However, my powers are too new. I just wanted to create some snow. Instead I summon a massive avalanche down the mountainside. The ground beneath my feet trembles as a wall of white careens straight towards our little group. An electric current of worry charges through my system.
The Air Valta use my own plan against me. I’m so stunned by the oncoming snow that a Valta easily pulls Namare from my arms. I gasp, trying to reach her again. I don’t even get close. Another Air Valta grabs me, pins my arms behind my back, and lifts me from the ground. Rage and panic constrict my throat as the avalanche roars nearer.
What can I do? How can I stop this? I can think of no answers to my questions and Namare’s too near death to offer any wisdom. I wait, suspended and helpless, as the avalanche barrels beneath my feet. The onslaught moves like a great white wave, burying the dead apprentices in its wake. My throat tightens with anger and regret. Namare’s apprentices deserved a better end.
Once the avalanche is gone, the Air Valta keep Namare and me dangling above the ground. Namare heaves and strains for every breath. I writhe under the Valta’s grasp, but can’t break free. I can’t even change shape or manipulate water, either. The Air Valta’s magic easily blocks my too-new powers.
Zephyr floats closer. He stares at Namare, a satisfied smile on his lips. Shivers of fear run down my neck.
“Leave Namare alone,” I say. “This is between us.”
Or, I’d like it to be.
“No, Namare and I have old debts to settle.” Zephyr raises his arms until they’re even with his shoulders. Instantly, a cyclone encircles both Namare and her Air Valta guard. Within seconds, the column of fast-moving wind turns brutal in its strength. Bits of Namare’s flesh are torn from her body.
A knot of rage and grief forms in my stomach. “She’ll be dead soon enough,” I plead. “Please, let her go in peace.”
Zephyr turns to me and bares his teeth. “Veni, vidi, vici. You know what that is?”
I think my ass off. There must be a way turn this situation around. Sadly, I don’t understand whatever Zephyr just said, let alone how to reply. I decide to go for the Hail Mary pass of comebacks.
“It means you’re letting Namare go?”
“No. It’s something my commander said during my mortal life, spoken in the sacred language of Latin. ‘I came, I saw, I conquered.’” Zephyr turns to me. “When I was mortal, I burned more human cities than you can imagine. My Roman legion wiped out entire civilizations. All of them asked for mercy. None received any.” His gray eyes turn wild at the memory.
“So killing is what? Some kind of high for you?”
“It’s my right,” says Zephyr with a snarl. “I’ve never negotiated with lesser creatures. I won’t start now. Once, the Roman Empire ruled. Now, Air is supreme. You give me what I want, when I want it, and you don’t whine for favor. If it suits me, I’ll kill you quickly. That is the meaning of vidi, veni, vici.”
The Air Valta echo his cry. “Air is supreme!”
The cyclone around Namare turns wilder. Bits of bone poke through what’s left of her flesh. She throws her head back and howls, the tendons in her cheeks and chin visible as she cries. I strain to break free from the Valta who holds me. All I can think about is tearing Namare loose. The winds rip the last of her flesh from her skeleton. The Air Valta drops Namare’s lifeless bones to the ground. I shake with sobs of agony and sorrow.
Zephyr rounds on me again. “Now, it’s your turn. Do you know where the Kristalli are?”
“Yes.” I keep staring at Namare’s skeleton. This doesn’t seem real. “I won’t tell you, either.”
“I have other ways to gain this information, you know. I’ve some Water Valta in my dungeons. Perhaps they know something of import?”
“They know nothing.”
Which isn’t exactly true. Some Water Valta know the general location of the hidden Kristalli. Nothing as detailed as what I learned, but if they talked, it could cause some trouble.
I clench my teeth in anger. The Water Valta are pains in my ass. Still, they’re my people. “Leave my guards alone. Release them from your dungeons.”
“If that’s what you wish, then tell me the location of the other Kristalli.”
“That will never happen.”
“I believe you as well,” says Zephyr with a sigh. He motions to his Valta. “Torture the girl as you please, then bring her to my compound.”
White hot rage burns across my skin. There’s that word again. Girl.
