FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF FANTASILIA SERIES
𝘈𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘦-𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘺. 𝘈 𝘵𝘺𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯. 𝘈 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳.
Xanthiene Vivenca's life drones on in a cycle of finding her next meal, ensuring...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Reeca didn't spend enough time with Nyxis to memorize every detail of his face but she was sure that it was the human standing opposite her now.
Except one, Nyxis was adamant and stayed behind at the Temple, and two, Nyxis didn't grin like a creep and had command over a hundred Civil Knights. She was missing something here and she didn't like it.
"Jarvik," Reeca kept her eyes forward. "Do you know these airheads?"
A sharp intake of breath beside her. Not-Nyxis put an arm forward. "Ah, let me introduce myself," he shoved his styled hair off his forehead. Okay, Reeca had seen Nyxis do that move once or twice. Now, she's confused.
"I am Adresin Helgase," Not-Nyxis's grin spread wider. "And I am here to apprehend criminals in the Queen's name. Thank you for trespassing as it gives my men something to do in this blasted heat," he raised two fingers at his entourage and flicked it. "Kill them."
The Civil Knights leveled their various weapons and charged.
"June, cover me!" Reeca cursed, stepping back. Metal crunched along with the soldiers' footsteps. She tore her tunic off her body and kicked off her trousers to reveal her armor underneath. Damned disguises.
Part of the stairs exploded in a shower of light and splinters. Metallic thuds clanged in the room followed by pained screams and grunts.
"Sorry! June called. He had the children behind him while Jarvik was barking spells here and there. The soldiers countered with their own spells while some hefted some sort of gun that throws nets like the one she found over Xanthy the other day. Those nets were trouble.
Reeca drew the sword she tucked in the space between her clothes and her armor. Such were the wonders of weaving. One could make anything possible. Relief flowed through her veins as she spread her wings to find them still intact. Without being hindered by human-specific tunics, her wings buzzed in appreciation. About time, too.
She cast her eyes at the only exit and at the Civil Knights standing guard. If she could take them...
The children first.
"Grab hold," Reeca hissed at Malin, extending her arms to him. The boy's lips were pale even in the dim light from the Civil Knights' torches. "Let us get you out of here."
Reeca whirled to intercept a spear point aimed at her gut. She drove her foot into the soldier's armored chest, grunting when pain shot up her leg. Her arm wrapped around Malin's waist and she straddled the boy to her chest. The soldier shot up and lunged for Reeca. She gritted her teeth and launched herself up with a mighty flap of her wings.
Malin clung to her neck as they flew over the fray. From the corner of her eye, she saw June with a faint yellow shield in front of him, barking random spells that she didn't even know the names of. Debris rained over her head as one of his spells chipped the rocky walls. Jarvik's blond head was surrounded by a ring of golden soldiers. Lightning crackled and the nearest ones stumbled back.
