“How brave you are. I remember killing your parents here,” Sha’al said. His laugh echoed in the air.

The small hairs on Sienna’s arms rose. She held her breath to prevent any bubbles from rising to the surface. Deep in the murky water of the river, she lurked. Every muscle ached from the tight ball she forced herself to be in. Her eyes went wide as Sha’al stepped right next to her. Ice spread from her towards him. She snapped back control over her powers. It was too late. Sienna watched as he stopped in his tracks.

“There you are.” His hand sliced through the water and grasped Sienna. She struggled against him as he lifted her so she was eye level with him. “Even your parents were smarter than this.” His shadows wrapped around Sienna’s body, squeezing her until she could no longer breathe. She clawed at the shadows he summoned. She beckoned the water of the river to her, striking Sha’al with a force so great he released her from his gasp.

Sienna staggered to her feet. “My parents made me who I am. I am both of them, twice as strong and smart.” A spear of ice formed in her hands. Her arms shook as she aimed it at Sha’al. She threw it in a perfect arc through the air, striking his chest like she did earlier.

The sound of snakes hissing filled her ears. Sha’al ripped the spear out from his chest like it was nothing. Blood didn’t spill from him, even though there was a man beneath the shadows and snakes.

“Did you really think that would work the second time?” he hissed. Shadows bursted around him like flames.

Sienna swallowed. I failed. She fell to her knees. The water swirled around her. I won’t fail. Her jaw clenched, and her fists tightened until her knuckles turned white. A waterspout formed around her. “Then I’ll try every way possible.” She sent the spout forth. The water in the river vanished leaving behind the sharp rocks. “This is my field.”

He walked through the water. “No. You’re just a girl.”

Sienna’s eyes went wide with fear. His hand wrapped around her again, lifting her into the air again.

“You’re not even ready yet,” Sha’al chuckled. His long fingers grabbed her arm. “Now you’ll never be able to throw another spear again.” With smooth movement, he snapped Sienna’s arm. He smirked with glee.

Sienna couldn’t scream at the excruciating pain that coursed through her. Tears rolled down her cheek. Sha’al flung her to the river bank. She burned the memory of his smile in her mind.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“I’ll see you in a month,” Sha’al said.

Sienna knew it was a promise. And in a month, everyone she loved would be gone, because she couldn’t protect them. This great battle just proved that she was as good as her parents, another failure.

Three sets of flames erupted from across the river, but they didn’t come from Sha’al. Archer, Naomi, and Eren stood tall on the other side. They burned away at Sha’al’s shadows, revealing the snakes and the man underneath.

The screams of his pain filled Sienna with a sense of hope and shame. Why couldn’t I have been the one to force them from him? She looked down at her broken and bloodied arm with shame. She knew her whole tribe would look upon her with disappointment.

She rose to her feet, summoning water.

“Don’t you dare attack him with that broken arm of yours,” Naomi yelled at her.

Sienna’s brows furrowed. So I’m just supposed to leave them to the same fate as I?

Archer ran up to her side. “Where’s Titus?” he asked.

“By the lake,” Sienna responded, her gaze locked onto Sha’al. The flames dispersed with an attack of his shadows. He vanished into thin air.

“I’ll be back.” Sha’al’s voice lingered in the air..

Sienna growled. She failed at her chance to kill him right here and now. She felt it in her bones that she was close too. If it hadn’t been for him breaking her arm, she could have defeated him.

“Let’s get you fixed up first,” Eren said as she walked over. She pulled a wrap and two sturdy sticks out from her satchel. “Bite this.” She handed Sienna a piece of willow bark. “It’ll help.”

Sienna grabbed the bark out of Eren’s hand and brought it up to her mouth. She bit into the bitter piece of wood. Her teeth grinded into it as Eren touched her broken arm. She had to admit Eren was just as masterful as the Fisherman Tribe’s apothecary. She was as gentle as she could be with the arm, which reduced much of the pain she felt. Sienna felt a lot better once her arm was firmly against her body.

“Thank you,” Sienna said. She looked away from the three friends. What they had was stronger than Sha’al, as evident by him running away. She needed whatever they had. Naomi was the most powerful out of the three, so what did they have? Eren was still new to their power, but they already had great force. Archer could barely summon his power until last night. So what made the three of them more powerful than her? She trained night and day with her parents since she was young. She trained for hours on end into the night after they passed. The shamaness of the tribe said she was the most powerful Pisces ever. So she should be able to defeat Sha’al by herself, right?

Sienna looked back at the group. “You guys should have stayed with my people. What would happen if Sha’al attacked them?”

“Sha’al would only attack them to get to us. That’s why we had to abandon them after we got them to safety. Besides, Royale, Isla, and Baartholomew are with your people. They’ll be more than safe with them around.” He held out his pinky, a childish thing to Sienna.

She wrapped her pinky around his. “Thank you.” She rose to her feet again. “Show me where my people are, please.”