Empyreal, Book 1

Chapter 14

The forest loomed before Helena. An unnatural chill seeped into her bones with each step as she walked between the gnarled trees, their branches intertwining overhead like bony fingers.

Somewhere in the darkness, a beast lurked. She could feel its presence, a malignant pulse in the air that set her senses on edge. Her magic hummed beneath her skin, reacting to the unseen threat. The lunar enchantress steeled herself and pushed onward.

When the beast emerged with a roar that shook the forest, her heart seized in her chest. It was a hideous amalgamation of furred muscles and jagged teeth, with eyes that now glowed with a sickly green light.

Helena stood her ground. She would not show fear.

The beast prowled toward her, its heavy footfalls thundering against the earth. Closer and closer it came, until she could feel the heat of its fetid breath washing over her face.

Her magic surged in response, crackling at her fingertips as pale as blue fire. But she held it back. Not yet.

When the beast reared up before her, its maw gaping wide enough to swallow her whole, she unleashed the lunar magic in a blinding flash. The beast shrieked in pain and fury, its claws swiping wildly.

Helena evaded each attack with practiced ease, her body moving in a graceful, but lethal dance. With a snap of her wrist, a blast of magic sent the beast tumbling backward into the brush.

But it was already rising again, shaking off the attack as if it were nothing but an annoyance. Her magic was strong, but so was its unnatural resistance. She gritted her teeth, her magic and muscles tensed, preparing for another assault. The real fight was only just beginning.

Helena stood before the beast and raised her voice in challenge. "Malachi! Show yourself, you coward. Are you afraid to face me yourself?"

The beast let out a bone-chilling howl, but there was no response from the shadows. Only silence.

Anger burned in Helena's veins. He would send his lackeys to do his dirty work, as always, rather than confront her directly. What a pathetic waste of magic and flesh.

She hurled a blast of power at the beast, sending it tumbling head over heels with an agonized shriek. "Come out and fight, Malachi! Or are you scared of facing a woman alone?"

The beast was on its feet again in an instant, rage twisting its hideous features. It lunged at her with a speed that belied its massive size.

Helena flung up a shield of shimmering blue energy just in time. The beast slammed into the barrier. Her magic crackling at the impact. Her arms strained to hold the shield in place as the beast threw itself against the magic again and again, while snarling and clawing uncontrollably.

Sweat beaded on her brow. Her shield was weakening; she couldn't maintain it for long. But if she dropped it, those gnashing teeth would tear her apart. Think, she told herself. There had to be a way out of this.

A sudden stillness came over the beast. It drew back, watching her with glowing eyes, and let out a harsh, grating laugh. The sound sent a chill down Helena's spine.

It knew. The cunning creature had realized her shield wouldn't last. It was waiting, confident in its victory, for the magic to fade and her defenses to crumble.

Helena gritted her teeth. The beast would not defeat her so easily. There was more than one way to win a fight.

She reached deep within, calling upon her lunar magic. A silvery light suffused her, illuminating the forest glade. The light was cold and piercing, like starlight given form.

The beast's laughter cut off with a strangled yowl. It shook its shaggy head and pawed at its eyes, temporarily blinded.

Now. Helena dropped her shield and sent a blast of magic at the creature, hurling it backwards. It crashed into the underbrush, snarling in fury and pain.

"Enough of these games." A cold, smooth voice cut through the night. Helena whirled to find Malachi emerging from the shadows, his piercing black eyes glowing with malice.

Her heart clenched. This was a trap, and she had walked right into it. Malachi smiled, all charm and poison. "Did you really think you could defeat my pet so easily?" He strode over to the beast, who had staggered back to its feet, and laid a hand on its head almost affectionately.

Helena gritted her teeth against the ache in her chest. She knew, with grim certainty, that this night would end in blood. But she would not go down without a fight.

She hurled a blast of magic at Malachi, but he deflected it easily. His smile turned vicious. "I'm going to enjoy this." He waved a hand, and a coil of shadowy magic lashed out, seizing Helena in an icy grip.

Agony exploded across her body as the magic squeezed and twisted. She screamed, clawing at the shadows, but it was no use.

Malachi watched her struggles with predatory eyes. "Beg for mercy," he purred, "and perhaps I will kill you quickly."

Helena gasped for breath, fighting through the pain. She summoned the last of her strength and spat at him. "I'll never beg for anything from you."

His eyes flashed with a menacing look, "So be it." The coil of magic tightened, slowly crushing the life from her body. Helena sagged in its grip, darkness closing in at the edges of her vision. The sounds of the forest faded away, until all she could hear was the slow, steady beat of her own heart...and then nothing at all.

Her body fell limp as it was released from the shadows' crushing embrace. Malachi nudged her with a boot, as if expecting some final defiant glare, but Helena's eyes remained closed. A thin trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth, staining the leaves beneath.

Malachi sighed, the vicious pleasure fading from his expression. He had wanted more of a fight, but the lunar enchantress's death had at least secured his victory.

The beast prowled closer, sniffing at Helena's body. Malachi waved it away impatiently.

"Leave her. She's of no more use to us now."

The beast grunted but obeyed, retreating into the forest. Malachi glanced down at Helena one last time, his mouth twisting, before dissolving into shadow and darkness.

Silence fell over the glade as a single white lily fell across her chest. The delicate petals were immediately stained a deep crimson hue as Helena lay unmoving amid the ruins of the fight.