Child of Fire (The Ballad of Sorrows Book 1) by Colton Austin

Author:Colton, Austin [Colton, Austin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alizarin 9
Published: 2021-05-09T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

DESPOIL

T he dogs were the first thing to attack. Large black hounds with pointed ears and white wolf fangs bolted past their masters and plowed into Vivienne. She toppled back with a cry as a hound bit into her leg. Two of the three dogs turned their attention from her and began to race towards me. Their collars were spiked, and I could tell that these were no ordinary beasts. They had been trained to kill. What I was about to do to them would be mercy.

Lowering my torch, I wrapped my left hand around the flame and snuffed it out. The flames absorbed into my skin and rushed through my blood. With my mind, I pictured the flames diverting into two sections. One I funneled into my amulet, and the other I pooled in my hand. My skin began to prickle as if numb, and I waited for the hounds to arrive.

A yelp sounded from the dog atop Vivienne as she struck it in the side with a knife. I glanced at her and saw her struggle to her feet to get away.

“Valon, forgive me,” I prayed under my breath as I opened my fist and blasted a red-hot shaft of flame forward. The first hound didn’t have time to react. The fire struck it directly, charring its body to a husk. The acrid smell of burnt flesh filled my nose as the dog’s meat charred and popped.

The second hound whimpered, rolled to the side, and scampered away. I only hoped it would stay away. You had to be worse than dung to turn an animal into a monster. It gave me great pleasure as I strode forward to kill these people.

The thugs that lumbered out of the brass doors were not as quick their beasts, nor did they react as efficiently. The flames which burned in both my hands caused them to shy back just before I hurled twin balls of flame at them. Like glowing pumpkins, the flames burst as they connected with cloth, causing the thug’s bodies to erupt in flame.

Three men in thick leather armor dropped to the floor, limp frames landing with audible thuds. They were trampled by twenty more men and women, all wearing the same armor, with a red symbol painted across their chests.

Subtle, I thought as I regarded the red hooks. They were not trying to keep their affiliation secret. Then again, I mused, neither was I.

Breathing in deeply, I flared the flames around my hands, burning away the sleeves of my cloak, my red armor glistening as it reflected the light of the fire. The thugs charged, and I cast my flames forward. The sound of the fire was deeper than ten roaring bonfires, snapping and crackling as it hit the wall of bodies, dropping them like stones. The smell of acrid flesh made Vivienne gag. She backed away. Giving me a wide berth as she circled back around.

With shaking hands, I quenched the flames to draw my sword. The remaining gang members looked at me, clearly hesitant about approaching.

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