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“Mind that temper,” Everan says smugly.
He really thinks he’s won, but I know there’s got to be more that he’s not showing us.
And I see it. His color is wearing thin. The energy it takes to maintain this spell is taking a toll on him.
Zyranth begins to charge. I try to get his attention, shaking my head, but he doesn’t notice me. As he careens forward, Everan easily glides out of the way, still a floating body. Zyranth charges into the pond instead, sinking into the water.
“Your magic is most impressive,” I tell Lord Everan. “How did you ever learn such a powerful spell?”
I have a working theory. If I can just stall him out, maybe we can exhaust his energy.
“Why the sudden interest?” Everan asks, right eyebrow cocked.
I smile. “I’ve always been an admirer of power, I guess.”
“What are you doing?” Zyranth hisses, pulling himself up from out of the pond.
I give him a knowing look, hoping to hide it from Everan’s eyes.
“I think your fair lady has seen how powerful I am,” Everan says. “She’s not interested in a monster, and why would she be, when she can be with a god?”
“That is exactly what is happening,” I say, with barely veiled sarcasm. “So tell me… how did you ever become so powerful with magic? So wise?”
He shrugs.
“Just studied, mostly,” he says. “I’ve always been told I had a talent.”
“Fascinating,” I reply. I’m not sure if Zyranth understands what’s really happening, as Everan’s color fades. I hope he attacks the right side, where Everan is weakest. “And what is this spell, now?”
“It’s just simple transfiguration, really,” he says. “Though your sudden curiosity confuses me. Why would a human ever want to know about elven magic?”
“Oh, don’t underestimate a human’s understanding of magic,” I reply calmly. “I’ve heard a few things more than you realize, in your Dark Market. Like the toll physical spells take on the body the longer you keep them up.”
His eyebrow cocks once more. He’s so enamored with me, he doesn’t see Zyranth emerge from behind him.
Zyranth knocks him to the ground, and Lord Everan loses his astral form, becoming physical once more. He screams out, begging for his life.
“Make sure to take his rings first, honey,” I say.
Zyranth nods, and before Everan can teleport away, his fingers are bitten off individually, the rings falling harmlessly to the ground.
“And make sure to really focus on his right side,” I add.
Zyranth nods. As Lord Everan is devoured in front of me, I consider picking up one of my daggers and driving it into the dark elf.
But Zyranth is having so much fun, tearing into him. I don’t want to interrupt him.
28
ZYRANTH
The sound of Everan’s mangled corpse dropping to the floor is as close to perfection as this world can manage. I’ve longed for this moment for years, though I never had a reason to fight back against the fear that made me weak until I had Ariella, and that’s what makes this victory all the sweeter. I didn’t destroy this man and everything he was just for me, but also for her, and I regret none of it.
I watch the body for a long while, daring it to burst to life in a final act of vengeance. No act comes, and when I take a deep sniff of the air, I already smell the stench of death clinging to what used to be Lord Everan. It’s finally over.
Lord Everan has been reduced to nothing but the grime beneath my feet, and I take great pleasure in looking away from him for the last time knowing I will never have to live on this planet with that scum again.
I’m interrupted by Ariella who makes a cheerful noise, raising her fists in the air. She screams in jubilation, and the stench of stress and fear that was stuck to her is gone, replaced by calm notes of relief. I watch as she slumps to the floor in exhaustion, and my heart stutters in my chest.
