Crown of Cinders (Imdalind #7)(123)

“Oh,” a tiny voice came from behind. “I guess I was followed.”

Míra’s attack came before my magic recovered, hitting me hard in the chest and sending me scuttling across the floor and into the room Míra had just stuttered from.

My feet flew out from under me, and I fell into a threadbare high-back chair. The wooden feet creaked loudly as my impact sent us sliding across the stone floor, forgotten articles of clothes and belongings scattering, as well.

The remains of a bedroom surrounded me. A bed leaned up against the wall, and a dresser was torn apart, its contents scattered around us. Just like every other part of these ancient caves I had seen, this room was in shambles. Everything looked as though it had been forgotten long ago.

“Hello, Ryland,” Ovailia said, her voice a silky taunt that twisted up my spine, taking me right back to the prison she had created for me. My muscles tensed, agitation rising as my head twitched to the side on its own. “I haven’t seen you in a while. How’s your head?” Ovailia stepped toward me slowly, running her hands through my hair. The simple touch gave rise to the panic and madness I had already been fighting.

I fought it, desperate to keep control, but just seeing her again brought it all back. The crazy she and our father had infected me with controlled my magic. Controlled me.

She was always the strong one.

You are nothing compared to her.

Ovailia noticed the change in me, and her smile spread. Her magic sparked at her fingertips as she raised them to attack.

I stared at the electric warning, feeling my magic bubble and boil, but I couldn’t move. I sat, glued to the chair Míra had thrown me into, my mind screaming while I tried to fight the dragon she had raised inside of me.

One flash of light and she attacked, light streaming toward me, and a scream broke free, erupting through the room in a painful howl.

I pushed past the pain and let my magic explode, soaring right toward her as hers did mine. Mine was faster, though, cutting through her attack like smoke, speeding past and slamming into her, sending her off balance as she wobbled around on her ridiculous heels.

Or maybe not.

Now’s your chance.

Take it.

“I’m just fine, thanks,” I spat as I jumped up, magic rumbling, ready to face them both head-on. “You seem to be doing well. Of course, being surrounded by soulless demons like yourself seems to suit both of you.”

“You speak as though you know either of us,” Ovailia said with a demonic laugh, flipping her hair behind her.

“You have tortured me, Ovailia, helped our father rip my mind apart. My family has died by your hands. Yours and that beast of a child!” My voice was darkening as my anger rose, my head twitching painfully with the memory, with the need for retribution. “You think I don’t know you, but I know what you’ve done, and that is enough.”

“You foolish boy,” Ovailia hissed, her eyes narrowing gravely as she leaned toward me. “You see with your heart. You would do better if I ripped it from you. You know nothing of what life truly is.”

“How could I? You have taken away my only chance.” I attacked again.

Her smile was as wide as mine as she deflected my assault and jumped into the air, soaring around the wide room while Míra pushed her own attack toward me. The new flash of magic pulled my attention to my sister.

Blocking it easily, I turned, ready to face Ovailia, but I was sent stumbling as a second attack impacted against my side, instead.

Warmth spread over me as blood began to pour down my side, the agonizing sting of ripping flesh tearing me in two.

Screaming in pain, I was thrown to the ground by the impact, the pain spreading throughout me as the blood continued to flow. I could feel it pool against the floor where I lay, soaking into a pile of torn clothing I had fallen into. The agony of the gash left as my magic quickly began to heal it, something I shouldn’t be able to do if Ovailia was fighting me with her full potential.

She was playing with me.

Like the fool you are.

Are you going to let her get away with that?

No.

No, I was not.

Looking back toward her, I was met with her bright smile and the smug look of the little girl who stood right beside her. The haunting warnings on their faces tensed my spine and sent a fresh stab of pain against my gut like the sharp point of a knife.

“Come on, Ovailia,” I said with a grunt, my muscles straining as I pushed myself back to standing, my legs shaking underneath me. “Don’t go easy on me. Attack me!”

Attempting to control the shake, I hoped I looked like the powerhouse I felt. My magic still buzzed angrily inside of me.

Ovailia only laughed at my attempt, shaking her hair over her shoulder with a flip of her head, her focus shifting to her nails in the usual dismissal.

“Attack me!” I screamed in irritation as my father began to laugh, the sound cutting through my mind angrily.

She simply smiled, her focus never leaving her nails.

Make her pay.

Shoulders jerking with recoil as light and electricity sparked from my hands with the bang of a gun, I stepped toward her, ready to bring the fight to me.

Míra jerked at the sound, but Ovailia stood there as though nothing had happened, the same irksome smile on her face.

“You don’t know how much I want that, baby brother,” she said casually, her focus on me as she easily deflected the attack that had been seconds away from impact. I swallowed, my eyes hardening at the hatred in her voice. “But now is not the time.”