The Majors, Cold Fury (Book 2)

Chapter 52: Scott POV

All of us backed up into a group on the other end of the arch.

I glanced at Katherine, who was standing next to me, the dagger still in her shoulder, blood soaking her arm. "Katherine-" I started.

"Keep it in." she hissed. "It's stopping the blood."

My vision went straight back up to Xornoth. The crystal still pulsed inside his chest, and he wasn't completely opaque. He wasn't back yet.

He stared at Erin. "What?" he asked with an annoyed tone.

Erin stared between him and us. "HELP!?"

He saw us and his jaw dropped. "Uhh." He said. "Hi? What are you-" he saw the stream of purple still connecting to his chest, glanced up at Gem, then down at the dragon egg. His eyes widened. "Oh."

My eyes narrowed and I launched myself at him.

"WHAT THE-" He started as I drove my sword toward his chest. He rolled to the right, and our shoulders brushed. He was solid. I whipped around as he got to his feet and slashed my arms down toward him. Huge spears of ice erupted from the ground, their needle-sharp points threatening to impale him. Xornoth hit the ground. "HOLY- WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?" He screamed, scrambling to his feet. "SINCE WHEN COULD YOU DO THAT!?"

I didn't answer, instead I launched my sword at his head, and it stuck into the stone, flying an inch from his head. Xornoth had dove to the side, but I tackled him. "I HAVEN'T EVEN DONE ANYTHING YET!"

"I DON'T CARE!" I shouted back in anger and shoved him to the ground. But he slammed his feet into my stomach, and I smashed into the wall.

But I got straight up back to my feet and ran at him. "SCOTT, COOL IT- Wait." He snorted at his own joke before I punched him in the face, and he staggered backwards. But then something surrounded my neck and wrists and body, smashing me back into the cliffside. I looked up and saw Erin with her hand raised toward me. She had shattered the ice around her wrist, millions of little shards scattered everywhere

I began to gag as the red magic pressed against my throat like hot wires.

"Get up you idiot." Erin snapped at Xornoth.

"Okay, jeez. It's not like I was just attacked or anything..." he muttered rebelliously under his breath. Erin didn't seem to hear him.

"Nice try." She smirked at me. I could barely breathe as I struggled to pull the red coils wrapping tightly around my neck. Xornoth got to his feet, shooting me and everyone else glare, before tying his hair up.

"So, what's happening?" he asked coolly. Something was...different about him. His expressions and movements were much more...genuine and full of life than the last time I saw him. But it had been so long...maybe I was just imagining things. He glanced at everyone else, and his eyes fell on Joey. His expression fell for just a moment, until it returned in anger. "So, another traitor." He growled.

I managed to turn my head enough to see Joey. His eyes were wide with horror and...something else. His hands trembled as he took a few steps back. "I-" He stuttered.

But Xornoth turned away from him and saw Shrub lying motionless on the ground behind him before he kicked her with his toe. "Is she dead?" he asked curiously. Erin shrugged. He moved the hair out of her face with his foot. "Well, that's a shame."

"She's dead...?" Katherine peeped.

"Nah, she's breathing." Xornoth said with a disappointed frown. Katherine sighed with relief. "Of course, I could change that."