Chapter 191
Instead, he charged forward through the fire, a beast uncaged.
Mira barely dodged, sliding across the ice as Kael's blade whooshed past her neck, close enough to cut a lock of her hair. She twisted midair and slammed her palm onto the ground. Boom! A fire circle ignited beneath Kael's feet, exploding upward.
"Arghhhh!!" Kael roared, lifted off the ground by the blast.
His body smashed into a tree, bark splintering. Blood trailed down his burned cheek. But as he dropped, he gripped the trunk and used the momentum to hurl himself at her again.
His blade came down, a violent arc meant to cleave her in two.
Mira caught it with a burning shield formed from her left arm, flames hardening into molten rock. Sparks flew. Her arm trembled. The blade cut halfway through before she screamed and forced Kael back with a fire burst from her foot.
He tumbled, landed hard, and spat blood.
"You burn well," she said, panting, "but not fast enough."
Kael stood, chest heaving. His shirt clung to his half-charred body, blood dripping from his temple, burns licking up his ribs. Still, he raised his sword.
"You talk too much."
He rushed again—this time faking low before twisting and swinging upward. The blade grazed Mira's shoulder. Blood sprayed. She bit her tongue to stifle a scream and retaliated with a flame spear from her hand. Kael blocked it with his forearm, the searing heat biting into his flesh, melting skin and muscle—but he didn't stop. He was on her.
He headbutted her—crack!—their skulls colliding. Mira stumbled. Kael stabbed.