Before Aris could even process what the man said, he sheathed his sword, reached in, and grabbed Raven by the front of his shirt, picking him up and throwing him out as if he was a child's doll. Raven rolled several times before stopping. He lifted himself from the ground, coughing out a few pieces of dirt. The new arrival leaned down on one knee and gazed at Aris. She swallowed and felt for an arrow.
"Tell me, Ravlynn," he said, reaching forward and slowly caressing Aris's chin. His voice was smooth, but his touch just as cold as Raven's. "Where did you get a-"
"Get back!" Nettle suddenly cried, jumping on Aris's head, spear unsheathed and pointed at the man.
He chuckled, a genuine grin spreading across his lips, "... a human and a pixie? I didn't know any woodland pixies still existed."
Nettle froze, gazing at the man with wide eyes. "... woodland pixies? You mean the sea pixies still exist?"
"Indeed." He smirked, standing up. "Some have taken refuge inside the Empire."
Aris saw Raven glance up, his eyes turning black as he glared at his brother. She could see so much hatred reflecting in them, so much loathing.
The guy rushed to his feet quick as lightning, then thrust forward both his arms—hands fists—at the man. Shadows sprang forward from the darkness, shooting like arrows for Raven's brother. The man turned, raising his left hand and catching the shadows, deflecting them away. At the same time, Raven attacked again, spinning quickly, and shooting another volley of shadows at his brother. Aris stared, wide-eyed at the scene. He moved so gracefully, yet so desperately.
The man thrust both his hands in front of him, caught the shadows, and, in turn, threw them at Raven. The shadow creature sucked in a deep breath as they engulfed him, wrapping around his body but leaving his head enough room to move. The man waved his hand towards himself, and the shadows carried Raven forward.
"Come, brother. You know better than to attack me."
"Do I?" Raven seethed back.
"You should," the man answered, a small sneer overcoming his face.
Aris cautiously gripped the roots above, pulling herself up. She stared at the man, scared, holding one of her arrows.
"Let him go," she said. She wasn't sure why she did it; after the way Raven betrayed her, she should've left him to his own fate.
The man looked back to gaze at her coolly, but not unkindly. "I am sorry, Miss, but I cannot. He would surely attack me again."
Aris tried not to be caught off-guard. He had already shown more respect to her in two sentences than Raven had done in two days.
"Who knew?" Nettle said, lowering her guard and putting her spear back on her back. "A shadow creature that's actually a gentleman."
The pixie slid down Aris's hair and landed on the girl's shoulder.
"Thank you, beautiful pixie." He smirked a little, an amused smirk.
"Sire!" someone suddenly shouted. Another "shadow elf," Aris guessed, came forward, riding on what Aris guessed was a sarba, but in the night, it was hard to make out the details of its dark fur. The shadow elf let the beast come to a stop before stepping off. Aris saw him to be taller than Raven and his brother, with a stronger build. Yet he was still pale and had dark hair, as well as ever-changing brown eyes.
"Ah, Faril. Nice of you to join. Please hold my brother." The man motioned with his hand and dropped Raven from the clutches of the shadow, right into the other elf's arms. Faril did as he was told, and held Raven by his arms.
YOU ARE READING
Finding the Rift (The Traveling Rifts Trilogy: Book One)
Fantasy"If you were looking for... answers to something, and this random stranger approached you, saying he knew where to find them... would you follow him?" ~~~ Aris lost her memory as a sixteen-year-old. Aris's parents lost all their memories of her at...
