by Linsey Hall
Jude strode up to us, her face set in stern lines and her starry blue eyes shadowed with exhaustion. We’d been searching for the Titans for five days, and that was on top of the exhausting search that had happened before. No one looked good now, especially not our leader.
“They snuck up during the night,” Jude said. “Silent and swift. We only noticed they were there when Hedy went for a walk on the walls because she couldn’t sleep.”
“Why aren’t they attacking?” Maximus asked.
“They can’t,” Jude said. “At least, not yet. There are a lot of them, but they’re no match for the protection charms on the castle walls.”
The castle had been attacked earlier that year. As a result, the Protectorate had reinforced our boundaries.
“How much more magic would they need to break through?” Maximus asked.
Jude turned toward the army, a frown creasing her brow. “I don’t know. More. Which they could probably get.”
“If the Titans joined them, they might be able to get past our defenses?” I asked.
She pursed her lips. “Probably.”
“So let’s launch the first attack,” Bree said. “Take them out before they can do damage.”
Jude shook her head and pointed. “There are too many. And see the shimmer in the air? They’ve got some kind of protection spell on them. I don’t know what it would take to get through there, but I’d want a bigger army on our side before we tried.”
Maximus propped his hands on the waist-high castle wall and stared at the army. “I think they are a warning of some kind. If they were going to attack, they already would have.”
“A warning of what, though?” Cade asked.
“No idea.”
The rest of us murmured our agreement. If they were going to attack, they wouldn’t just be standing here, giving us warning to beef up our defenses.
Jude cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “What do you want?”
The army was silent for a moment, then a figure stepped forward and shouted, his voice loud and clear, “Rowan Blackwood.”
Well, shit.
My heart thudded hard against my ribs, and Maximus’s hand tightened on mine.
“Well, they can’t have you,” Bree muttered.
“Not happening,” Jude shouted. She turned her back on him and opened her mouth to speak.
Before she could say a word, a voice echoed from the comms charm around my throat. “Rowan? It’s Queen Penthesilea. We need you at headquarters. The Great One wants to speak to you.”
My gaze darted to Jude. I was loyal to the Amazons, but the Protectorate came first. And since we were currently under attack because of me….
“Go,” Jude said. “They clearly aren’t going to attack now, and even if they did, it would take them days to get through our defenses with their numbers. See what this Great One has to say.”
“Who is the Great One?” Bree asked.
“She’s like their wise woman. An oracle of sorts. The queens have consulted her on my behalf before, but she’s never wanted to speak to me directly.”
“It can’t be a coincidence.” Jude waved her hand at the army that waited outside the gates. “No way they show up at the same time the mysterious Great One wants to see you.”
“I’ll go. But call me immediately if you need me,” I said.
“We’ll figure out what the hell is going on here,” Jude said. “In the meantime, see what you can learn. This could be what leads us to the Titans.”
I nodded, sharing one last glance with my sisters, then looked at Maximus. “Do you have a transport charm I can use?”
He nodded and dug into his pocket, then handed two over. “I’m going to visit the Order headquarters and see if they’ve learned anything new, but be careful with the Great One.”
“I’m sure she’s fine.”
“Maybe.” He pulled me close and kissed my forehead.
I blushed, since we were standing right in front of everyone, but I couldn’t help but smile.
I turned from him, leaned over the castle railing, and shouted, “I’m leaving, so there’s no point in attacking.”
Jude grinned. “Nice touch.”
“I thought so.” I made sure to stand near the wall when I chucked the transport charm to the ground. I wanted the army to see me disappear. A silver cloud exploded upward. Right before stepping in, I caught Jude’s gaze. “Seriously, call me if you need me.”
She nodded, and it was the last thing I saw before the ether sucked me in and spun me through space.
I arrived in the main lobby of the Amazons’ headquarters in Istanbul a few minutes later. The street outside of their building had been quiet. Since it was essentially the business district, it didn’t stay alive with nightlife like other parts of town.
Which was for the best, since the Menacing Menagerie accompanied me for the first time ever. A raccoon, a possum, and a badger would be pretty out of place in Istanbul’s most professional neighborhood. I pushed open the big glass door that led into the lobby of the Amazons’ headquarters. Two guards stood in the middle, their keen eyes traveling over us. The Menagerie’s little toenails clicked on the marble floor of the lobby as we walked toward them.
They rose to their feet as we neared. Their black tactical gear was neat and pressed as usual, and they stood at perfect attention.
“The queens are waiting for you on the bottom level,” said the one on the right. Her dark hair gleamed in a long tail down her back, and she shared a look with the blonde at her side. Her expression was serious and slightly worried. It had to be about whatever I would find in the basement. I shifted uncomfortably.
The Great One was always spoken about in hushed tones, and I doubted I’d be sitting at her desk and asking a few questions.
“I will escort you.” She gestured toward the elevators.
“Thanks.” I hurried toward the elevator bank, the warrior at my side. There was a palpable tension in the air that I didn’t normally feel when I visited. The Menagerie followed, and for once, Romeo kept his mouth shut. Honestly, it made me even more nervous.
