“Our women are having a fair fight, I don’t see why we shouldn’t either.” Karackis winked.
I narrowed my eyes. What is he talking about?
“You’re a bigger idiot than I thought.” He sighed. “All that extra power from one of the world’s most ancient dragons, and you still can’t figure it out.”
I don’t need blood to perform magic anymore. I shut my eyes, digging deep inside and found my fire overflowing, begging to be released. The ebb and flow of the flame inside me was nothing like I had experienced before– it was intoxicating.
“Yes.” Karackis whispered. “Now, fight!” He lunged forward, striking out with a bolt of red energy from his hand. I dodged the blow, and the next, twisting and turning to avoid being touched by his dark magic.
He battles without knitting spells, like a dragon.
I concentrated on my fire, and the next bolt Karackis threw I met with one of my own, a white flaming orb which sprung forth from my hand.
The bolt of crimson and ball of white met in the middle, showering both me and Karackis in sparks as they exploded on impact.
Karackis laughed. “See! There is so much you don’t know. Bend the knee now, and I could teach you. You don’t have to die today, Marcus, things could go back to the way they were.”
Murder, slavery, and war.
I heard Nyminia’s cry as a stab of pain ripped through my shoulder. I cast my eyes to the heavens and to my horror saw Syrine had ripped through the scales where Nyminia’s wing joined her body. Blood flowed freely from her wound, and I felt her pain as if it were my own.
Karackis advanced on me. I focused and aimed my white orbs at his grinning face, but again, and again, he either dodged the blows or deflected them with his own magic.
He’s too powerful.
The would-be vampire king gripped me by the throat, lifting me off the ground with a single hand. “I’ll have to admit I’m not surprised, just disappointed. You’ve let yourself grow soft– not at all the man I used to know.”
You never knew me, not truly.
I stilled my body and quieted my mind. Through the din around me, I reached out through my bond to Nyminia, searching for her.
“Did you think this is how it would end, Marcus?” Karackis chuckled, lifting me higher. “Or did you really expect to live out eternity in peace?”
I closed my eyes and remained motionless as I redoubled my efforts to reach my bond mate.
Nyminia…
Out of the darkness, a response came. It wasn’t made of words, but of memories and emotions.
I saw through the dragon’s eyes as she destroyed the hunters and released me from my bonds, nearly two thousand years ago. I felt her hesitation as she moved to end me, and her confusion when she left me in peace.
I saw myself in the forest, clad in the black armor I loathed, asking her to fly above Stonehome. Her sadness was overwhelming, but so was her sense of duty. She knew she had to go, she knew her death would seal the True Sacrifice spell and save her kind.
Suddenly, more recent memories came spilling past. Nyminia meeting me in the library, learning magic from me, and her potent feeling of dedication to doing what was ‘right’ when she saved my life. These memories were blurred however, I could sense the human Nyminia there amongst it all– but she was eclipsed by the dragon.
Karackis shook me. “Pay attention when I’m speaking to you. Are you really willing to give up so easily?” He frowned and tightened his grip around my neck.
From Nyminia, the flow of memories slowed, and something else took their place. Power. White-hot energy exploded through my body, bursting outwards and knocking Karackis to the ground in a heap.
I smiled, but as I walked towards his still form an unearthly scream drew my attention skyward.
There was Nyminia’s beautiful shining form, limp as it plummeted from the sky. My eyes tracked downwards, following her body until it disappeared behind the flaming treetops.
I ran faster than I have ever run before, flying into the forest. The sky above me burned as the dracendium incinerated the lofty tops of the pines. I dodged smoldering branches as they fell to the ground, igniting the bed of dry needles.
This is the spot, she should be here. I looked around wildly, but saw no dragon or human woman lying amongst the blaze.
High above me, Syrine let out a deafening roar. Her wings stoked the fires below, and as I squinted up into the sky, she looked as if she was attempting– and failing– to land not far from where I stood. Pivoting, I turned to run, but my feet refused to move. My knees gave way and my body hit the ground with a sickening thud– my arms unable to soften the fall. Dark, magical energy buzzed all around my body, binding me.
