The Path of Giants by B.T. Narro (best novels to read .txt) 📕

starting to tire as he dropped the handsome fae rather roughly, sweat running down his temples. Eden could hear the demigod’s raspy breathing as Nijja approached him.

“Give it here,” he said as he put out his hand.

“I knew I should’ve destroyed it years ago.” She turned up her palm, showing nothing at first. Then a bright silver stone appeared in her hand.

She hesitated.

“If you destroy it now, I will kill every last fae that you care about,” Valinox threatened.

“You are worse than Airinold,” she said.

“I don’t care.”

Eden knew it was true. He didn’t.

Nijja gave a sigh, then handed the stone to Valinox.

The handsome fae disappeared. In his place stood a completely different man with nothing special about his appearance.

Valinox smiled triumphantly as he closed his fingers around this silver gemstone.

Nijja looked at the man whose appearance had changed. Eden could see love in his eyes, but not in hers. Hers only held tears.

Valinox clicked his tongue a few times as he shook his head at Nijja. “I’m not the only one who has gone against father’s wishes, manipulating the appearance of mortals and falling in love with them. You know, sister, I could use someone like you if you ever feel inclined to leave this disgustingly colorful place. We could rule Dorrinthal together. I will let you oversee Rohaer while I take Lycast.”

“Just get out of here and don’t come back,” she said, seemingly unable to look up at him.

He shrugged as he pocketed the stone. “Fine by me. I’ll have Dorrinthal either way and find someone else to share it with.”

Eden wasn’t sure what to do now. Valinox looked at her for the first time since he had arrived.

He made a hooking motion, slipping dteria between the ropes and her body and pulling her toward him. She stumbled on the way there and eventually started to fall, but he used his dteria to pick her up rather roughly by the rope and yank her through the air the rest of the way. He didn’t seem to care that it hurt her tied up arms and torso tremendously, though she refrained from yelling out.

She landed too hard to stay on her feet and rolled into his shins. She felt the ropes come loose as he must’ve run a blade through them at her back.

“Get up,” he said. “I’m taking you to Dorrinthal.”

She got up and looked around. Other fae were arriving, some of them women. They had the same golden hue to their hair, most dressed in white, like the men. One of them crouched over Lij and began to weep when he did not respond to her touch.

Eden felt responsible. If she hadn’t opened the portal, all these fae would still be alive.

But then she would be dead.

*****

She felt sick having to clutch Valinox’s body to keep from falling off as he soared back to the portal. At least he couldn’t really speak while he was focused. It gave her time to think. The silver stone he’d taken from Nijja must’ve allowed an illusion to remain permanent. She gasped when she realized how powerful this would make Valinox. He could cloak himself with invisibility. Even with his strength, the spell was usually short-lived and he was incapable of doing much while it was present. Nijja’s stone changed that. It made his spell permanent.

Eden wondered if she could disable the enchantment. She could do so to normal enchantments, but this one was made by Nijja herself. It was extremely powerful.

Soon she realized, however, that there was no point in her attempting to destroy the enchantment. Even if she could, Valinox would just take it back to Nijja and kill more fae until she re-enchanted it. Then he would probably kill Eden as well. It was clear he had no fear of killing in this realm.

Valinox landed with Eden on his back. The portal was just in front of them.

“Is Gourfist on the other side?” she asked.

“He’s busy with Souriff. Come on.”

She felt sick thinking back to what had just happened. What else was he going to make her do now?

Valinox was staring at her, waiting for her to go into the portal first. It wasn’t as if she could stay here. The fae would probably kill her for allowing him to enter.

She hopped into the portal.

*****

She woke up feeling as if some time had passed, but she had little memory of it. Valinox was pulling her up to her feet. Her mind was at ease, until she suddenly recalled everything that had just happened.

She wanted to vomit.

“Any use of power is likely to attract Gourfist,” Valinox said. “We’re moving on foot.”

They currently stood in a clearing, the trees not far from here. Valinox was fast. Eden quickly fell behind.

“Come on!” he hissed.

She went as fast as she could. By the time they made it to the trees, she was out of breath. Valinox was staring at the silver stone with a satisfied grin.

“It’s time to test this.”

He suddenly went invisible.

“Oh yes,” he said from behind Eden. His voice traveled around her as he continued to speak. “This will do nicely.” Then he seemed to be in the air as he let out a laugh.

He suddenly appeared in front of her. His smile slowly faded. She had a feeling that he was thinking about leaving her here.

“What can I do for you now?” she blurted out of fear.

“I’m trying to decide that.”

She had spoken with Valinox on many occasions, but she still didn’t know too much about what he wanted, besides power. The only thing she had gleaned was that he despised the other demigods as if they had all wronged him. Perhaps she could use that to stay in his good graces, at least until she got out of here.

“How did you know Nijja had that enchanted stone?”

He looked back toward the portal. “She had one the last time I saw her. I know what she’s like. If she ever did destroy it, she would just make another.”

Eden took