Runes of Truth (A Demon's Fall #1)(22)

“Trying to kill me now is your best option. The others will be back soon, and won’t let you attempt it,” I say, wanting to get this over with. He does what I thought he would, run straight at me. I dive under his dagger-holding arm, grabbing his wrist and twisting. He drops the dagger and I grab, kicking his back, making him stumble. He turns around, glaring at me.

“Is that what they teach you at Protector school? If so, no wonder you guys are so easy to kill,” I say honestly, and he runs at me again. I chuckle, running as well and diving onto the floor, skidding across and grabbing his leg, bringing him to the floor. He grabs me, trying to pull me to him, and I let him for second, before kicking his face with my boot and jumping on him, pressing the dagger to his throat. He watches me carefully with his dirt-smothered face, his green eyes that are far prettier up close. He is more gorgeous than I thought now that I’m closer to him. Shame about the hating me and engaged thing.

“Why the fuck do you hate me so much, Trex?” I ask him, wanting to know why.

“You killed my uncle. I was eleven when they dragged his body to our home. He was my uncle, and you killed him,” he growls.

“I was hunted, I had no choice. We aren’t that different in age, I was only a child when your uncle tried to kill me. You know what’s worse? I don’t even remember him, just another Protector that came after me. I don’t like to kill but I had, and have, no choice,” I tell him.

“You do like to kill, it’s who you are. I can see it your cold eyes,” he chuckles darkly.

“You don’t know a thing, Trexy,” I bite back, holding the dagger closer, trying to resist the urge to kill the bastard and prove him right.

“Go on, do it, be the assassin, the killer we all know you are,” Trex taunts me. I move my legs closer around his waist and lean down, pressing my lips close to his, but not close enough to touch. His whole body goes tense as his eyes burn with anger.

“That’s the funny thing, though . . . you don’t know a thing about me,” I reply sweetly.

“I know you kill anyone that gets in your way, I know your name is whispered in fear by every Protector,” he spits out, and I lean back with a dramatic sigh.

“Then you don’t know me at all. I never kill anyone that doesn’t try to kill me first. Maybe you should get your facts right before trying to attack me again, Trex,” I say with a smirk as his eyes widen in disbelief. Of course, he would never believe that his precious, stuck-up race would send their soldiers to kill me. I chuckle, moving my knife away and climbing off of him as I hear footsteps. Connor walks in, covered in black slime and stops in his tracks as he stares at us. Even covered in disgusting-smelling crap, he looks hotter than he should.

“We have a big fucking problem, so stop flirting, and get the hell outside,” he shouts and then walks straight back out. I run and grab my weapons, and my bow before running out of the cave, stopping in my tracks at the sight of Azi, Connor, and Nix fighting with massive green, disgusting-looking creatures. They are dripping with green slime, the only part of them describable is their black eyes and long mouths full of spikes instead of teeth.

“What the hell are those?” Trex asks in shock.

“Get back!” I shout at the guys as I pull my sleeve up and call my blue rune. Once Connor, Azi, and Nix are at my side, I make a wall of holy fire, which burns when the creatures run at it.

“Azi, have you seen anything like that?” I ask him in shock, and he shakes his head, running his hands through his hair.

“No, but I don’t want to stick around to make more explode. They stink,” Azi says, and I just now notice that all of them are covered in the green slime. And they stink.

“I found a track, this way,” Nix points to our right and to a small path through the caves that leads up the mountains by the looks of it.

“Brilliant, let’s go,” I say, looking back at the creatures once more before walking up the path after getting out bags.





Evie


“We are getting close to the gate to the next level,” Azi tells us as we continue to climb. I stop, needing a break like everyone else seems to as I look back at them. We have been climbing straight uphill for over five hours, with the freezing cold wind and harsh snow. Every part of me is freezing and thank god for the thermal gloves or I’m sure I would have lost my fingers.

“Time for a drink,” I say, holding my hand up so they all stop. I lean against a wall, pulling my drink bottle out of my bag and see that’s its frozen solid.

“Fuck,” I mutter, struggling to even get the bottle’s lid off. Two hands cover mine on the bottle, gently warming up slowly. Azi doesn’t say a word as he defrosts the bottle, and steps away.

“Thanks,” I nod at him and he smiles, almost sadly.

“Dude, I could use some help with that trick,” Connor says, and Azi just scowls at him, walking away a little. “Asshole.”

I drink half my water with a smile and then walk over to Connor, handing him my bottle.

“That’s yours,” he insists, and I push it at him.

“I don’t need anymore,” I say, and walk back to my spot, leaning against the wall. I quickly eat a breakfast bar out of my bag and wait for the others before we start walking again. The end of the path finally comes into view, and the massive cavern.