With a group of unlikely allies, Alethia must become an unstoppable force to let go of her haunting past and save the Four Kingdoms.
Two years have passed since Queen Liliana broke the Peace Treaty with the Gera Kingdom and began a deadly war. Howev...
"I remember when he replaced all the sugar cubes in the kitchen with salt and flour." Sephirah reminisced in a soft tone. "You should have seen the cook's face. She was absolutely furious. My mother put him on kitchen duties for a solid month after that."
Alethia nodded again before returning to sharpening her weapon. Sephirah caught the sigh that nearly escaped her lips.
This was progress—albeit a small one, but progress, nonetheless.
She moved to her own bed, tucking a dagger from her boot underneath the flat pillow and placed another on the nightstand within reach. Crawling into bed, she flipped the sheets over her and glanced at the torches along the wall.
With a slight pull on her roaring magic, she snuffed out the flames. Alethia stopped caring for her sword, and Sephirah watched her shadowy figure shift back against the headboard. Another weird habit that Sephirah had noticed about the girl; Alethia almost always slept sitting up, her knees curled tight against her chest.
Soon the thoughts fluttered out of her mind. Nova poked at her mental walls and chirped lightly.
Sleep well.
Sephirah opened her mental gates and prodded her bird with a flare of curiosity. Nova sent a thread of magic toward her own, merging theirs until Sephirah's vision blurred and suddenly she could see the setting sun and the homes of the village below.
Nova was perched on the roof of the tavern. Sephirah smiled, breaking their connection, and pulling her power inward.
Keep watch, Nova.
Go to sleep, little one.
The Nixian princess grinned as she turned over, ignoring the ripple of protest from her aching muscles. Sleep fell upon her in a quick claim of victory.
§
It was the persistent poking at her mental defenses that awoke her. Nova was alerting her to something.
Sephirah maintained her sprawled out position and continued breathing deep with feigned sleep as her body tingled awake with awareness. A soft crisp breeze wafted through the window, passing over her cheeks and fluttering her eyelashes. Sephirah strained her ears until the light sounds of footsteps reached her. She tossed in her sleep onto her back, reaching a hand underneath her pillow to grasp her dagger.
The footsteps halted.
She let out a gentle snore as if falling into a deep sleep again. Once more, the wood creaked as the person took another step. The sound grew distinct enough that she knew they were approaching her bed.
Magic roared to life within her, sending crackles of heat bursting across her skin. She pulled on the thread of magic connecting her and Nova.
Grant me an ash of your strength, Nova.
Nova chirped her agreement. The string between them grew taunt as power laced down it and mixed with Sephirah's. She directed it toward her empty hand. Blistering warmth followed her magic like a dog after its favorite bone. The intensity skyrocketed until it felt as if she was burning her hand to dust.
It was a familiar feeling now. One she was able to bear without a flinch anymore. Once her power had run its course, the sensation dwindled to tempering heat.
Sephirah's nostrils flared as she smelled the intruder. A mixture of sawdust, sweat, and dirt infiltrated her nose.
Whoever it was, they were right next to her.
The air outside picked up speed, letting out a whistling blow that was the only warning Sephirah needed.
She turned swiftly, the concealed dagger flying from under the pillow as she aimed it instinctively to her side, where the person should be standing.
A fist knocked her wrist aside. The weapon scattered across the floor with successive clangs. Sephirah leaped out of the bed. A whirl of silver flashed in her vision. She ducked, wisps of red curls flying in the streaming moonlight. She crouched on the ground, twisted around with an outstretched leg until it slammed against their calves with such force that the person grunted.
The man groaned as he tumbled to the floor.
Sephirah leaned over him. His face was wrapped with black cloth, and he wore a concealing cloak of dark red over his body. She wrapped her transformed hand around his throat, bracing him to the ground. At her fingers were the outline of talons, the same ones that Nova used to dig into a platform for sturdiness.
She tampered the heat of her flames curdling her arm and hand just enough to not burn him, but hot enough that it'd sting his skin. The man hissed at her touch.
Between the wrapping of his clothes, red strands of hair were slicked almost into his piercing, golden eyes. They stared at each other as Sephirah slowed her quick breathing. Adrenaline sent her heart pumping in her ears, and her boiling anger began to smother the room.
Suddenly, a flash flickered in her peripheral vision. Sephirah risked a glance to see Alethia towering over them, her sword pressed against the man's stomach.
Sephirah lips curved into a ruthless smile as she glowered at the man. "I demand an explanation. You have assaulted the royal princess of the Nix Kingdom, and for that you will be punished severely. By my hands."
§
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