Alpha Asher by Jane

Read Alpha Asher by Jane Doe Chapter 184

The air around us exploded in a bright flash of light and heat that seemed to come from nowhere. Dina was ripped from Tristan’s arms and flung against the base of a tree, crumpling the second her body made impact. Her clothes were smoldering, letting off thin tendrils of smoke that dissipated in the air. Splotches of light danced in my vision, but I noticed Tristan was smoking as well. The blast had clipped his shoulder, burning a hole in his blood-soaked shirt.

Before either of us could act, a second blast followed. This time I was able to track it before leaping to the side, and saw that it wasn’t an explosion, but a plume of red-hot flame.

Tristan was at my side in an instant, crouched into a defensive position that would do little to nothing against the magic of a highly trained elemental. There were a reason Rowena’s books warned against angering one. Controlling nature had no limits. All that could determine an elementals range of power was their own personal strength.

As if to prove my point, a dozen or so vines shot out from the ground, sending mud and soil splattering in all directions. They curved over our heads, crossing over one another like the fibers of an old quilt. I grabbed Tristan and stumbled back, running into a wall of writhing vines.

“She’s caging us in-” I began but stopped when the sound of clapping filled the air.

“So observant.” A scathingly familiar voice cooed.

Ember and the witch she called Tessa appeared from around the base of a great oak tree. The fire elementals eyes were still glowing like hot coals, shimmering with tangible excitement. She looked far too eager to spit flame. There was a nagging sensation in my gut that told me she wanted nothing more than to burn this forest and everything surrounding it to the ground.

‘Like a rogue wolf gone feral…” Maya couldn’t help but point out.

Tessa made a small gesture with her hand and the vines parted, forming a doorway for the two of them to pass through. There was about fifteen feet between us, enough to count the freckles on Ember’s face and to see the earthy tones in Tessa’s eyes.

Ember looked me up and down slowly, making a show of it. About halfway through, she let out a snort of amusement and flashed us a tight-lipped smirk. She didn’t give a reason for her reaction, and instead spread her hands out at her sides and said, “You’re already exhausted, Lola. You don’t have the energy to fight us both, even with your shadow friends.”

There was this horrible exhaustion still weighing me down,

tired from

to us and I’ll kill him quickly.” Ember said, her voice soft but still laced with cruelty. “Fight us and I’ll burn him

the two of them, and I quickly realized what it was when Tessa glanced nervously at Ember. Even drained and exhausted, they were worried I’d

magic I’d inherited from the Renaldi witches. Magic I had no clue how to fully access. Fear-true unbridled fear unfurled in

a corner and had no way

himself defenseless to the witches. For

of here while you can.’ They seemed

they flickered to the cage that surrounded us, lingering on the gaps in the

peace and utter selflessness. Tristan’s voice overshadowed the word I was

“No, no, no, no.”

in the smallest

been an honor,

without looking back, he lunged for

between Holly and me. I could hear her delicate voice like she was right next to me, telling me to not be afraid of asking for help. I didn’t know how to ask for help, or why she had given me that advice above all else, but the time

missed being charred a second time. He sprung to his feet without a moment of pause, snarling into the night

my desperate scream for help, all I could think about was Tristan and how

my head, but the words were as clear as

“Someone-anyone, help me!”

shadows around us began to writhe, melting into one another to form a solid mass of darkness. I could hear their voices and knew that something was wrong. They were whispering, their voices so frantic and crazed that I

a single sound,