The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 190

The flames from the explosion still danced high, painting the snow with orange and red.

Smoke curled and twisted in the cold air, casting a veil over the charred trees. From within that fiery chaos, a figure suddenly burst out—swift and nimble, cloak fluttering behind like a shadow slipping through the light.

Kael's eyes caught the movement immediately.

"There you are!" he roared, his voice slicing through the roar of fire. "You're not getting away!"

Mira didn't look back. She sprinted across the snow, her boots crunching and slipping over the icy ground. Her breath was ragged, but her steps were sure. She darted between trees, each stride powered by sheer desperation.

Smoke trailed off her cloak as she pushed herself forward. Taking the opportunity of the blast, which masked her presence, she had already fired a signal.

High above, a bright flare shot into the sky.

But before it could explode into a signal, a sharp whistle cut through the air—fwip! A single arrow, precise and silent, zipped from the shadows behind. It pierced the flare mid-air, and it shattered with a pop, the light dying before it could bloom.

Iris, hidden on the ridge behind, narrowed her eyes and lowered her bow. "Not today," she muttered.

Back below, Mira clicked her tongue in frustration, eyes flaring in anger. "Damn it…" she growled, her fingers curling around a small pouch on her hip.

She never expected the Ice Elves to move like this—to abandon their reserved nature and shed blood so fiercely. She cursed her fate. If only she had her crystal communicator, she could've called reinforcements. But no—she was alone.

Arrows suddenly rained down from above, hissing through the air.

"Burn!" she screamed, spinning around and slamming her hand into the snow. A fiery circle erupted around her, melting the snow in an instant and evaporating the incoming arrows in bursts of steam. Her flame flickered, then she pushed off again, darting through the melted path.

Behind her, Kael gave chase. His feet barely made a sound as he skimmed across the snow, using aura to lighten his steps. He dashed with deadly focus, his bloodied blade ready, eyes never leaving the figure ahead.

His breath misted in the cold, but his body burned with energy as he gleamed.

"You think smoke can hide you?"

Mira tossed down a small orb behind her.

BOOM!

It exploded into a thick black smoke cloud, swallowing the forest path behind her. Kael didn't stop. He leapt into the fog, blade extended, slicing through branches and shadows alike.

She weaved through the trees, knocking down snow from the boughs to obscure her path. Her fingers danced, casting minor illusions—phantom footsteps, a flicker of shadow. But Kael wasn't fooled. He followed the true trail, catching each crunch of snow, each shift in the frost.

"You're bleeding magic," he muttered. "Easy to follow."

Mira panted heavily. Her legs burned, and her lungs begged for rest, but she didn't stop. Not yet. She hurled another smoke bomb, then slid down a slope covered in snow, rolling and twisting before jumping back to her feet.

Kael followed, diving and landing in a crouch, then leaping after her with a feral gleam in his eyes. He was gaining ground. Fast.

"Stay away!" Mira shouted, tossing a fireball over her shoulder.

It hit a tree..

BOOM!—blowing splinters everywhere. Kael ducked low, charging straight through the flame and debris. His cloak caught fire briefly but was quickly extinguished by the snow he kicked up.

Their chase twisted through the burning woods, over icy ridges and frozen streams. Blood, ash, and snow painted the path they carved. The hunt was on—and Mira was running out of tricks.

As Mira ran, she flung fire spells behind her with quick, practiced flicks of her hand. Each spell left a trail of glowing heat and light. Flaming bolts shot back toward Kael, who didn't flinch.

One came straight at his face, but with a snarl, he swung his sword.

CLANG!

The blade met fire, cutting through it. The flames hissed and burst apart, scattering into sparks as Kael stormed forward.

Another fire arc sliced toward his legs. He jumped, flipping once in midair and landing with a heavy thud, his eyes glowing cold and merciless.

"You'll need more than flames to stop me," Kael muttered.

Then he whispered a spell. His hand moved in a sharp motion, tracing six jagged lines in the air.

"Hexagram," he hissed.

A faint, dark glow pulsed around him, then fizzled. His foot slipped on the icy ground, and he fell hard, shoulder-first into the snow.

"Tch," he growled, pushing up.

The skill…

"Damn! I have a knack for oddball."

Blood dripped from his lip, but he didn't stop.

Again, he chanted and raised his hand, casting the Hexagram spell a second time. The ground trembled faintly, but this time, a branch snapped from above and struck him on the back, slamming him back down into the frost.

"Damn it—!" he roared, fury burning in his voice.

"I refuse to believe that I can't use a hexagram on her."

But he stood again, sword in one hand, blood staining the other.

On the third try, Kael's voice steadied. The spell circled in the air like ink spreading in water, the lines glowing a sickly grey as they locked onto Mira.

Still running, Mira leaped up onto a tree and pushed off to another, soaring through the air with a burst of heat around her boots. Just as she landed on the branch, it cracked.

CRACK!

"Wha—?" she gasped.

The branch split under her weight, and she crashed down, smashing face-first into the tree trunk with a sickening slam.

THUD.

"AHH!" she screamed, blood splattering from her nose and lip as her body bounced back and slammed into the frozen ground. She rolled down the icy slope, snow clinging to her cloak, her body twisting with each painful impact.

She groaned, trying to push herself up.

Drip… drip…

Blood hit the ice, red stains forming under her fingertips. Her breath trembled. Her hands shook. She could barely see through the pain.

Then—THUMP.

A dark shadow loomed above her.

Mira's eyes widened.

Without hesitation, she rolled sideways and whipped out her dagger. Her legs coiled, and she jumped just as BANG!—a figure smashed into the ground where she had just been. Snow exploded outward from the force.

She landed clumsily but on her feet, panting hard.

Her crimson eyes locked on the figure rising from the mist, spotting the masked, greyish-eyed man.