Chapter 23: Kaelhi Unleashed
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Gaea’s eyes burned with fury. "You dare bring this lie into our temple?" she hissed, raising her blade. "You think we’re fools?"
Before anyone could speak, she ran towards them, Xander barely had time to flinch, but Iris moved first.
Her chest glowed bright pink as she stepped in front of him, arm raised, and the blade clashed against a barrier of energy that pulsed from her mark. Xander stared in shock, Iris looked shocked too at her own strength.
’Since when was Iris capable of magic?!’
"Enough!" Iris shouted when she collected herself, "Stop attacking us!"
The force of the clash sent a shockwave through the room. Gaea stumbled back, eyes wide as she stared at the glowing mark on Iris’s chest. "The Kaelhi’s Companion..." she breathed.
A beat of silence passed, then her expression twisted into something darker.
"You planned this," she growled. "You’ve been preparing this deception for years—"
"What? No, you dumb bitch!" Iris snapped. "We didn’t even know what any of this meant until–!"
"You expect me to believe that?" Gaea’s voice rose. "That two strangers just happen to bear the marks of prophecy after all this time?"
She raised her hand, light gathering in her palm.