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.”

I’d sooner die before admitting that. There was this horrible exhaustion still weighing me down, slowing my reflexes until it

this tired from

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

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 fight

Renaldi witches. Magic I

were backed into a corner and had no way

my gaze without leaving himself defenseless to the witches. For the first time since meeting

of here while you can.’ They seemed

flickered to the cage that surrounded us, lingering on the gaps in the vines for but a fraction of a second, I

tone of voice again to obliterate the insane idea from his head, but I knew it would never work. The look on his face was one of peace and utter selflessness. Tristan’s voice overshadowed the word I was murmuring under my breath, chanting it like it were the solution I desperately needed. It even overshadowed Maya’s voice, which grew louder and louder in my head, screaming at me to shift and get out of here

“No, no, no, no.”

curled up in the smallest of

an honor, my

looking back, he lunged

to me, telling me to not be afraid

at Tristan, who rolled to the side and narrowly missed being charred a second time. He sprung to his feet without a

ounce of energy into my desperate scream for help, all I could think about was Tristan and how this couldn’t be it-this couldn’t be

loud or solely in my head, but the words were as clear as the

“Someone-anyone, help me!”

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 couldn’t even begin to pick them apart. All at once they stilled,

without a single sound, a wolf exploded from the