I called on my gift over water, reaching for the liquid in the fountain. My power surged immediately, my wings making my gift so much more reliable.
I envisioned hundreds of gallons of water shooting up from the ground below, and it did as I commanded. I directed the huge wash of water down the street. It roared and crashed against the building walls, catching up with the soldiers and bowling them over. They shouted and flailed, but the water was too deep and too fast.
More. More!
The water surged, washing them down the street toward the amphitheater. I sent them crashing down the steps, where I commanded a massive wave from the ocean to pick them up off the stage and suck them into the sea.
Power rushed through me, making me feel invincible. I loved having my magic anchored inside me. The control was amazing.
I grinned as the last of the water drained away, and flew back to my friends. I landed quietly.
“Wow, you’ve really come into your own,” Nix said.
“Thanks.” It meant a lot, coming from her. The things I’d seen Nix do would blow any supernatural’s mind. “Let’s go.”
“The eternal flame is close,” Cade said.
“Good, because I hear more company,” Del said.
We spilled out into a courtyard a moment later, right in front of a massive temple that looked just like the one back in Kart-hadasht.
“The eternal flame is in there.” I pointed.
A dozen demons ran out of the temple, weapons raised. Guards.
The ones on the edges threw fireballs. I dived left, narrowly avoiding one. My leg was still burning from where I’d gotten hit earlier, and I was clumsy.
Cade hurled his shield at one of the fire demons, taking its head. Next to me, Nix drew her bow, beginning to fire. Ana threw one of her daggers, and Del raced toward the demons fearlessly, confident in her Phantom form’s ability to protect her. Cass shot a lightning bolt and hit a demon square in the chest.
I drew my sword and shield and ran for the nearest demon, stowing my wings away.
The demon was at least eight feet tall, his sword a huge sweep of iron. He swung it as I neared, and I slid low, under the slice of the blade.
I swiped out with my sword, taking out one of his legs with a deep gash.
He roared as I hopped to my feet on the other side of him and thrust my blade into his back. He yanked away, spinning and bringing his blade toward me.
I jumped back, unable to avoid him entirely. His blade sliced against my stomach, sending a shot of pain through me. I gasped, but it wasn’t deep.
I ducked low, narrowly avoiding his second stroke, and plunged my blade into his heart.
His eyes widened with shock.
I kicked him in the stomach, dislodging him from my blade.
Pain twisted his features. As he fell, he hissed, “They’re coming.”
Damn. He had to mean the Rebel Gods.
He crashed to the ground.
I turned, searching the courtyard. The demons were all felled, quickly disappearing back to their underworlds. My friends raced for the temple. I followed, sprinting up the steps.
“The Rebel Gods are coming,” I shouted as we entered. “As quick as you can, Nix.”
“On it!” She ran for the eternal flame, which burned brightly in the middle of the empty, austere temple.
It emitted a magic that hit me straight in the gut. Memories flitted in my mind, but they were so shadowy that I couldn’t place them.
But it was familiar somehow. Definitely familiar.
I shook my head and turned from the flame.
“Everyone take your places!” I said.
We split up, each taking a spot in the temple, ready to defend Nix as she worked. I was positioned about ten feet in front of her, next to Ana, who would use her shield to protect her. The others scattered around the temple.
I raised my sword and shield. My wings were unfurled. I could take flight at any moment. Tension sang across my skin as I waited for the Rebel Gods. The guards had called them. They were coming.
But could we fight them?
When a voice crackled out of my comms charm, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“We’ve got the documents,” Caro said. “We’re getting out.”
“Hurry,” I said, my gaze glued to the door.
Come on. Come on.
I glanced back at Nix. She knelt next to the flame, her hand stretched out and glowing blue. At her side sat an ugly black rock. It was probably the vessel into which she was transferring the magic.
Nix had to hurry, or we’d be in for a real fight. Tension felt like spiders crawling over my skin as I waited, readiness pulling my muscles tight.
“Halfway there!” Nix said. “There’s a lot of power here.”
I bounced on my feet.
Come on.
Then she stepped through the door. The woman. Again, she was slicked with shiny black oil, her eyes burning bright from within her face. Her magic rolled over me like a wave, sucking the breath from my lungs.
Three Rebel Gods surged into the room behind her. Their magic exploded into the temple, signatures so strong that they made my eyes water. The scent of sulfur, the sounds of screams, the taste of blood.
A huge man who was surrounded by flurries of snow charged Del, who powered up her icicle gift and hurled a huge one at him. He smacked it aside with his hand. It shattered against the wall.
Cade charged a huge god with horns bedecked in gold, while Cass leapt for a goddess who wore a Greek style dress. She dripped blood from her skin, as if she were sweating it.
I took flight, hovering over the woman.
“Hey, you!”
She looked up, green eyes glinting. The black oil that slicked her skin glowed in the light of the eternal flame. Her magic rushed over me like ice. I raised my shield, my heart pounding She hurled a lightning bolt at me. Thunder cracked in the temple, deafening. My eardrums ached as I dodged, narrowly avoiding the blast. It plowed into the ceiling above, smashing apart the marble, which plummeted.
“Look alive, Ana!” Terrified, I glanced toward Nix and Ana.
The rocks bounced off Ana’s shield, and Nix was hard at work, her brow creased.
I turned back to the woman. Mayhem darted around the air, trying to get close enough to blow fire at the woman. But her flame was coming in tiny puffs—she’d used most of it up already.
I threw my dagger. She darted left. I called my other dagger from the ether, throwing it as she heaved another bolt of lightning at me.
I dodged as the lightning cracked toward me.
My dagger’s blade sliced through her arm as the lightning bolt hit me in the foot. Pain surged and I tumbled through the air, briefly losing control.
I slammed to the ground, right next to Cass, who wrestling with the blood-covered god. Mayhem flew circles around me, guarding.
Aching, I scrambled to my feet and took to the air again, hurling another dagger at the woman.
She shrieked and threw another lightning bolt. I dived away, but the ceiling shattered, half of it raining down. I barely managed to avoid being crushed.
The horned Rebel God howled as one of the giant stones landed on his shoulder. It gave Cade the advantage, and he leapt on the god.
“Almost there!” Nix yelled.