didn’t think. He just turned and blitzed at Ira, hoping that the element of surprise would give him a leg up. Unfortunately, his attack wasn’t that surprising. His fist never even connected with Ira’s stony frame. Ira swung at him, sending Lux flying backwards into a tree. Lily screamed, but he tried to block out as pain shot through him.
He was on his feet instantly, charging back at Ira. Ira caught his arm and bent it backwards. Lux heard it snap, but he wouldn’t drop to his knees, not the way Ira wanted. He kicked and punched at Ira, but it felt as if his opponent was made of granite. All of his blows that landed did nothing to Ira, but when Ira hit him, it sent exploding pain all over.
“I’d love to stay and finish this, hand to hand,” Ira grinned at him. “You know I always loved a good round on a punching bag. But Valefor is waiting, and I need to finish this.”
Lux wiped the blood from his nose on the back of his arm and tried to think of something to stop Ira. Before Lux could do anything, Ira held his hand palm out to him, and Lux remembered too late that Ira always had the better powers.
Purple light streamed out of Ira’s palm, hitting Lux right in the chest, but the pain didn’t even radiate from there. It was everywhere, all at once, scorching through him. Lux doubled over and collapsed on his knees. His blood literally boiled inside of him, and he smelled his own searing flesh. He couldn’t burn, not with flames, but with magic, he was just as susceptible as anyone else.
Lux tried to fight it off. Lily cried, and he could vaguely hear her, like her voice was coming from underwater. But the pain was too intense. He would’ve greeted death gladly just to make the agony stop. Then finally, his body gave up, and he passed out.
10
Before Lux opened his eyes, he felt a lingering burn in his chest and muscles. He tried to move, but his arms felt weighted down, shackled at his wrists. Then, with excruciating clarity, he remembered what had happened, that Ira had taken Lily, and his eyes flew open and he struggled to sit up.
“Oy!” a woman snapped. “Settle down, unless you want to get hurt.”
He couldn’t sit up completely, thanks to thin strings of silver that lay over his wrists and ankles, but he stopped fighting enough that he could take in his surroundings.
The cottage was tiny, and it appeared to have weathered a small battle recently. Everything had been thrown about, and part of one wall and the roof were missing. Lux lay pinned in a bed, his shirt removed. His bare chest revealed a large dark circle over his heart, the mark left from Ira’s magic scorching through him.
“What’s going on?” Lux demanded.
“Why don’t you tell me?” Wick asked. She stood in front of the damaged wall, a tub of wet clay and a pile of thatched roofing by her feet.
“You’re the one that’s holding me captive!” Lux growled and pulled at his wrists again, but they refused to budge. A piece of thread managed to immobilize him. “What is this? Why can’t I move?”
“It’s irin hair.” Wick brushed a lock of her hair from her forehead, leaving a muddy trail behind on her skin. Her dress and skin were stained with clay and dirt from the work she was doing. “That particular strand came from Sofiel. Have you been acquainted with her?”
“No, I’ve never met an irin.” Lux lay back on the bed, growing frustrated. “Can you please let me go? I don’t have time to waste.”
“You’re peccati, aren’t you?” Wick put her hands on her hips and stared at him. “There’s no point in lying. Your reaction to the irin hair confirms it.”
“If you know what I am, then why are you asking?” Lux asked.
Instead of answering, Wick stepped closer, inspecting him. She still wasn’t sure she’d made the right choice bringing him back here, but she thought he might be the only key to finding Lily.
After she heard the canu howling, Wick had tried going after Lily, but she’d been
He was on his feet instantly, charging back at Ira. Ira caught his arm and bent it backwards. Lux heard it snap, but he wouldn’t drop to his knees, not the way Ira wanted. He kicked and punched at Ira, but it felt as if his opponent was made of granite. All of his blows that landed did nothing to Ira, but when Ira hit him, it sent exploding pain all over.
“I’d love to stay and finish this, hand to hand,” Ira grinned at him. “You know I always loved a good round on a punching bag. But Valefor is waiting, and I need to finish this.”
Lux wiped the blood from his nose on the back of his arm and tried to think of something to stop Ira. Before Lux could do anything, Ira held his hand palm out to him, and Lux remembered too late that Ira always had the better powers.
Purple light streamed out of Ira’s palm, hitting Lux right in the chest, but the pain didn’t even radiate from there. It was everywhere, all at once, scorching through him. Lux doubled over and collapsed on his knees. His blood literally boiled inside of him, and he smelled his own searing flesh. He couldn’t burn, not with flames, but with magic, he was just as susceptible as anyone else.
Lux tried to fight it off. Lily cried, and he could vaguely hear her, like her voice was coming from underwater. But the pain was too intense. He would’ve greeted death gladly just to make the agony stop. Then finally, his body gave up, and he passed out.
10
Before Lux opened his eyes, he felt a lingering burn in his chest and muscles. He tried to move, but his arms felt weighted down, shackled at his wrists. Then, with excruciating clarity, he remembered what had happened, that Ira had taken Lily, and his eyes flew open and he struggled to sit up.
“Oy!” a woman snapped. “Settle down, unless you want to get hurt.”
He couldn’t sit up completely, thanks to thin strings of silver that lay over his wrists and ankles, but he stopped fighting enough that he could take in his surroundings.
The cottage was tiny, and it appeared to have weathered a small battle recently. Everything had been thrown about, and part of one wall and the roof were missing. Lux lay pinned in a bed, his shirt removed. His bare chest revealed a large dark circle over his heart, the mark left from Ira’s magic scorching through him.
“What’s going on?” Lux demanded.
“Why don’t you tell me?” Wick asked. She stood in front of the damaged wall, a tub of wet clay and a pile of thatched roofing by her feet.
“You’re the one that’s holding me captive!” Lux growled and pulled at his wrists again, but they refused to budge. A piece of thread managed to immobilize him. “What is this? Why can’t I move?”
“It’s irin hair.” Wick brushed a lock of her hair from her forehead, leaving a muddy trail behind on her skin. Her dress and skin were stained with clay and dirt from the work she was doing. “That particular strand came from Sofiel. Have you been acquainted with her?”
“No, I’ve never met an irin.” Lux lay back on the bed, growing frustrated. “Can you please let me go? I don’t have time to waste.”
“You’re peccati, aren’t you?” Wick put her hands on her hips and stared at him. “There’s no point in lying. Your reaction to the irin hair confirms it.”
“If you know what I am, then why are you asking?” Lux asked.
Instead of answering, Wick stepped closer, inspecting him. She still wasn’t sure she’d made the right choice bringing him back here, but she thought he might be the only key to finding Lily.
After she heard the canu howling, Wick had tried going after Lily, but she’d been
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