Into Shadows and Escaping Ash ✔️

12.1 | The Work of Man |

"You'll regret such words if you're not gone in by sunrise."

"Oh?" I step forward, plants and grass catching alight with my movement. Another flinch. "Such big words, threatening me. Would you like to settle this now?"

Instead, he is shoved away from me and towards where they came.

I suppose it's better in a way that I found them instead of the others. Handling this quietly with magic is faster and more intimidating. Not to mention the frustration that comes with the Destroyers who want to fight. Theron isn't well enough and Remi doesn't take watch, so either Daniel risks exposing himself or Meika destroys the entire field.

I burn a wall of clear acidic energy before me and force it to melt into the night, following them back to their village. So long as they don't turn around, they will live.

Small sparks skitter to life along the outlining wall of ash on the ground, flames flickering up in a response to my inner turmoil. I suppress the urge to lash out with them, to burn those men into food.

When I return I see waking faces in the light of the fire and freeze uneasily when the attention is drawn to me.

"What was it?" Theron asks in a gravelly voice, barely managing to open one eye.

My heart sinks. "A patrol of sorts. I'm sure some from a camp nearby. We'll need to be careful when leaving in the morning but I took care of the problem for now."

"Are they dead?" Remi asks, pushing off the ground on her elbow and scrubbing her eyes from sleep.

I shake my head, keeping my lips glued shut.

Daniel tosses me a glance and rolls around a bit to attempt to find a more suitable position. A huff of a groan later and he collapses, muttering something to himself and sitting up completely.

Meika barely deigns me a look when promptly dosing back off and Theron rolls over to avoid the light.

"I'm hungry," Dan says, pulling out a container of jerky from his bag and munching on it.

I look down at my hands and consider what life and death could be if only they were similar to some of the other gods. With a reputation for power and invincibility, I was never surprised when people were jealous or power hungry. Gods succumb to the same urges, the only difference is there are no consequences.

Not normally.

Separating Lin and me from the world long enough for it to fall into the wrong hands and crumble to pieces... Someone wanted this to happen and only a handful had the power to do anything about it.

Dismantle balance just long enough to claim a small portion of the world...

Getting a clue in India would be helpful and likely inevitable, but I can't help but wonder if it's to be expected. If coming alone, without Lindon, is a trap in the making. Carefully thought through caveats. That is what setting us in temples on opposite continents does.

Alone, I'm just another human to my siblings.

This contract is important now. I must be able to protect them if something goes wrong, I must find Lindon, and perhaps even save Theron's life in doing so.

I let out a tense sigh and push my fingers through my hair, roughly sweeping away mangled dead ends that were barely cleaned with every rinse before.

"You have plenty of time," Daniel reassures me, looking me over as if reading my every thought and prayer. "We'll make it to India and then you'll go find him with Meika."

Nodding again, I let the words seep in and realize the likelihood that they will be safer in India, at least until the world is restored.

But when I walk away I won't be able to monitor them anymore.