"Have you ever done this before?"
"Nope," I say, pressing a hand against the bony statue. My green glow glints off the ivory as it spreads from my fingertips. The shouting grows louder as the villagers approach. I fill my lungs and let them deflate. "Okay. When I tell you run, go to your mother. I'll be close behind."
Cressa-la nods, taking a step back, determination filling her features as she readies herself.
I can feel the energy leaving my body as it thrusts itself into the statue. I'd seen Morgiana do this only once before too something to train with... because I became too deadly against the people she sent my way.
Feeling my teeth ache at the memory from clenching my jaw too hard, I back away as the statue of bone begins to twitch.
"Run," I tell her, and she breaks out into a sprint, headed straight for the herd of people coming our way. I come around the other direction, trying to focus as much as I can on the task at hand.
The statue moves jerkily, taking a step forward as a few bones fall to the ground, kicking up dirt. My green glow surrounds it, cyan sparking in the joints.
I make it take another step, a headache beginning to throb through my skull. The villagers switch their attention from me and Cressa-la to the monster as its massive tail swings around and knocks a handful of people over. They all begin to shout gibberish, and I peek over to Cressa-la to see her lifting her mother to her feet, unaware of what's going on, but alive.
I break my concentration, the bones and twine falling onto the people below. It's just enough of a distraction for me to rush to Cressa-la and her mom and wrap my arms around them, forming our home in my head. Green surrounds us, cyan orbs floating here and there, and the trees and grass melt to dirt and the trees I've known my entire life.
I release the two of them, Cressa-la staring at me incredulously.
"We did it," she breathes, her shoulders slumping as they relax. She smiles slightly as she looks over to her mother, and then she pales. "Wait, where are we going to hide her?" Then. "Your underground city," she says, answering her own question.
"Can't do that," I say, kicking myself for not thinking this through. I never do anything spontaneously like that—well, I can't say never. I've done plenty of things out of the blue... all for her.
Clearing my throat at the thought, I look around.
"Morgiana visits frequently when she's on the island."
"Okay, so what if we disguise her or something?" Cressa-la looks down at her mother's calves, scales a shade darker than her own stretching from her knees to her feet. Her mom's head lulls forward, but Cressa-la is able to keep her standing upright. With a sigh I step toward them and lift her mom into my arms.
"Or we could take her home," I offer. "It'll give you a chance to meet you dad and your brothers."
"Brothers?" Cressa-la repeats, watching me. "I have brothers?"
"Yeah, like four. And that isn't including Kamier-na."
She stares at me for a moment. "I know that name."
I laugh at her. Had she really forgotten her hunting partner from back then? "Yeah. Your old hunting partner. Two years younger than you. Ringing any bells?"
Her eyes alight.
Somebody's home, after all.
"Oh!" she covers her mouth. "You've got to be kidding me." She lowers her voice to a whisper, eyes swimming with different emotions, guilt one of them. "He's one of my brothers?"
YOU ARE READING
Conviction's King | Damian Book 1
FantasyI'm not a victim. I'm the villain. The bad guy that killed millions. Controlled and manipulated thousands. I stained my own hands with blood of innocents. I may have become one of Morgiana's puppets... but that doesn't give me a pass. Even if she sa...