“Well.” Karackis whispered as he came into view, his hand outstretched. “This is where things start to get interesting.”
BOOK II – CHAPTER 0
A WORLD AT WAR
NYMINIA
The sound of muffled voices pulled me from my sleep. I lay with my eyes shut, running my mind over the muscles and bones of my body. How long have I been asleep? I groaned, everything ached. It was like I had been in a car accident. Or worse. What actually happened?
“Nyminia?” Rowan’s voice whispered in my ear.
“Don’t get your hopes up, dear, I want her to wake as much as you do but–”
My eyes fluttered open to the startled face of Professor Starling, and my friend’s ecstatic yelp of joy.
“Professor?” I croaked. “You’re alive?”
He rushed to my bedside and squeezed my hand. “Barely,” he whispered, his wild white hair haloed by the dim light on the wall.
I glanced around the room. “Where are we?” The walls were covered in cracked, pea green plaster, and the large window in the wall looked out into a dark hallway.
“How do you feel, Nym?” Rowan asked, her voice shaky.
“Like I’ve been hit by a train,” I replied.
“Do you remember what happened after you jumped into that pit?”
I blinked. Fire, pain, and… “I’m the dragon,” I whispered.
Starling and Rowan exchanged glances, and Rowan sat down on the floor, making herself eye level with me.
“Yes, you are,” she said. “Do you remember anything after that?”
I shook my head.
Rowan sucked in a deep breath.
“Ro, where’s Marcus? Is he alright?”
Starling’s face become dark as he looked away.
“We… we can’t find him, Nym,” Rowan replied.
“What? How long has he been missing?”
My friend’s eyes watered as she took my hand. “Six months.”
The buzzing of the dull fluorescent light dominated the room. I looked from Starling’s stoney face back to Rowan’s tear streaked cheeks.
Six months. I’ve been asleep for six months.
Footsteps echoed in the black hallway, and a figure appeared in the doorway. My stomach turned to ice and I gripped Rowan’s hand tightly, nearly crushing it.
“Child, thank the gods you’re awake.” Midwood’s voice rang through the air. “The world needs you.”
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the world of ‘Of Flesh and Fire’ ?
“I love ‘Of Flesh and Fire’ so so much, the chapters are all filled with mystery and suspense! Tuesday cross has blended every genre and created an amazing piece of fiction! The characters have a wonderful back-story that has so much detail. I love this book and already have read it on Episode over 12 times. ”
- Amira Episode Interactive Reader
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About the Author:
Tuesday Cross
She’s a shape-shifting time traveler on the run from the law for a crim
e she didn’t commit.
As Tuesday dashes across time and space in an effort to clear her name, she spends her free hours writing stories for the supernatural community.
While people tend to focus on the paranormal aspects of Tuesday’s life, she is much more than your typical magical adventurer.
Tuesday is a wife, daughter, sister, reader, author, and graphic designer.
Her passion lies in her drive to highlight the everyday magic in our not-so-normal world.
She hopes that by creating fantastical stories for you to lose yourself in, you might just find yourself instead.
For more information on ‘Of Flesh and Fire – Book I’ and the upcoming release of ‘Of Flesh and Fire – Book II’, visit her website: www.tuesdaycross.com
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Thank You.
Thank you Ted, Guy, Marianne, Hannah, Laura, Rodney, and the entire Scribophile.com community.
Your creative criticism means the world to me.
Thank you Mary, Dean, Mike, Loz, Ryan, Cole, and Jimmy– your belief in me is magic.
Thank you Episode Interactive for creating such an innovative storytelling platform.
It truly is a space where authors can find their calling.
Thank you to all of my readers on Episode, your belief in Nyminia, Marcus, and Rowan is what has made them real.
And especially, thank you Daniel.
Your love, support, belief, and patience has helped to make this endeavor possible.
I’m so lucky to have been ‘fate-paired’ to you.
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