Read Online Firestorm (The Sword of Light Trilogy Book 2) by Aaron Hodges - Free Book Online

light. He had done so much wrong, made so many mistakes he could hardly bare to recall them. But after all she had been through, Enala deserved the truth.
    When at last he finished, he drew in a deep breath and looked Enala in the eyes. “We cannot trust these people, Enala.”
     
    *************
     
    “Doesn’t say much, does he?” Inken commented, lying on the bed beside Eric.
    Eric smiled and pulled her closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “He had plenty to say earlier.”
    Inken smiled back, her skin tingling where Eric’s fingers touched. “And?”
    She felt a shiver run through Eric. “I said what I could. I don’t think it made a difference,” he hesitated. “I’m glad he’s alive though, that I could apologise. I know it cannot make up for what happened, but maybe now I have a chance to show him who I really am, that I’m trying to put things right.”
    “I hope so too,” she flashed him a sly smile. “Although I couldn’t help but notice some strange goings on in the sky when I looked out the window earlier.”
    Eric groaned and Inken leaned across to kiss him. “What happened?”
    “I wanted to try something, to copy what Jurrien did when he leapt off the ship.”
    “And?”
    “It worked, but I pushed too far, too fast. The magic took me well above my limits, and I lost control,” Inken heard the venom in his voice.
    She smiled. “Stop being so hard on yourself, Eric. You took control again before anything happened, that’s what matters.”
    Eric gave a sour laugh. “Small victory that,” he paused. “I didn’t really have time to think about it. Jurrien showed up again. He had a lot to say about me and my magic.”
    Inken’s heart gave a lurch. She suddenly found herself wishing she had followed Eric earlier.
    “Ouch,” Eric flinched away and Inken realised her nails had dug into his arm.
    She released him. “Sorry, Eric. I do not like Jurrien; he is not like his sister. He is shrouded in anger, where Antonia is a calming force.”
    “Was,” Eric’s voice cracked. “Antonia was… He found her in the forest. The demon killed her. She’s… she’s gone.”
    Inken gaped, unable to speak. She felt hot tears in her eyes but made no effort to wipe them away. A sound rumbled up from her chest, a half-warped sob that she abruptly cut off. She shook her head. “No,” she choked. “How could that happen?”
    “I don’t know,” Eric’s voice broke again. “But we have to go on, for her. It’s up to us now, to ensure Enala gets to the Sword in time. Maybe it will be enough. Jurrien is preparing the Three Nations for war and hunting down the demon.”
    Silence fell then, the weight of responsibility settling around them like a lead weight. With Antonia gone, the likelihood any of them would survive the coming war seemed non-existent. Last time it had taken the powers of all three Gods to overcome Archon. With only Jurrien and the Sword of Light, could they even hold their own?
    “We have to try,” Inken whispered.
    “I know. We can’t give up. I won’t rest until we finish the quest Alastair and Antonia started.”
    Inken pulled him close again, leaning over to kiss him. Their lips met, fierce and hard. She held him tight, desperate to feel the life within him. He had come so close to death on the beach. Just thinking of the danger to come filled her with fear – not for herself, but for the reckless young man she loved. Eric told the truth; he would not run from the peril they faced – he would rather die.
    Inken feared it may come to that.
    Unbidden, hot tears ran down her cheek. Sobbing, she broke away from Eric, turning her face to hide the tears.
    He heard her grief anyway. She felt his hand reach up to stroke her hair. Closing her eyes, Inken took a deep breath to calm herself.
    “It’s going to be okay, Inken.”
    Inken felt a wild, insane laughter bubbling up within her. She held it back. They both knew the lie in Eric’s words. If even the Goddess