Page 50 of Daemon Master

The reverse Surge.

Crastley had deemed it possible, even if he’d never managed it. Adrian reached out through his bond with Heartrender. Focusing on her technique, he tried to draw her magic into himself the same way they shared aether.

Nothing happened.

He sensed Heartrender’s willingness, her openness to granting him control. But it wasn’t enough. Something was missing. Heartrender’s technique lay right at his fingertips, yet the more he reached for it, the farther it seemed to slip away.

Blazewing loosed a fireball. Adrian cut off his effort with a curse and dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the worst of the blast. So much for creating another illusion to cover them. He could resummon Heartrender to do it herself, but she was in rough shape. That left him on his own, with only Tremorfist for backup.

“New plan,” he called to Tremorfist. “Throw me!”

Tremorfist looked at him like he was insane. Maybe he was. But there were no trees nearby that weren’t already aflame, and he was out of other ideas to reach Blazewing.

When Tremorfist realized Adrian was serious, he huffed and trotted over. Adrian coughed out smoke, struggling to speak. “Wait until I’m almost there. Then, hit the beast with the strongestStunning Howlyou can muster.”

Hefting Adrian in his brawny arms, Tremorfist growled a confirmation. Adrian gulped down a nervous breath and immediately broke into another coughing fit. Beneath him, Tremorfist shook with silent laughter while more flames gathered around Blazewing.

If only my parents could see me now…

“Do it!” he choked out.

Tremorfist tossed him like a ragdoll. Blazewing’s newest fireball seared beneath him. Kali’s daemon stilled as it watched him soar through the air. Perhaps it was awaiting new orders. Or perhaps it was simply bewildered by the recklessness of Adrian’s desperate gambit.

Right as the daemon recovered enough to move aside, Tremorfist unleashed aStunning Howl. Even excluded from the effect, the sound deafened Adrian, and he clamped his hands over his ears. Seymour must’ve managed to feed Tremorfist extra aether via a Surge to enhance the magic. Blazewing froze in place, momentarily paralyzed by the bolstered technique. Adrian slammed into the daemon, wrapping his arms around its slick blue skin.

Unable to flap its wings or support his added weight, Blazewing crashed to the ground. It recovered quickly, its limbs shuddering awake as it shook off theStunning Howl, but Adrian bore down with all his might, slowing the daemon long enough for Tremorfist to reach them an instant later. Blazewing stoked its aether into frenzied tendrils of flame. Adrian ignored them even as they seared his flesh. All that mattered now was victory.

One last crushing blow from Tremorfist finally snapped Blazewing’s neck. The daemon fell limp, its form dissipating into a cloud of aether. To Adrian’s immense relief, Kali didn’t come tumbling out. They were safe…for now.

Seymour reappeared beside Tremorfist, and Adrian grinned at him. “We did it! Maybe Kali will think twice before coming after us again now that we’ve bested another of her—”

Seymour’s fist collided with the side of his head.

Adrian staggered, his eyes widening. “Spirits below, what wasthatfor? My plan worked!”

“Yourplanwouldn’t have been necessary if you hadn’t acted the spirit-cursed fool! Now your idiocy has likely doomed us both.”

Adrian furrowed his brow. “What are you talking about?”

Seymour stabbed a finger at Adrian’s chest, his nostrils flaring. “I’m talking about that kid you let escape! Do you think it a coincidence that Kali found us less than a day later?”

Bile rose in Adrian’s throat. “You don’t know that.” Yet, even as he spoke the words, he couldn’t deny how convenient the timing seemed.

“You never listen to me,” Seymour said, ignoring Adrian’s feeble protest. “We did things your way and look what happened. Kali found us because yourefuseto do what must be done!”

Adrian’s temper flared. “Oh, I’m sorry I’m not a heartless automaton like you. Spirits forbid I let achildwalk free. You know, for all the nonsense you spout about duty and honor, when push comes to shove, the only person you truly care about is yourself!”

Clenching his jaw, Seymour loomed over Adrian. Adrian refused to step back, craning his neck to meet the watcher’s furious gaze. The golden specks in his eyes burned like Blazewing’s flames.

“I should’ve left you to your fate months ago,” Seymour said.

“I never asked for your help.” Adrian’s hands tightened into fists. “Why would I when you’re nothing but a bully? You’re not fit to carry on my parents’ legacy. Or is that just a convenient lie you tell yourself so you can feel like a better person than you really are?”

Even through his anger, Adrian caught a flash of genuine hurt cross the watcher’s face before he abruptly spun and stalked toward the burning clearing’s edge. Firelight glinted off his dulled armor. “Enough. We’re done here.”

“Where are you going?” Adrian demanded.

“Away fromyou!”