FOURTH BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF FANTASILIA SERIES
𝘈 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭. 𝘈 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘈 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵. 𝘈 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦.
Xanthiene Vivenca, a fairy with a bounty for her soul, is caught between...
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Which was worse—getting captured while escaping or getting arrested after being saved?
The wind nipped at Xanthy's face as her body bounced with every leaping step the raslione made. Xanthy's fingers clenched as the man with the light brown hair pushed her forward to a gathered entourage of fairies with their respective rides. How these nature fairies crept behind and leeched them from the red coats had been quick. Too easy.
A large creature with a short snout, tall ears, attentive brown eyes, and black and burnt ocher fur lowered itself to the ground after a nature fairy with dark skin whistled sharply. Another gentle push from the man with light brown hair and Xanthy was thrown against the animal's flank. Soft tufts curled underneath her knuckles as Nyxis was dragged flailing followed by June's unmoving form. Xanthy knitted her eyebrows. How did fur like this stop that bullet?
What could be so dangerous about this animal that just its presence sent a legion of trained soldiers fleeing like bothered clerets?
The creature panted, its long, pink tongue lolling out of its jaw fitted with curved fangs as long as Xanthy's hand. It's...tame enough? Maybe?
"Move out!" a nature fairy with pink hair and the owner of the deep voice yelled to her comrades before clambering up a creature that looked like a cat but bigger and with feathery wings. The man with the light brown hair followed the woman and whistled before tapping the large cat's white flank.
Soon, they were on the way. Towards where? Beats Xanthy.
She glanced at Nyxis and nodded. Whatever this was, they couldn't escape now if they would have to deal with creatures that rivaled the graspel in size and possibly in speed, too. Not to mention that this was the nature fairies' turf. It wasn't wise to fight anyone in their comfort zone.
Xanthy tugged against the twine wrapping around her wrists. They're tight but not enough to bite at her skin. She glanced at the nature fairy that tied it riding on a different but familiar creature. That man got skills.
The curls tied back into a fluffy bun bounced along the head of the nature fairy that travelled with them on the raslione. Xanthy narrowed her eyes at the tunic tucked in trousers fitted with a vest filled with pockets. What kind of uniform was this? Guards? Forest mages? The gem at the hilt of a short sword glinted against the meager sunlight peeking through the canopies. The sword's sheath was slung against the nature fairy's back. If Xanthy could just reach it...
Nyxis cleared his throat. Xanthy snapped towards him and he shook his head. Bad idea, his drawn eyebrows and pursed lips seemed to be saying. Xanthy exhaled through her nose and glanced at June. Thankfully, the half-blood had stopped retching and was now draped against the raslione's flank like a lifeless dishrag.
Was that a good thing? Xanthy shook her head.
A bird that looked like the manwari cawed as it tore through the undergrowth with its buzzing wings and steel-like blue and green feathers. The nature fairy perched on its back didn't seem to mind the wind blowing back his braided dark hair.