When we reached the elevator doors, the Amazon reached out and typed a code into the number panel on the right side of the door.
Magic sparked on the air, and a little light turned green on the number panel. Right beneath it, a small silver panel opened to reveal a dark nook in the wall.
“Stick your hand in there like this.” She raised her hand and stuck out her index finger, then held it so her palm faced the ceiling.
I mimicked the gesture and stuck my fingertip into the little cubby. A sharp pain pricked the fleshy pad of my finger, and I winced. “Ouch.”
“Just a little blood magic to make sure your intentions are pure.”
I withdrew my finger and shook it. “They are.”
The elevator doors zipped open.
“It seems the spell agrees.” The Amazon grinned at me. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” I shot her a wary look as I stepped inside.
The Menagerie followed, apparently immune to the need for testing.
As the elevator zoomed to the bottom floor, I wondered how everyone was doing back at the castle.
Had the army attacked yet? Once they did, would we have time to mount our defenses?
Fates, I hoped so.
The elevator descended into the ground, and every few seconds, magic popped against my skin. It felt like protection charms, and they were strong.
Did the Great One herself reside down here, or was it just her office? Was she even a person?
The elevator dinged, and the doors whooshed open.
My gaze zeroed in on the flaming portal that stood in the middle of the empty space. It flickered with red and black light, and just the sight of it made me nervous. I’d never seen a portal that looked quite so ominous, and it was the only thing in the room.
This was a sacred space, a secret space. And if I wanted to meet the Great One, I’d probably
have to step through that creepy portal.
I shivered at the idea, then stiffened my spine.
“Rowan, that was quick.” Queen Penthesilea’s voice echoed across the large, empty room.
I looked toward her, spotting the two queens standing to the right of the portal. The black and red lights had caught my attention so fully that I hadn’t noticed them at first.
As usual, both queens were dressed in the Amazons’ signature black battle gear, with their hair pulled back tightly from their faces. They were tall and graceful, looking like they could take on giants if they were so inclined. Their magic filled the air around them, making it clear that these were some seriously powerful women.
“You said the Great One wanted to see me?” I walked toward them.
“She does,” Queen Hippolyta said. “It is rare that she requests an audience, but we feel that she will likely impart valuable information to you.”
Rare was right. I’d only ever heard whispers of her, but never spoken to an Amazon who had actually seen her, other than the queens.
“I hope she’s got something big,” I said. “Because shit has really hit the fan back at the Protectorate.” I stopped in front of them. The Menacing Menagerie lined up behind me, clearly on their best behavior. I didn’t need to look at them to know they were trying to be good. The silence made that obvious enough.
“You’ve brought your little army.” Queen Hippolyta smiled slightly. She totally liked my tiny dumpster divers. Couldn’t blame her.
“My armed guards,” I said.
“Quite impressive.” She smiled at them, and I glanced back, catching sight of Romeo giving her a wink. “Unfortunately, they cannot accompany you through the portal as they were not invited. And really, it’s no place for animals.”
I swallowed hard as I glanced at the portal, which was still majorly creeping me out.
Romeo gripped the leg of my jeans. I’m not keen on going in there.
“Ditching me so soon?” I asked him.
Just making sure I’m around to save your butt from the Titans.
I reached down and ruffled his little head. “Fair enough.” I looked at Queens Penthesilea and Hippolyta. “Do you know why the Great One wants to speak with me now?”
“We believe something has changed recently, but we do not know what,” said Queen Hippolyta.
“Well, I’d better go find out.” Despite my nerves, I was desperate for answers. We’d been hunting the Titans for five days with no luck. Anything that would help me find them—and defeat them—was welcome.
“Then come on.” Queen Penthesilea gestured me forward, toward the glowing red and black lights.
We walked toward the portal, and I stopped in front of it. Queen Penthesilea stood at my left, and Queen Hippolyta at my right. The Menagerie lined up behind me.
The portal flickered with black and red flames. Heat billowed out, roasting my cheeks and drying my eyes. I blinked, squinting into the eyes of death. I’d never seen a portal with eyes, but this one had two massive red irises that stared straight at me. Something deep in my soul told me that this was death. Despite the massive heat, my skin chilled.
Fates, this was creepy.
Queen Penthesilea sucked in a breath. “If you want to speak to the Great One, you must walk through the flames of the portal and face your greatest fear.”
“Knowledge does not come without sacrifice, and the Great One demands that you earn your way into her audience.”
I’d known this wouldn’t be easy.
“My greatest fear is death?” That didn’t sound quite right.
I didn’t want to die, of course, but I’d never thought that was my greatest fear. If I died, I’d just be…dead. I wouldn’t be around to be miserable about it.
“Look closer.” Queen Penthesilea pointed at the portal.
I squinted, gasping when I spotted the pattern that flickered red and black around the eyes. “My sisters.”
They were dying amongst the flames, the fire devouring their forms.
“That’s not all,” Queen Hippolyta said.
