see was its glowing blue eyes. They burned with cold malice as it pinned Brilyn to the ground and spat, "I finally have you, shadow bastard. You stinking deceitful piece of crap."

As it talked, blood dripped from its mouth onto Bri's face. He gagged.

"Who taught a monster how to swear?"

As soon as the words left his mouth he regretted it. The blue eyes widened and nails dug into Brilyn's arms. "Monster! You call me a monster!" This time the beast purposefully spat blood in his face. "I am going to enjoy killing you, boy. I have waited for this for so long..."

"Wait longer, bloody jackass."

A flame floated in the darkness and Zoysia stepped into the light, grey eyes glittering like a stormy sea. The winds from the ceiling window blew through her loose hair and robe. She looked like one of the heroines of the Old Histories. She cupped the bright flame in her hand and brandished it like a wavering knife. Brilyn grinned as the beast snarled, "Bloody Mages. Always getting in the way."

Zoysia smirked wickedly. "Leave the boy, or I'll burn your pretty head off."

The beast laughed bitterly, "You can try, Mage. You can try."