Page 11 of Her Immortal Love

"Alina," a middle-aged woman says, her voice barely above a whisper. "We've seen what you can do. Your... abilities."

I tense, glancing around nervously. "I don't know what you're talking about."

A younger man steps forward. "Please, don't lie to us. We've all seen it. The way things move around you, the energy you control. You have magic."

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. There's no point in denying it now. "What do you want?"

"Help us escape," the woman pleads. "Use your powers to break us out of here. We can't take it anymore."

My heart races as I consider their request. Part of me wants to help them, to free us all from this nightmare. But the rational side of my brain screams warnings.

"And then what?" I ask, keeping my voice low. "Where would we go? The dark elves are out there, and they're even worse than the vrakken. We'd be running from one captor to another."

The young man's face hardens. "At least we'd have a chance. It's better than waiting here to be picked off one by one."

I shake my head, the weight of their expectations crushing me. "You don't understand. The magic... it's not reliable. I can't control it well enough to guarantee everyone's safety."

"But you're learning, aren't you?" another woman chimes in. "We've seen you practicing. Please, Alina. You're our only hope."

Their words hit me like a physical blow. I think of Alexei, of the trust we've built. If I help these people escape, I'd be betraying him. But if I don't, am I betraying my own kind?

"I... I need time to think," I stammer, overwhelmed by the magnitude of their request.

The group exchanges glances, clearly disappointed. "Don't take too long," the middle-aged woman warns. "We're running out of time."

As they walk away, I'm left with a churning pit in my stomach. The weight of their lives, their hopes, rests on my shoulders. And I have no idea what to do.

7

ALEXEI

The air crackles with tension as I stand at the front lines, my senses on high alert. The dark elves emerge from the shadows, their violet eyes gleaming with malice. I bare my fangs, feeling the rush of power coursing through my veins.

"Hold the line!" I shout to my fellow vrakken. We've trained for this, but nothing can truly prepare you for the chaos of battle.

The first wave hits us like a tidal wave. I duck under a swinging blade, my reflexes faster than any human's. My fist connects with an elf's jaw, sending him flying. But there's no time to savor the small victory.

I reach for the magic within me, feeling it pulse beneath my skin. With a thought, I send a blast of energy toward a group of advancing elves. They scatter like leaves in the wind, some crying out as the force knocks them off their feet.

An arrow whizzes past my ear. Too close. I spin, spotting the archer perched in a nearby tree. My wings unfurl in an instant, and I launch myself into the air. The elf's eyes widen in shock as I close the distance in seconds. My hand wraps around his throat, and I hurl him to the ground below.

Landing hard, I immediately have to parry a sword strike. The clash of steel rings out as I engage in a deadly dance with a skilled elven warrior. He's good, but I'm better. I feint left, then drive my blade through a gap in his armor. One down, countless more to go.

A scream pierces the air, and I turn to see one of our younger vrakken overwhelmed by dark elf magic. Without thinking, I reach out with my own power, creating a shield around him. The elf's spell dissipates harmlessly against it.

"Thanks!" the young vrakken gasps, regaining his footing.

I nod, then dive back into the fray. My blade flashes in the eerie light of the battlefield, finding its mark again and again. But for every elf I cut down, two more seem to take their place.

Suddenly, the ground beneath my feet begins to tremble. I leap back just as a fissure opens up, nearly swallowing me whole. Dark elf earth magic. Clever.

I concentrate, drawing on the power flowing through me. With a grunt of effort, I send a shockwave through the earth, destabilizing the elves' footing. Several tumble into their own trap.

The battle rages on, a blur of blood, magic, and steel. My muscles burn with exertion, but I push through the pain. Too much is at stake to falter now.

A particularly powerful elf charges at me, his hands wreathed in crackling energy. I meet his assault head-on, our magics clashing in a brilliant display of light and force. The air around us warps and bends as we struggle for dominance.

I grit my teeth as another wave of dark elves crashes against our lines. My muscles scream in protest, but I push through the pain. There's no time for weakness.