“I’ve got another idea.” I say. There’s no logical thought behind the two words that come out of my mouth. “Fight me.”
Zephyr chuckles darkly. “With pleasure.”
I nod toward his Valta. “Get rid of them, then. Or are you afraid to take me on alone?”
“I’ve had two thousand years to hone my skills,” says Zephyr. “You’ve had two minutes. I’ve nothing to fear from you.” He waves his hand and the Air Valta disappear, including the one who was holding me aloft. I fall to the ground with a thud and a groan. Snow and ice bite into my back. Ouch, that hurt.
Zephyr watches me with interest. “Going to fly away, little bird?”
No question what he means. Now that I’m no longer restrained by the Air Valta, I’d like nothing better than to turn into mist and float out of here. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s what I should do. Somehow, I can’t. The vision of Namare writhing under Zephyr’s powers is too fresh. I’m not going anywhere.
I force myself to my feet. “Ready when you are.”
“Good.” Zephyr speeds toward me across the frozen ground, his footfalls barely leaving any mark on the snow-covered earth.
Closing my eyes, I summon a cloud of sub-zero mist to form around him. Fisk warned me about major attacks with my new powers.
Narrow the energy flow, Lianna. Only use a little.
After my mistake with the avalanche, I have to be extra-sensitive with this one. If I go all-out, I’ll make an ice-block the size of an eighteen-wheeler. I don’t want to end up trapped along with my arch-enemy.
I focus my powers, sending a trickle towards Zephyr. A sub-zero mist engulfs him. I order the haze to solidify. Zephyr becomes frozen into a casket-sized block of ice. I exhale a relieved breath.
The wind around me instantly dies. Zephyr remains unmoving inside his icy prison. The silence on the mountaintop turns deafening.
It couldn’t have been that easy, could it?
I move in for a closer look, being extra-careful where I step. The ground here is pretty shaky, what with the recent avalanche along with the natural crevasses on the plateau. It would be easy to take a tumble here, and I need to stay upright.
I reach Zephyr’s ice prison. Sure enough, the Monarkki of Air remains immobile inside. A thin layer of frost covers his gray body.
Tilting my head, I set my hand on the chilly block of ice. Zephyr’s gaze flickers in my direction, his gray irises turning dark with hatred. He’s not completely frozen, and that’s not good. My ice prison is solid, but I could do better. I need to reinforce the cold. My mind races through options and approaches.
How can I keep this guy imprisoned?
Before I have a chance to figure out a plan, the block of ice explodes. Zephyr howls with anger.
“Foolish girl!”
Panic zooms through every inch of my body. The good news is that it’s obvious what I need to do next. The bad news is that it’ll probably imprison both of us forever.
Better imprisoned than dead.
Taking a step back, I summon another, stronger cloud of sub-zero mist. This time, I’m giving it everything I’ve got.
Release all your energy, Lianna. Screw the consequences.
Blue mist engulfs everything. I pump more power into the haze, transforming it into a massive block of ice that’s as long as a freighter. A thousand knifes of cold jab into my skin. Ice encompasses both Zephyr and me. Frost covers my eyes, blinding my sight.
I did it. We’re both trapped, but I di
d it.
The huge ice block wavers on the unstable ground. With a low crackle, the snow beneath us falls apart. The world tilts on its axis as Zephyr and I fall down the mountain. I want to scream, but my mouth is frozen shut.
After that, everything turns dark.
Maxon
Thirty-seven hours… That’s how long I’ve been waiting outside Charybdis. I drum my fingers on the arm of my lawn chair.
Something big is coming, I know it.
Tyberius fidgets in the chair next to mine. “The blue lights stopped hours ago.”
I don’t bother looking at him because I already know what I’ll see: An exhausted guy sitting beside me in the moonlight, his red-rimmed eyes looking at me like I’m nuts.
He’s not totally wrong. I may really be losing it now.
“Did you hear me?” asks Ty.
