When It Reigns (Cursed Reigns, #1)

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

I pulled myself to a seated position where Tanwen's neck connected with his shoulders and felt the blood rush from my head as ice flooded my veins. Nausea crashed over me and my head spun as I fell backwards against Tanwen's back, chest rising with labored breaths as sweat swam down my neck and mixed with the blood leaking from the puncture wounds. Electricity crackled within me in a profound surge and I arched my back as the current coursed through me, breaking through the gates in my mind. Once fried, the walls disintegrated and the voltage exploded behind my eyes in a mind-numbing shock.

I squeezed my eyes shut as needles injected my bare palm with fire and my body reverberated with the unleashed power.

"Ah, the Glastos princess has been awakened," I heard Edge murmur at a faraway distance, "My prince's essence is calling for hers."

Are you okay? Tanwen asked.

I groaned in response, unable to sit up.

The demon fled. I won't go after him while you're like this.

My stomach flipped as Tanwen descended, heading straight for the chaos. I forced myself to sit with my hands gripping my thighs as dizziness consumed me. I leaned forward and transferred my hands to his shoulders as we declined, landing in the throng of madness. I inhaled a few deep breaths and unsheathed my dagger, hopping from the dragon's back to his front leg. I slid down the limb and joined the Draconians fighting off the Cursed demons.

The uncanny similarity of humaneness in the Cursed demons was jarring. One sprinted at me on all fours, thin fangs dripping with venom as its black eyes and red pupils pinned me. Its translucent skin showed the black veins pumping the Curse through its body as it ran. I blinked hard to clear the tiny silver spots swirling in my vision, and launched my dagger at it.

The screech raised the hair along my arms as the blade penetrated its eyeball and poured the last of the paralyzing ruben into the wound. The demon's body locked up and it toppled over as its black blood oozed from its eye and rained droplets along its torso. Its own blood ate away at its waxy skin until it was a pile of sludge. The stench was horrendous as I plucked my dagger from the remnants.

You know you don't have to rely on just your weapons anymore, right? Zoran inquired.

I caught his eye over a pair of Champions attacking two demons each as Zoran flung a whip made of water at a demon and wrapped it around its neck, yanking it to the ground in a skull-shattering smash.

I don't know how to use your power and now is not the time to experiment with it, I explained. I wouldn't want to accidentally stab you with a blade of ice that I can't control.

I'm not sure that would be an accident, princess.

I think your cold heart could handle a bit more ice, I retorted, jamming the dagger into the chest of a demon as it flung itself at me. Removing one of Racquel's topaz knives from my belt, I struck the base of its skull and killed it before it had a chance to realize what I'd done.

You wound me with that mouth of yours.

You should see what else it could do.

I didn't know why I said that. I wanted to take it back, but it was too late. Zoran's eyes widened then narrowed as he stared at me with...desire. His water whip dropped to his side as a fang poked his lip and he flicked his tongue on the sharp tip.

Watch out! I warned.

Five demons broke through the crowd and bared their fangs, hurling themselves at my oblivious Champion. They crashed into Zoran and tackled him to the ground in a frenzy of chomping jaws and excited wails. I took a step in his direction just as Tanwen's massive tail swept in front of me, taking out a group of demons as he crushed them against the side of an abandoned brick building. Adrenaline buzzed through me and I ran for Zoran, hurdling over Tanwen's tail as I sent the dagger at the nearest demon.

Don't die, I commanded, You aren't taking me out with you like this.

The dagger lodged itself in the back of the demon's head as I raced toward Zoran. When he didn't counter with a smart comment of his own, I took it as a bad sign.

I reached him and ripped the demon I'd killed off his fallen form, discarding its carcass off to the side as I wrenched my dagger from its head. Four demons still covered him and I drove my weapon into another brain as panic seized me when one of the demon's fangs lowered to Zoran's neck. In pure desperation, I flung my hands out in front of me with my fingers splayed wide to display my palms and channeled the unrestrained energy to my hands.

Frost fire gushed over the demons, scorching them with the icy hot flames. They withered back and pitched themselves on the dirt, rolling around in vain to put the fire out. In the span of a few seconds, the demons were pools of liquified skin and bones.

Serene pawed at the flames, blowing steam as she stomped them out. She nudged Zoran's unmoving body with her snout as I dropped to his side, examining his body untouched by the fire.

Smoothing back his sweat-soaked hair, I chewed my lip as I found deep gashes in his white dress shirt that was now stained with red splotches. His exposed chest had several scratches from the demons' claws and I brought my face to his neck, searching for two minuscule holes indicating he'd been bitten.

I sighed in relief when I found none and leaned back, resting on my knees.

Wake up. Say something mean to me. Hit me with a splash of water. Anything.

Zoran's eyelids fluttered open as he mumbled, "You just never stop yapping, do you?", and his hand glowed a dim light blue as water spurted from his palm, drenching the front of my dress where the cloak hung open. Tanwen's essence flowed into his scale tucked in my cloak with Rays' and Serene's.

Swiping the cloak closed, I gaped at him as he pushed himself onto his elbows and cocked an eyebrow at me, lowering his gaze to my hand pulsing with a red glow.

Raising his eyes to mine, he asked, How's the egg, my little mind controller?

----------------

Hi! Thank you for reading! What are your thoughts on this story? Don't forget to leave a vote and a comment to let me know! :)