Chapter 147
Serafine POV
I reach for the corrupted threads within him again, and Gideon lashes out with a wall of dark force. It slams into my chest, and I’m thrown backwards. My shoulder hits hard against the stone floor with a sickening crack as I land hard. Pain explodes through me, it’s sharp and hot and I bite back the cry. My teeth grit together and my vision swarms, but I can’t give up I can’t quit now.
Forcing myself to sit up, my breath comes out hard and shakes. Pressing my palm to the floor, I call for the magic beneath the stone. Within seconds, the earth responds, it ripples beneath my fingers, and I put it out.
Suddenly a shockwave bursts beneath Gideon’s feet, and it lifts the stone floor violently. I watch as he staggers for the first time. He’s thrown off balance as the jagged rock spikes upward like claws.
A low laugh escapes him. “Better,” he growls, his eyes flashing. “But still not enough.”
I don’t get a chance to ask what he is talking about as his hand raises and a wave of water slams into me, I stagger back, and twist my fingers diverting the water back at him. He moves too quick and the water crashes into the wall instead, leaving cracks in the stone. I watch the water rain down quickly.
My hands tremble, and the burn in my shoulder spreads more. I can barely lift my left arm, and blood runs warm down my ribs. I’m not even sure where that cut is from, I can’t remember it happening. I don’t have time to stop, though.
Focusing I twist my hands and flames burst from my fingertips, it roars to life as I throw them across the room toward him. They swirl around and weave around Gideon, the heat already too much, and I stare at him, waiting and hoping it works.
Only he steps through it like it wasn’t anything. How? I watch the flames bend around him, then the fire disappears into his threads. It’s like he absorbs it and uses it for more power. His laugh follows, low and cruel.
“I learnt how to use this power,” he says as he lifts a hand. “Did you think I didn’t learn how to consume it, too?”
I see him move, and barely throw up a barrier before he sends a bolt of lightning toward me, it splits across my defence and splinters it.
The backlash from it knocks me back again, and slams me into the ground hard enough to knock the air from my lungs.
Groaning I lie still, gasping and staring up at the high ceiling, the threads continue to pulse and grow brighter with every second that we’re in here. If I could just get the threads off his body, then he wouldn’t have power, He’s staying connected to them.
My power comes from me, because the threads live in me, his is coming from the threads alone, the ones he’s connected to himself.
My entire body is screaming in pain, and every time I fight back, he twists my magic against me. He siphons it, corrupts it, and makes it his. My fire, water, ‘threads, everything. He bends it, absorbs it and throws it back at me sharper than I used it.
This isn’t even a fight, this is a slow breaking, of me, but I force myself upright again, I can still feel James in there, he’s buried deep, far too deep to wake up himself. I can’t leave this here and let him slip away entirely. I have to try to save him.
All I need to do is sever Gideon’s control, even for a second, and maybe then I can end this and give James some peace.
My hand moves out and I draw everything that I can feel, the threads come first, bright, silver and familiar, as I focus, the air bends and the ground hums beneath me. Water begins pooling along the cracked floor, and fire begins to swirl around my ankles.
My magic draws closer, and I throw the wind at him next. I see him brace instantly, and then his eyes widen in surprise at the sheer force of it. My hands burn, and my skin is split and raw from overuse, but I continue to push.
I use the gust to knock him sideways, then send the water to crash down on him, and pin him into place.
He struggles, finally, he’s struggling. His bands twist, trying to turn the threads and use them against me, but the water smooths them and slows their movement. I focus harder than I ever have before and reach out again for the threads connected to him. I try to pull them out using my magic, but he struggles.
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09:14 Thu, 26 Jun
Chapter 147
He continues to use his magic to hold them in him, and I feel the sweat rolling down my forehead. My body shakes with the energy it is taking to hold him down.
“You’re getting weaker,” he whispers.
1 fight back against him, screaming louder as I push everything against him, and try to rip
the threads free but he shifts and throws his hand toward me
Breathing heavily, I push back against him more. Maybe if I can drain his energy it will be easier? My hand flickers and water surges forward again. Pinning him harder, but he doesn’t give in.
He twists his wrist and releases some of the water, so it flies at me. I duck and flick my wrist to throw it back at him.
This is exhausting, I’m not winning, but all I need to do is remove one thread, just one, then I can get rid of the others easier. I know that the threads are the reason he’s so strong; without them connected, he should be stripped of all his magic.
“Oh, Serafine, you really do think you’re getting somewhere, don’t you?” He laughs and winks.
What does he mean? I’m managing to keep him pinned, I just need a bit more energy to pull the threads free.
“Say goodnight, Serafine,” he sneers. Suddenly, the magic I’ve had him pinned down with explodes back toward me. I don’t even get time to build a barrier, it’s coming too fast, and I’m so exhausted I don’t have time to put up a barrier.
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