“Yup. And I caught the twelve other times you said it, too.” I scrub my hand over my face. My eyes sting with the need for sleep. “I don’t care about the reports. I’ve staked out more demons than you have teeth.” I point to Charybdis. “A new kind of battle is waiting in there, you can bank on it.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’m part demon. Goes with the job description.”
That’s the short answer. The long answer is that I’ve spent years in demon battle training with the Furor. They taught me how to integrate and focus my wrath powers. Same goes for lust, as well as my tail. Mom has voices in her head; her powers are like separate people in her mind. Thanks to the Furor, my inner demons are all integrated. Because of that control, I get extra abilities. Long story short, I know when a battle is near.
The desert turns silent once more. I go back to staring at Charybdis, and Ty goes back to staring at me.
It’s getting on my nerves.
“Something else on your mind?” I ask.
“It’s like this.” Ty nervously twists another bead on his dreads. “Uther says we need to talk about it, man.”
“About what?”
“Armageddon.”
Time catches for a second, like the word ‘Armageddon’ has some special power over the universe. Aw, hell. When it comes to me, maybe it does.
“Uther says?” I ask. “So, what? You’re hiding behind him now?”
“Maybe I am. Doesn’t make it any less true.”
I scan Ty carefully. This guy’s my friend. All he wants to do is talk. Trouble is, Ty doesn’t see the real deal on demon patrol. We only cross paths with the bastards for as long as it takes to slice and dice. Ty has no idea what a Class A job like Armageddon does in his spare time, especially with kids. That shit would blow his mind.
I can’t do that to him. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
Ty exhales a long sigh and looks totally miserable. Now, I feel like an ass.
“Don’t get me wrong,” I say. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do.”
“Really?” asks Ty. “Then talk to me. Trust me a little.”
“It’s not about trust, man.” I pat him on the shoulder. “Go back to the Pulpitum. Get some sleep.”
“No, I’ll stay here. You say another demon’s coming, I’ll wait.”
At that moment, dark clouds roll over the sky, blotting out the moonlight. Before us, the sandy-brown earth of Charybdis turns black. My warrior sense snaps into focus.
This could be it.
I hop to my feet, hoping for a pre-battle adrenaline rush. Nothing happens. A wisp of gray smoke rises from the sand and flies off into the sky. It’s weird looking, maybe even magical, but it’s not a fight. My shoulders slump with disappointment.
Damn.
“Is this what you’ve been waiting for?” asks Ty.
“No, it’s something else.”
A great roar sounds from underneath the sand. The heavy smell of charcoal fills the air, followed by a distinctive three-toned roar. You don’t train with the Furor for years without knowing what that means.
Or rather, who that means.
“Chimera’s coming,” I say. A faint kick of adrenaline pumps through my bloodstream. This isn’t the battle I’ve been waiting for. Still, it’s a fight against one of the most notorious Furor dragons ever. That’s better than nothing.
Ty drops his deadlock and spins around to face me. “The Chimera?” He starts searching his pockets for his fireball charm, his features pinched with panic. “Can you take him?”
I bob my head from side to side, weighing the odds. “Maybe, but I won’t try too hard.”
“Why not?”
“Tempest should kill him, not me.”
Long ago, Chimera was the Furor Emperor. His reign started out nice enough. Good laws, great parties, that kind of thing. Soon, Chimera turned out to be a badass sociopath, infamous liar, and self-proclaimed torture artist. Most of all, he was an all-out nightmare to his son Tempest, who’s now the Furor emperor and my good friend. Bottom line? It’s definitely Tempest’s right to kill the old beast.
Bit by bit, a shadowy figure crawls out of the darkened sands. At first, it looks a withered man who’s skeletal and tall in his torn black waistcoat and matching breeches.
“So that’s Chimera.” Ty’s eyes get big as saucers. He doesn’t get to see many Class A demons outside of Charybdis.
“I need you to summon Emperor Tempest,” I say.
Ty shifts his weight from foot to foot, which is his favorite move when he’s stalling. “What if I summon Tempest and he doesn’t want to some here? Should I to bring the other guys back with me?”
Ty brings up a good point. Tempest is a moody son of a bitch. No one knows what he’ll do or why. “Sure, grab the guys.”
