Sky Woman: Book One of The Empress Saga

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Enfri beat her fists against the interdiction. It was as solid as the thickest marble, but invisible as air. Nothing she could do could make the slightest change in the barrier. There was no way through, and there weren't any other exits from the wellspring cave.

She turned and pressed her back against the barrier. Jin hadn't moved since she cast the spell. She lay at the back of the cave, watching Enfri with a wild intensity. The pressure of her apotheosis continued to sing in the back of Enfri's mind.

Deebee was breathing out dragon fire. Maya and Dashar were regrouping to attack her again, and it was everything Deebee could do to keep them at bay for another few moments.

"Enfri, this is your chance," Deebee said.

"I'm trapped," Enfri said hoarsely. "I'm trapped in here with her!"

Deebee was shouting. "No. She's blundered, girl. Her first, and you can save yourself. Look at her. She's ethershocked and wounded. Jin's helpless. You're not trapped in there with her. She's at your mercy!"

Enfri sank to the ground and clutched her knees. She was paralyzed with fear.

"Her magic ends with her death," Deebee roared. "You're stronger than you know. You can win. Fight, girl!"

Enfri held her breath. She looked to the side and saw the stone she had thrown at Jin a moment before. Frantically, she grabbed for it. Her body had grown tense and clumsy. Enfri fumbled to her feet and took a hesitant step towards Jin.

"You must do it quickly," Deebee warned. "I can't hold them back much longer."

Jin had her sword in hand. She held its point towards Enfri to fend her off, but the blade wavered. She didn't have the strength remaining to defend herself. The sword slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground.

Enfri kicked the sword away. She stood over Jin, the stone raised above her head in both hands.

Jin's teeth were clenched in defiance. She watched Enfri's every move but made no attempt to escape or evade. Broken and defeated at Enfri's feet, Jin wilted. It was as if she accepted what would come next.

"I can't," Enfri whispered. Her legs were trembling, and she could hardly stand anymore.

Deebee spun towards the cave and smashed her claw against the rock wall. "You can! There's no other way, Enfri. The interdiction won't fall until one of you is dead. Kill her!"

Enfri screamed as she brought the rock down as hard as she could. It struck the stone floor and shattered.

"I won't!"

Deebee stared into the cave in stunned amazement. "Enfri, you must."

"A sky woman must never harm a living thing," she quoted. Enfri covered her mouth with her hands as she fell to her backside.

What have I done? she thought in horror. I'm too weak, and now I'm going to die for it.

She didn't take her eyes off of Jin. She expected to see the assassin looking back with a gloating expression, but Jin was just as surprised as Deebee. She was frozen in slack-jawed astonishment.

Enfri's voice was strangled. "I won't do it, Deebee. It's wrong. Everything Grandmother taught me..." She shook her head. "I won't do it. I'll never be what they think I am."

She was terrified. Every instinct she had cried out for her to flee, to survive. She wanted to live, but that couldn't erase the life she had chosen. Before anything else, Enfri was a sky woman.