Read Online Birthright - Book 2 of the Legacy Series (An Urban Fantasy Novel) by Ryan Attard - Free Book Online

apprentice and not harming my friend.
    But this is why my power scares the living crap out of me. It has a mind of its own. It reacts to my first instinct, and before I knew it, I was driving my hand, fingers pressed together and extended, hard and fast at the old man’s chest. The shadows had grown thicker around my palm, extending a little beyond my outstretched fingertips and congregating at a point. I wanted nothing more than to impale the elderly Asian with my bare hand.
    I felt my fingers make contact with him. Sun Tzu had pressed his forehead against Abi’s and was muttering again. He didn’t block my strike. He didn’t even flinch. He just stood there, completely ignoring me. When my fingers met him, nothing happened. I pushed with all my might, but my fingers refused to go through him. I might as well have been poking him playfully for all the reaction he showed.
    Slowly, Abi’s screams stopped, and Sun Tzu allowed her to slide down to the ground. Sun Tzu took a step backwards and reappeared where he had originally stood, a few feet away from us. I was ready to attack him again when he curved into a deep bow. I froze in mid-punch, clearly understanding the sign as a white flag. Something in me wanted to drive my fist through his head, to take advantage of his vulnerable position. It took considerable effort on my part to lower my hand and push the thought away. Slowly, the shadows thinned out, but refused to leave completely. I doubled my concentration and forced them away. It was like trying to swim in mud, and still, some wisps of darkness clung to me.
    Satisfied with my return to full humanity, I crouched down to check on Abi. She grabbed onto my coat, pulling me close.
    “I saw it,” she said fervently. “I saw them! They’re monsters, Erik, all of them. They have power - oh my God, the power. They can kill us, Erik, destroy us completely. They are bigger than this world, bigger than the universe itself.”
    She stared at the mean-looking Asian by the doorway and I felt her shivering in my arms. “Sun Tzu and that guy aren’t human. They don’t belong here. Their power, it’s beyond anyone’s I’ve ever met. Even yours.” She pointed at Sun Tzu. “It’s like he’s alive everywhere, he knows all the things in the universe. He can make one, Erik. He can make an entire world and snuff it out.” I stroked her head and helped her up.
    “What the hell did you do?” I snarled at the Asian.
    Sun Tzu still bowed. “My apologies. I merely called Tiger over. I never meant to cause either of you any harm.”
    Abi steadied herself and let go of my coat. “I’m okay now. I’m okay,” she rasped. “What was that?” she directed at Sun Tzu.
    “I used a small portion of my power to call Tiger over. He can help you with your selection,” said Sun Tzu. “When I saw the anguish I caused you, I immediately rushed over to rectify it.” He bowed again. “My deepest apologies. I did not mean to cause you harm. But I underestimated both of you. And for that, I humbly apologize as well.”
    “That was some interesting power you used there, Gramps,” said Amaymon. The cat had remained silent and stationery throughout the whole exchange.
    “Did you know what was going on?” I asked him.
    “Yes, I knew. But I couldn’t react or do anything since I’m stuck in this weak body,” he replied with disgust.
    “I merely beckoned my associate over,” said Sun Tzu softly. “It should have remained unnoticed since my powers are on a vastly different scale than either of yours. The fact that both of you could not only perceive them, but also react, means that I have underestimated just how powerful the both of you are.”
    He fell silent and hunched over in a fit of coughing. “Is this the power inside you, Erik?” I wasn’t sure if he was speaking to himself or asking me outright.
    “Yeah. This is kinda why I needed to see you, apart from Abi’s channel,” I said.
    “Ah, I see. Then, it is imperative