Ty licks his lips. “Okay if I wait a little before I leave?”
I get what he’s up to. Ty’s dying to see Chimera for himself. Which is dangerous as hell.
Part of me knows I should order Ty to run anyway, but I don’t. Why ruin his parade? He’s not fighting Chimera, anyway.
“You get one minute,” I say. “After you see the real Chimera, you’re out of here.”
“Thanks, M.” Ty squints at the odd figure. “That’s not him yet?”
“Nope.”
Chimera raises his arms toward the darkened sky. Black dragon scales crawl over every inch of his body. His neck elongates from his shoulders, the vertebrae shifting and twisting like a snake’s. At the same time, his face takes on the features of a lizard, with a wide, flat skull and long, lipless mouth.
Now, I should definitely feel some kind of serious battle kick. I mean, I studied Chimera for years in Furonium. This’ll be a tough fight. Still, I don’t get so much as a drop of adrenaline.
Damn, I am so far gone.
Ty stares at the monster, his mouth hanging open in awe. “So, that’s Chimera.”
“Not yet.”
“Still?”
“Still.”
The old man hunches to one side. A second neck sprouts from his shoulder, the length ending in a hooded cobra-style head with long white fangs and bright red eyes. Chimera then leans back on his heels. A third neck sprouts from the center of his rib cage. This one is silver-scaled with an arched skull.
“Now, that’s Chimera.”
Ty mumbles something that sounds like “humph.” More likely, it was a gasp of shock, which is how normal thrax react to a sight like this.
Chimera’s three heads sniff the air wildly. He remains in hybrid form—part human and part dragon—so he has to really work at catching a scent.
“You two,” Chimera’s heads hiss at us in unison. “You’re thrax.”
My tail sways behind me. “Among other things.”
“Ah, you’re a Furorling, little man.” The three heads smile directly at me. It’s the sick grin you give a kitten before you stomp on their spine, if you’re the kind of guy who enjoys that kind of thing. And Chimera’s definitely that guy.
I turn to Ty. “Summon him,” I order. No need to name Tempest here. If Chimera thinks I’m a
n average Furorling, so much the better.
“You got it.” Ty takes off at a run. The Pulpitum isn’t far, so Tempest should be here in a few minutes. That’ll give me time to play.
Chimera limps closer, his three necks swaying with the movement. “Let me get a good look at you, Furorling.”
“Sure,” I say with a shrug. “Knock yourself out.”
I can’t believe my luck. This guy’s been stuck underground in Charybdis for way too long. A thrax toddler could pick up on this weak attempt at a sneak attack.
Chimera hobbles nearer and stops inches in front of me. His claw-like hands paw at my chest. The touch makes me want to puke.
“Now,” coos Chimera. “What’s a Furorling like you doing in thrax body armor?” His heads lean in closer. “Could this be some kind of disguise?” His voices lower to a whisper. “Are we hiding, perhaps? In need of help?”
“Everyone could use a little help,” I say.
This is the point in any battle where I remind myself that I have rules. Demons are evil, sure. Not all of them are out of control, though. I don’t attack until provoked. Hobbling up to someone and acting like an ass doesn’t qualify as starting a fight. Knowing Chimera’s reputation, it’s only a matter of time before he crosses the line.
A gurgling sound percolates up Chimera’s throats, and that’s when Chimera crosses the line with a vengeance. All his necks hold sacks of deadly venom. One spews yellow acid. The other’s a green-colored paralytic. The last one’s an orange, slow-acting poison. The gurgling sound means that he’s about to spit one or all of them right in my face. Anger heats my bloodstream.
No time to lose.
Quick as lightning, I move to strike. With my dragon-scale hand, I punch through Chimera’s first throat, rip out the venom sack, and toss the small yellow organ to the ground. Meanwhile, my tail tears through the other neck, carving out the blue paralytic and tossing that one aside as well. Chimera can regrow them, but it takes time.
Chimera staggers around, pawing at his necks. The final silver-colored head locks on me, its poisonous venom sack pulsing.
“How dare you?” Chimera’s third head asks.
Maxon Page 5
