Wicked As You Wish (A Hundred Names for Magic #1) - Rin Chupeco Page 0,143
between. There is no such thing as an innocent. There is only them. And there is only us. But you are different, Spellbreaker. So strong. So potent. We are just like you. You will be the mistress’s true daughter, the one she should have had with Kay Scourgebringer; more of a mother than the Makiling woman can ever be.”
“You’re afraid of my mother,” Tala responded, trying to look for another way out because the ice maiden blocked the door they had arrived through. The only exit she could see was another door, still frozen, which the firebird was doing its best to melt. “You want me on your side because your magic won’t work on me.” That was bravado; she didn’t know if she was strong enough to beat back the ice maiden’s immense strength.
Anger hardened, cracked at the frozen mask that was the woman’s face. “The curse the Makilings carry within them is more than just anathema to all who hold magic dear; they are abominations. To reject magic is to reject eternity, immortality. I can offer you much more than the worthless life you are doomed with, to enjoy what your ancestor had forsook.”
“Why did Dad leave her if she was so powerful?” Tala hedged, trying to buy the firebird time.
“Death is every mortal’s fate. Your father merely hastened their destiny. But over time, he grew weary of the endless battles. He disagreed with my mistress, believed that humans need not seek war. Kay has always been so shortsighted. To achieve peace, my queen must possess Avalon’s segen, to keep them away from greedy mortals. The firebird is only one of them.” Her voice tempered, grew soft and sweet. “We can help each other, my little one. Together, we can find another of those segen, the Nameless Sword. The queen shall exult us both over any other. She will give you lordship and kingdoms and dominions to rule. All for a simple sword. An old, insignificant sword, and a firebird.”
The firebird had abandoned its attack. Tala could hear it struggling with the door behind her.
“If it’s so insignificant, why do you want it?”
“I have no more time for games.” Her hand crackled, sharp icicles forming in lieu of fingernails. “If you are not with us, then I shall strike you—”
The icicles lengthened, then broke off, one by one, falling uselessly to the floor. The ice maiden’s hand sizzled when it hit her agimat’s radius, and the woman cried out, cradling her burnt, half-melted hand. “The curse,” she hissed, her other hand forming a longer, sharper, deadlier sword.
She lunged. The ice sword partly disintegrated as it passed through the agimat’s barrier, narrowly missing Tala, anyway, who pushed with all her might until the agimat encompassed the ice maiden entirely.
There was a sound like several detonators going off all at once. The force of the impact sent the ice maiden flying straight into a wall, creating a huge hole in her wake. Tala didn’t even bother to see if the woman was dead; she took off back toward the exit, only to realize it had been completely covered in ice during the course of their fight. “Melt,” she muttered, placing her hands against the icy surface. “Come on, come on, melt!” Her fingers grew numb from the cold, and she realized her curse wasn’t working.
A strange, sizzling sound began from behind the main doors. The wood contracted briefly, then burst open.
Several shades turned to face the new threat, but by then it was too late. Weaves of lightning cleaved several into pieces. “Tala!” a familiar voice yelled.
Ken tore past what remained of the doors, took a running leap, and landed at the center of the shadowy mass. He swung the Yawarakai-Te in a wide circle, cutting large chunks into the creatures. “Sorry we’re late!” was all he had time to say before he was quickly lost under a wave of shades springing ferociously on top of him, howling.
Zoe danced forward, lightning electrocuting every shadow it came across. A few avoided the initial swipe and clambered toward her, but Zoe shifted direction and stepped down hard on one end of her whip. The lash adjusted trajectory and sliced into the demons from behind, cutting them in two.
Another horrible, high-pitched noise echoed throughout the room, and an elephant demolished the rest of the doors and a considerable chunk of the nearby walls, stampeding over shades with uncontrolled glee. Another one of the creatures tried to bite at the massive feet, but the