Binding Fate: Betrothed to the Otherworldly Duke

Chapter 14: The Bright Flash of Death

As my fingers brushed against something smooth and round in the satchel, inspiration struck me like a lightning bolt. With a fluid movement, I drew forth the sunsphere, its core pulsing with a warm, ethereal light that bathed my face in a soft, golden glow.

"Back off," I commanded, my heart pounding like a wild drum in my chest. "Or I swear, I'll release the sun's power and burn you all to ashes."

The men advancing toward us abruptly stopped, exchanging wary glances. Skepticism flickered in their eyes, but so did fear—a fear that grew as they hesitated, caught between their bravado and the unknown. One of them, bolder or perhaps more foolish than the rest, took a daring step forward, his demeanor challenging me to make good on my threat.

"I see you don't value your lives," I threatened again, raising the sunsphere above my head. "Sana, sana colita de rana," I began to chant, pouring every ounce of intensity into the words, hoping they would resemble some ancient incantation.

"Wait," one of the men whispered, his bravado crumbling into raw fear. His wide and haunted eyes locked onto the sphere in my grip. "I've heard stories... The people of Xoltecans possess evil magic."

"If that were true, why didn't she use it on us earlier?" the advancing man scoffed, continuing to move closer.

"Si no sana hoy!" I continued, my voice growing louder, more commanding. "Sanará mañana. Sana, sana, colita de rana!" As I repeated the chant, a sudden pain coursed up my left arm. The sunsphere hummed, growing louder, reverberating through the narrow alley.

To my amazement, three of the men staggered back, their faces blanching as if they genuinely believed I commanded the wrath of the sun itself. They began to retreat, stumbling over themselves to escape the sorceress they imagined me to be.

"She doesn't scare me!" the man at the front shouted before charging at Jean.

In the next breath, the sunsphere's gentle warmth transformed into an unbearable inferno against my skin. A sharp gasp tore from my lips as the heat surged down my arm, controlling my muscles like a puppet to an unseen master. I was compelled beyond my control, and I launched the sunsphere to the ground at the feet of our would-be attackers.

The sphere shattered upon impact, unleashing a blinding explosion that flooded the alley with a brilliance that devoured everything in its path. The men's cries—a chorus of shock and dismay—were swallowed by the light's onslaught as they futilely tried to shield themselves from the unleashed energy, too late to escape the radiance enveloping them.

Blinking rapidly, I tried to adjust to the sudden darkness that followed. When my vision cleared, the sight before me made my stomach turn.

Sprawled on the ground in front of us were the charred bodies of the assailants, burned beyond recognition. Each figure was frozen in a macabre dance of death, blackened and brittle, and the air was thick with the acrid stench of scorched flesh.

I turned to Jean, desperate for some semblance of understanding, but my thoughts evaporated as I saw him. He stood unsteadily, clutching his stomach, his clothing stained with a spreading red blotch that painted a chilling portrait across his torso.

"Jean!" My voice cracked as I rushed to his side.

He looked at me through eyes glazed with pain, offering a crooked smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I wasn't quick enough," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the heavy silence.

Panic surged within me. I wasn't accustomed to feeling so helpless, so incapable. My hands fluttered to the wound, pressing against the fabric in a futile attempt to stop the flow of blood.