My Wild Beast

{Music Recommendation: Foolish Foray by Sarah Schnachner}

A wing whooshed out and knocked Nova straight into a tree. It was like she'd lunged straight into a brick wall. Blood instantly spurted out of her nose, as she wheezed for breath like she'd been punched in the gut. First Mark almost slipped from her fingers at the force, but she gripped it tighter.

Ixana's laughter echoed along the clearing, her wings flapping so she hovered above the ground, looking at her nails like Nova's attack meant nothing to her. It probably wasn't.

"Was that it?" She giggled, her gaze rising to meet Nova's. "Well… This will definitely be entertaining. Come at me. We don't have all day. The fires will go out soon, and your little mate will know something is wrong."

She pouted then smirked. "But I might as well have some fun with you before then. Let us see what exactly you have been doing while I recovered…"

Ixana flapped her wings once, and a strong burst of air slammed into Nova. The air was knocked out of her lungs. She coughed and choked from inhaling too quickly and deeply.

Queenie up there started to laugh again. She glided just above the jungle floor towards Nova, taking her time, her back to Aiyana and Atia now. Nova glanced at them, wiping away the blood below her nose. She couldn't rely on them or anyone else.

And since when had she returned to that sort of mindset? Um… well, since she was facing a woman that was meant to be dead, AND had been 'killed' by her son, who was also extremely powerful.

"Alright, alright…" Ixana rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Stand up. Or I will grow tired of this game and end your life immediately."

"I don't believe that," Nova wheezed out after gulping down a lungful of air and clawing at the earth and tree behind her to get up. A root seemed to lift, helping her move until she was on her feet.

She frowned. Did that really happen? Anything was possible.

Ixana tilted her head. "Don't believe… what?" She laughed as if Nova were the madwoman here. "That I wouldn't kill you?"

Nova shook her head, then regretted it from the wave of dizziness that made her sway. She reached for the back of her head where it throbbed. She'd hit the tree harder than she thought.

"No," she still managed to say and gripped First Mark tighter. "You need to sacrifice me to Akura… Don't you need to take me to an altar… or there's some other ritual you need to do?"

Ixana chuckled and waved her hand nonchalantly like they were discussing fabric designers. "There is nothing in the scripture that says it must be on an altar. As long as I kill you in the name of Akura and mark your blood on my wings, there is nothing else needed. My Goddess will do the rest."

Nova held her finger up just as Ixana put her feet down on the ground and took a step forward. "One more thing…"

Ixana arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow, unimpressed at being told to wait.

"Was it you who started the fires at the other side of the island?" She asked, something finally clicking in her slow brain.

It made sense if she did. It was a distraction for Yoa. Ixana set up this trap. She already stated she didn't expect Atia, so she must have believed he would go with Yoa because the fires were so dire, leaving only Aiyana as Nova's guard, which is why she was currently dangling in a net, untouched.

The guards were on standby in case Atia came with her, and he had. Ixana must have meticulously planned this, thinking of all possibilities so that her plan wouldn't falter.

Ixana clapped her hands slowly, sarcastically. "My… you really have grown. I've been planning it for days, aware of the growing weakness on the island suddenly getting stronger every time you had left that cave…"

She sounded irritated by this. Did Ixana want the island to die and fall into the hands of that creature? Perhaps she wasn't aware of the creature. The eagle shifter didn't seem like the type to venture into those caves, especially considering that time she hunted Nova down onto Oncari lands and wouldn't go into the vampira cave.

Or maybe Ixana believed that by weakening the island, it would bring her rise into power that much easier and greater.

Slowly, the pair started to fall into sync, each step taken, Nova keeping the distance between them as they began to form a circle. The dizziness from before started to fade as adrenaline began to thrum through her veins at the threat before her.

"The repeated journey…" Ixana continued, unaware of Nova's thought process. "It was a mistake. No matter how powerful your allies…" Her gaze flicked behind her to Aiyana and Atia before she looked back at Nova. "Someone was bound to attack you. That someone, of course… being me."

Nova's mind blanked. None of them had sensed her. How did she manage to sneak around without even Yoa picking up her scent?

As though reading her mind, Ixana rolled her eyes. "Still so close-minded. Magic. I used it to hide our scents."

Nova's eyes widened slightly as she realised Ixana had a point. Yoa was too powerful, and so were Atia and Aiyana, to fail at sensing others following them. Whatever magic Ixana used, it helped conceal her and her men from them. Yet, Tayun hadn't intervened?

Had Tayun ever intervened? Would it matter now, even while she was dying and needed Nova to help her?

"Now… where were we? Ah yes… killing you…" Ixana flew forward in a blur, only to punch Nova in the gut and swirl away like this was some elegant, lethal dance.

Nova hadn't even seen that coming. It was the same as when she fought the vampiras. Maybe to the others who had heightened senses, Ixana wasn't that quick. But she wasn't one of them, and right now, Yoa seemed too far away to dive into his power to aid her.

Staggering, Nova clutched her stomach, the air ripping from her lungs once again. She wheezed in a breath, forced her feet to plant, and raised her blade. She wasn't going to crumple at Ixana's feet like prey.

Ixana's laugh rang sharp and cruel. With a snap of her wings, the harpy eagle shifter soared upward, then dived. Steel met claw as Nova slashed, but Ixana twisted elegantly, her talons catching the blade. With one vicious jerk, she sent it skittering across the dirt.

Nova's breath hitched, panic surging through her, but she refused to give in.

Waste time.

Waste time.

Stay alive obviously…

But still waste this bitch's time!

She dove, rolled, and her hand closed around a fallen branch. Splinters bit into her palm as she whipped it up just as Ixana swooped again. The wood cracked against Ixana's ribs, a sharp smack that tore a hiss from her lips. For a heartbeat, Nova's chest swelled with grim pride—she'd landed a hit.

"You've learned a few tricks," Ixana mocked, circling her like a hawk savouring its kill. "But tricks won't save you."

Nova gritted her teeth, brandishing the branch like a staff. "Maybe not. But they'll keep me alive long enough to make you bleed."

She lunged, jabbing forward, forcing Ixana back a step. The Sky Matron's smile faltered, only for her wings to beat once, blasting Nova to the ground in a rush of air.

The shadow of Ixana loomed closer, claws glinting in the dim light as they arced down. Nova threw the branch up to block, but she was too slow.

The strike sliced past her guard, claws grazing her cheek, hot blood welling as Ixana's sneer hovered inches from her.