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Chapter 12


Astria moved with haste as she

collected her pack from her room back in noah's inn, dane patiently waiting by

the door; even at her mother’s constant protests.

Someone in the town had tipped noah

off to the growing group of deus in the village square, informing him that they

were about to start searching the town for two outsiders that were known

enemies of their way of life.

In other words, they were searching

for astria and tuviel, but they did not want the town’s people to know the

reasons, so like any enemy; they twisted the truth.

“we really need to get going, are you

ladies ready?” Noah asked impatiently, tapping his foot against the wooden

flooring. “i don’t think we have much time.”

“almost.” Astria responded with only

a brief pause, ensuring that she had everything that she came with.

All heads snapped towards the door as

they heard a heavy commotion coming from just downstairs in the bar area,

noah's eyes widening in fear and shock.

“we may already be too late.” He

stuttered. “quickly now, go down the back steps and follow dane out of town, he

knows where he is going.”

“come with us.” Tuviel insisted,

taking her friend by the arm.

“i cannot, i am old, i will only slow

you down. Besides, this is my home.” He smiled warmly, gently patting her hand.

“now take your precious child and go.”

Tears welled up in tuviel’s eyes.

“you will always be dear to me.”

Noah’s expression softened, leading

astria to believe that her mother’s words melted his heart. “and you to me my

dear girl. But you have to go now.”

Tuviel nodded and turned towards her

daughter. “let’s go.”

Astria smiled at noah before

following her mother and dane out into the hallway, the trio moving with silent

speed down the corridor as the heavy clashing of objects from the bar assaulted

their ears.

Astria’s pulse raced, she knew that

if they were caught, they would die; and yet she was completely blameless when

she collapsed to the ground. Desperately clutching her chest as a deep and

gruesome pain slithered its way through her entire body.

Dane stopped and rushed back towards

the trembling girl. “can you stand?”

Astria shook her head, terrified that

she might be dying. The agony only increasing as the world began to spin and

blur around her. Dane sighed and lifted her into a cradle in his arms, carrying

her as he ran down the hall, knowing that the deus were close behind.

Just as they reached the long

stairway that lead to the rear of the inn, astria faded into a black whole of

pain, her eyes rolling back into her head.

“what is going on?” Dane asked the

air, unsure whether he would be able to run with her should they be spotted.

Tuviel watched silently, knowing that

her daughter was about to experience days, perhaps weeks of this agony,

half-breeds were rumoured to be weaker than pure born deus; unable to handle

the transition into their power.

She was unsure whether her daughter

would survive the next few days, and what she who she would be once the

transition was complete.

This was the fear that all deus

parents must endure, would she live? Die? Or would she become something that

tuviel would have to destroy herself.

The power chooses its bearer, and

sometimes, the magic can be evil and corrupted changing the deus into a demon,

something less than human.

Tuviel prayed this would not be the

case for her daughter as they slithered through the backstreets of the small

town, ducking into cover whenever someone neared them. Not only could they be

recognised, but a stranger carrying away a young girl could be seen as

suspicious. Perhaps even sinister.

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