Divine Destiny: Serendipity Saga Book Two

Chapter Twenty-Nine

My next opponent mirrored me across the arena. For every step I took, he took another, gracefully following my lead within an instant. He was...disarming to look at.

He stood taller than me by at least a foot and had pale skin, hair, and eyes. He nearly looked washed out. And at his back, unfurled a gargantuan pair of black-feathered wings.

He had been tracing my steps for several minutes now and I had gained an increasing awareness of his otherworldly aura in that time. His eyes watched me but not with a human observance. It was predatory and wild.

I finally twisted, breaking my light steps and throwing myself to the far side of the arena, sweeping in an arc toward him. I reached the space in but seconds but still found that I was too late. A wave of dispersed air cascaded over me and a quick glance above showed him to be airborne, hovering in the sky, his giant black wings beating the air casually. He peered down at me with those inhuman pale eyes, almost looking like he was going to laugh.

He swooped down, those wings flattening to allow him a dive toward the ground and me with it. I dove to the side, but it didn't save me from a fiery scorch of agony that made its way down my back. I hissed in pain and peered up at him again.

His wings beat the air slowly, casually, as he landed again. He stood stiffly, his arms at his sides and watched me. The moment his feet rested against the hardwood, I threw myself forward, catching him about the ankles as he attempted another airborne escape. He glared down at me, shaking one leg to try to rid me of him. It was ineffective, however, and with nails dug into his flesh, I clung.

"Little girl, this fight is in vain. Release me," he growled, and even his voice had an alien hiss to it that sounded anything but alive. A shiver rolled down my injured spine at the sound. When I still didn't relent, he flicked a hand in my direction and a silvery cord of light wrapped around my wrists, prying me away with a force I couldn't fight. My hands bent back at unnatural angles and I was unable to stop them.

I shrieked in pain and crashed back to the floor, burns scraping my flesh. The man took flight again, though I only knew it by the wave of wind that passed over me. I lay crumpled on the ground, my wrists broken and distorted, tears streaming my face.

Was I going to be that easy to beat? Like an especially annoying pest, cast aside and discarded? Even as I lay there though, I could feel the creeping burn of magick in my veins, traveling up my arms from my chest and looping around my injured wrists. Against mind-numbing pain, I forced my limbs straight, letting the healing twist them back into a usable shape and knit the breaks back together once more. The Aeronyx above me swayed through the air, watching his prey with curiosity. He didn't seem to be sure if I was going to surrender.

"Get up, Ky!" a voice shouted from the sidelines. I flicked my gaze in that direction and found Anton on his feet, cheering and screaming, looking like he was an instant from charging the arena floor. It was almost heartbreaking to see the spots flanking him vacant. They would have been occupied by Carson and Kellic, had they both been here but instead, my only support was Anton. I appreciated that he had stayed, but still, my heart broke at the emptiness surrounding him.

As though my thoughts become flesh, my father appeared beside Anton, grinning in my direction. His eyes spoke volumes as he stared me down alongside my furiously cheering audience.

Get up, Kyra. You can do this. Get up.

A warmth welled within me, telling me to rise. My broken limbs were inconsequential to the situation at large. They would heal quickly with the roaring magick pulsing in my veins.

"Get up, Ky! If you can beat me, you can beat him!" exploded another voice from their section of stands. Will, with puckered pink healed wounds, emerged from the tunnel entry, taking his place on Anton's other side. Anton himself barely spared Will or Damien a glance, his eyes locked on mine.