I'm not going to tell you anything. I have to save Joar, so don't show any fear.Lucifer pushes the glowing iron deeper and deeper into her skin. She screams, and he smiles. Cain takes her hand. She can feel his palm touches hers lightly. She's looking at him. Laurin takes her other hand. His hand is rough and hard, but kind. She's looking at him.I'm not going to tell you anything. I have to save Joar, so don't show any fear.The sky is colored red. The old tree trunks blacken. The leaves wither and die. The grass bathes in blood – her blood. Everything is covered in sticky blood: the sky, the sea and the sun are painted red with blood.I'm not going to tell you anything. I have to save Joar, so don't show any fear.Lucifer laughs. Everybody's laughing.Laurin puts her body down in her own blood.No! Help me, Laurin. Help me...She reaches out a hand towards him and he laughs. A shadow

Dusk is upon them as the rain pours down over the camp site, turning the only source of heat into a sluggish pile of dark gray ash. Vimar tries in a furious effort to stop the water from flooding their sleeping quarter, but he has no chance against the forces of nature.The rain splashes down over Indra's face. Her fingers are freezing and slow moving from the intense cold. She doesn't know what the next obstacle might be, but right now she's too exhausted to care. She can only hope that there is a higher purpose to everything they have been exposed to. Brage and Vimar's usually cheerful and adventurous personalities have turned into a bleaker and moodier mindset.Indra pulls the fur tighter around her body and lets her thoughts wander to her family. She knows they're worried about her and Joar. What are they doing right now? Have they confronted Lucifer? She hopes not. Lucifer's not one to mess with, he's extremely dangerous.And where is King Laurin? Does he t

Cain bolts out from between the trees, in the direction of Indra. She has time to spot his dark eyebrows, straight nose and sparkling hazel brown eyes. His shiny copper armor that sits like a perfect mold over his well define muscles, sends the clear message of power. She even has time to see the scar that runs across his jaw down to his mouth and glows pale white on his tanned skin.But she still doesn't have time to parry his attack. Out of nowhere, he shows up and throws himself at her like a predator attacking his prey. They tumble on the hard ground, which is wet after the night's rain. Cain pushes her down on her back, wraps his strong hands around her wrists and pin them down into the damp soil. He puts all his weight over her, holding her in place with his heavy body and blows something into her eyes.A faint dust settles over her cornea. For a split second, her sight disappears and she frantically blinks to free herself from the poisonous dust and screams in p

King Laurin is irritated by the Brook Horse arrogant behavior. As soon as he asks a question, the horse replies with a smart-ass comeback, but enough is enough. All he wants is to make the time pass quicker. His own horse at home can't speak so his head is now full of questions. "Stop bothering me,” brays the stallion grumpily.King Laurin sighs. "If I don't ask questions, I won't get answers either.""Your questions are not relevant. I am the Brook Horse and not a peasant’s horse or a slave to simpletons and demigods.""Just one more question ...""No!""Come on, just one last question. It's the least you can do." "I don't owe you anything," The Brook Horse snorts.Laurin chuckles. "Well, considering how you smell – I have to inhale that rank odor while I'm sitting on your back, have you thought about that?"The Black stallion rearing violently in protest. Laurin loses his balance from the sudden movement and falls

Indra wakes up to someone gently shaking her. Tired, she opens her heavy eyes and stares into Julien’s. "Sigh ... Leave me alone, Dad." She turns around, slides her hands under her cheek and falls back asleep. Julien shakes her again. "Mm ... What do you want from me? Get out of here," she sneers."Indra, you have to wake up. You and your friends are not safe here."She slaps his hand away, sits up and glare at her father."How did you find us?""I've been following you from a distance this the whole time."Indra frowns. "But why?"Julien looks at her daughter calmly. "Because I'm not as evil as you think. Everything I've done that's caused you harm, I've done for you, Indra."She sneers. "Sure," she says, rolling her eyes. She stands up and runs her fingers through her short unruly curls. "How did you get past King Ulo, the Fairy Queen and the Mistress of the Forest?" she then asks, openly curiously."I've been walking t