I blinked, looking harder. There were more people in the fire. Jude and Hedy and everyone I’d ever known. They were all dying. Even the Protectorate castle was going up in the inferno. So was the Amazons’ headquarters.
“As far as fears go, I’d say that one is fairly common,” Queen Penthesilea said.
“Losing everything and everyone I love?” I shivered.
“Yes.” She tapped her chin. “Though the dentist is a popular one too. Also, a tax audit.” Queen Hippolyta turned to me, her expression more serious than her voice. “Except that you have a very good reason for your fear, given your current circumstances.”
“Are you ready?” Queen Penthesilea asked.
I wasn’t, but it didn’t matter. I had to be ready. Because Queen Hippolyta was right. I did have a very good reason for my fear.
The misery I was seeing within the portal could happen. It wasn’t some random nightmare. With the Titans on earth, this vision could easily be the future.
Last week, I’d failed to stop the Titans. I may have succeeded in limiting their magic, but the three massively powerful Greek deities were still out there, hatching a plan that would result in the death of everything and everyone I loved.
I swallowed hard and nodded. “I can do this.”
Queen Penthesilea squeezed my arm. “Good. Because you don’t have a choice.”
“We believe in you, though,” Queen Hippolyta said.
Their confidence bolstered my confidence. I hadn’t been an Amazon for long since I’d only come into my power a couple weeks ago. But in that amount of time, I’d grown to love my new sisters-in-arms. The queens were intimidating, but I respected them. Cared for them.
And they were here to help me find the answers to stopping the Titans. Even though they were telling me to step into the mega scary death-portal, I knew it was for the best.
I straightened my shoulders and stepped through the flames.
Immediately, grief stabbed me like an icicle through the heart. I gasped, doubling over. An agony of loss tore the muscles from my bones and pulverized my brain. I felt like a mass of jello, or some kind of sea slug that was glued to the bottom of the ocean by the weight of millions of tons of water.
Holy fates, this was awful.
I wasn’t just confronting the idea of the loss of everyone I loved. I was experiencing what it would feel like.
I’d rather die.
No question.
I sucked in a ragged breath that burned my lungs. I couldn’t die. I had to keep going, because if I didn’t stop the Titans, this horrible future would come true.
“Keep going.” Queen Penthesilea’s voice echoed through the pain that nearly broke my hearing.
“You can’t stop,” Queen Hippolyta said. “Prove your strength.”
I clung to her words as I forced my foot forward, feeling like I was walking through a swamp of pain. Visiting the Amazons’ Great One was a rare honor—I had to earn it.
It took everything I had, but I forced myself to walk through the misery of the portal. Finally—finally—the ether caught hold of me and sucked me in, spinning me through space and delivering me to my final destination.
When I was thrust out into the bright sunlight of a summer day, I staggered, going to my knees.
Groggy, my head aching like a piano had fallen on it, I blinked. Soft green grass sprouted up from between my fingertips. I dug them into the earth, grounding myself.
Fates.
Memories of what I’d seen echoed through my head. Flashes of burning bodies and tortured faces. My loved ones.
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head so hard my brain rattled.
It only worked a little. There were still faded images lurking at the edges of my consciousness, but I didn’t have time to focus on the misery. I needed to keep going.
Keep moving.
Keep working.
Or the Tita
ns would win.
I surged to my feet, head spinning, and looked around.
I stood in a beautiful field full of fresh spring grass and wild flowers. The sun beat down warmly, making the flowers gleam like jewels amongst the emerald blades.
I blinked.
Well, this was different.
So…nice.
Such a contrast to the portal.
In the distance, a glowing golden light shined brightly against the grass. On instinct, I walked toward it. Magic rolled toward me, intensely powerful.
There was someone sitting within the light. I could make out the faintest outline of a person. A woman. But it was her magic that really slapped me in the face.
Holy fates, she was strong.
As I neared, the light faded until it revealed a pale golden ghost of a woman. She sat cross-legged on the grass, and her body was so transparent that I could barely make out her features when her head tilted up toward me. She looked like a modernist watercolor painting done in shades of gold.
“You are the Dragon God.” Her voice echoed with power that made my muscles tremble.
“Um, yeah.” I held out my arms. “Do I live up to expectations?”
“That is, as of yet, unclear.”
I swallowed hard and nodded, suddenly nervous. “Fair enough.”
“Sit.” She gestured.
I followed her command, my insides thrumming with tension. I hoped she’d just blurt out some useful information for me—maybe all the answers to my problems. But since that sounded too good to be true, maybe she’d let me ask some questions.
I had a seemingly impossible problem, after all. It was the perfect kind of thing to ask someone called the Great One. How to stop the three most powerful magical beings in the universe?
Would she even be able to help?
“I can feel your doubt.”
“Sorry.” Dang it, keep it together. “It’s just that I’ve got a really big problem.”
“They all do.”
I nodded. “Well, this is the biggest problem for right now.” It was an understatement, actually. “And I think it’s the reason you called me to you.”
“Indeed, it is.” The shadowy golden figure stretched out her arm and turned her palm upward. “Give me your hand.”
