Origin of Magic (Dragon's Gift: The Protector #3)(18)

Thank fates he wasn’t strong enough to strike three times simultaneously.

I played possum as pain wracked me, lying still and weak on the ground as strength flowed back into my body. I had the errant thought that if this place had any plant-life left, I’d be able to draw strength from them.

But Elesius had already given me everything it had.

Tears pricked the back of my eyes, but I dared not let them fall. Now was the time for battle, not grief.

The mage stomped over, looming over me, features twisted with raged. He held out his hands, glowing with light.

“Don’t kill her!” The rough shout came from twenty feet away. Another mage. “She’s the target!”

The words just pissed me off. Indecision flickered in the mage’s eyes as he stood over me. I used that second’s hesitation to thrust my sword upward, aiming for his gut.

But he dodged, narrowly avoiding my blade, and grabbed my arm roughly.

Magic exploded out from me, blasting the mage onto his ass five feet away. Shock flared. What the hell? It felt like it came from the bracelet that Ares had given me, but I’d never experienced anything like that.

I scrambled to my feet, my aches fading, and lunged for the mage. He leaned on one arm, the other extended out to me, light flaring from his palm.

I was about to charge him when something silver flew by, headed straight for him. A dagger thudded into the mage’s chest. His eyes flared with shock.

I glanced back. My mother stood ten meters away, having just thrown one of her daggers. She’d saved me.

A grin spread across my face. I nodded at her, then turned and ran for the mage, who was bleeding out onto the ground.

“Bitch,” he spat, blood burbling from his lips.

“Not gonna argue there.”

His eyes went still a moment later, dark and lifeless. A tinge of grief struck me for the life that was lost. He was evil, but he hadn’t always been so.

I knelt at his side, pushing back his collar.

The dragon tattoo twisted over his collarbone. It was no surprise, but my shoulders sagged anyway.

Buck up, buttercup. There was a battle to be won.

I surged to my feet, turning to face the field. Ares stood over the body of the man who’d shouted that I was the target. And my mother’s people—my people—had turned the battle toward victory. My mother and father were polishing off the last demons. The rest were scattered on the ground, already disappearing.

Ares strode toward me, eyes intense and face speckled with blood. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” I winced as I shifted the box strapped to my back. This stupid thing was becoming seriously awkward. And even though it was safe inside its specially designed foam padding, there was always the chance that something could happen to it. Fire ball, lightning—anything was possible. I needed to get this back to my trove ASAP.

“They’re Drakon’s men,” Ares said.

“Yeah.” I hiked a thumb toward the mage, who’d already turned to dust. “That one had the tattoo.”

There was no question about it—Drakon was after me. Somehow, he was powerful enough to track me all the way here. I’d gotten lucky both times, being surrounded by friends and family who had my back. But eventually, my luck would run out.

And then?

Well, I didn’t know what would happen then. But it’d be the fight of my life.





Chapter Six





An hour later, after my mother and father had seen to the wounded and the five who had died, we gathered around a table filled with food imported from the outside world. That was one of the many downsides of me taking all the plant-life from Elesius, and guilt was heavy in my stomach.

We were in a small dining room in my parents’ house, a space that vaguely reminded me of childhood meals. Ares sat at my side, my parents across from us.

I swallowed a bite of potatoes covered in cheese and looked at my parents. “I’m sorry about those who died.”

My mother’s gaze met mine. “Don’t be. We are all prepared to defend our home.”

“But they were after me.”

My mother sighed, her eyes heavy with worry. “I was afraid of that. It has begun, hasn’t it? The great evil you are meant to fight?”

“Yes.” My appetite was waning. I explained what I knew of Drakon.

“He must be powerful if he made it through our barrier.” My father shook his head. “That has not happened in centuries. Now twice in one day.”

“But I didn’t come to wage war,” Ares said.

“Yes you did.” My mother smiled. “Fortunately, you didn’t need to.”

Ares nodded.

“This Drakon is your fate, then,” my mother said. “The reason Elesius died.”

I swallowed hard. I was always the sidekick, never the hero. And now a whole kingdom had died to give me the power I needed to win the battle?

Oh, man.

“Do you know your next step?” my father asked. “We will help you.”

I picked up the box from the floor and removed the beaker, then held it up. “I’m going to use this to untangle the prophecy. Then I’ll know what he’s after, and hopefully be able to stop him. The knowledge could even lead me to him.”

My mother’s eyes flared wide. “Where did you get that?”