Map of Ember and Moonlight

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Amory watched in awed horror as the men he'd been fighting turned and ran, watching the trails of molten embers race for them. He followed their path back to their creator, the young woman whose life he just saved...and she was saving their asses in return.

But he'd never seen this kind of magic before. Heard rumors of it from stories told long ago, but seeing it?

The ember trails found their targets, turning men to ash that scattered in the breeze, their screams echoing through the woods. It was one of the most haunting sound he'd ever heard, one he would no sooner forget.

Lyv stood, her hair seeming to be on fire itself, glowing burgundy in the moonlight as she stood. Blood dripped from her nose from the surge of power. Her eyes...her green eyes were glowing as well before that light flickered out, along with the magic she hid deep within herself.

In doing so, it zapped any strength she had left. Her legs gave out from under her. And then he was there, catching her before she could hit the ground.

"Lyv!" he rasped just as she came to for a split second. He pressed a hand to her forehead, cool despite the fire that had just raged through her. Her eyes focus on his face as a slight smile touched her lips, and then she passed out. From shock or exhausting her magic...more than likely both.

"We weren't wrong about her being powerful, were we?" Gideon said quietly as he looked around that the ash that covered the ground around them. "But what the bloody hell was that?"

Shouting echoed from down the pathway as Amory lifted Lyv effortlessly into his arms. Even in her unconscious state, her hands gripped him as she nestled her head into the crook of his neck.

"We need to get her back."

Gideon followed behind them, still armed, just in case one of the gang members had gotten away and was still alive. There was no sign of anyone as they headed toward the camp and heard the shouts of the guardsmen and their king.

"Where is my daughter?" the king raged, the queen blurry-eyed behind him and wrapped in her cloak. "I demand to know at once what has happened to her! Balian, take four men and search in every direction..."

But Balian wasn't listening to the king then, not when Amory and Gideon stepped forward into the camp with the princess. Bence yelled again, but this time in anguish at the sight of his unconscious daughter.

"One of your men is gutted and pinned to a tree just down that way," Gideon stated. "It was a gypsy gang. We got there just in time."

They were right in front of Amory then. At first, Balian moved to pull Lyv from his arms, but she was holding him tight and not letting go, whimpering slightly as her hand clutched at his collar. Bence tried then...and her grip tightened.

"Let me have her," Balian demanded, going for the princess again. "Who's to say you're not one of the men who attacked her?"

"You think me that low?" Amory growled at him, and Balian stepped back.

The king intercepted then, placing a hand on Balian's shoulder. "Amory and Gideon are trusted."

The guardsman looked like he wanted to defy his king and strike Amory down.

"I've got her for now. You have a man who died trying to protect your princess. Honor him by respecting the life he gave and I will take care of her."