The Archer Queen (The Archer Princess Book 3) by E.P. Bali

Author:E.P. Bali [Bali, E.P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780645568684
Publisher: Blue Moon Rising Publishing
Published: 2023-05-26T18:30:00+00:00

29

ALTARA

We entered the glimmering tear in between the realms, its magic brushing against my skin in a familiar, wild sort of way.

Pia gave me a knowing look. “We need to be careful,” she said. After I’d told them about the Bow and what it meant, they’d told me about the Reaper’s shadow engulfing Ellythia.

I nodded to her as we made our way through the tunnel of light and out to the other side. I recognised the Boneweaver Island jungle immediately.

Malika had marched through first, determined to be Pia’s protector, and emerged on the other side, inhaling deeply with her hands on her hips. “Ah, fresh air.” Abruptly, she pointed up ahead. “This is the giant palm tree outside of my village! We’ve come out in Levu— Oh, fuck.” Metal sung through the air.

Pia and I abruptly stopped short behind her as the portal disappeared behind us and we came to see what had made Malika unsheathe her sword. Only one person stood in the darkness, as if waiting for us.

It was a shock to see Ansel Voltanius.

My Uncle Ansel was a man in his prime. Or had been, when I’d last seen him before he’d left for his voyage to the southern continents. He was in his late thirties, and under the shadow of the black, starless sky, his skin was so pale it was moon-white, in stark contrast to the brown skin I’d gotten so used to seeing here in Ellythia. He was a younger version of my father, bearded, with a once-handsome face that was now riddled with scars, his eyes hollowed out, his arms skinny and malnourished. The brown tattered rags he wore must have been white at some point, and he wore no shoes.

“Uncle Ansel!” I cried, stepping forward to go to him.

But there was no happiness in his eyes, only terror as he shook his head and roared in a hoarse voice. “Tara, run!”

A black arrow hit his Achilles tendon, and he grunted, stumbling in his step but not falling. He grimaced at me, and though his voice was nothing but a whisper, I heard my uncle say, “I’m sorry.”

My magic lurched, reaching out towards him and his injury, even though it was spent and weak from overuse

But a power I knew as well as my own knocked it away like an adult slapping away a child’s hand. Then Zale pummelled into me, taking me to the ground and cushioning my fall with strong limbs. He pinned my arms to my body so tightly I could only just draw breath. His voice was rough when he whispered in my ear, “Be still, my mate. Obey the Reaper. Obey me.”

My heart broke in two as he said it.

“The Pentarax have a very interesting story to tell, Altara Voltanius,” came the Reaper’s voice.

Behind me, Pia stiffened and Malika made an angry, strangled sound. Zale pulled me up to standing with him.

“Come back to me, Ashzale.”

A scowl spread over my face as Zale silently obeyed the Reaper’s command and returned to him.

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