"Grace?" She sounded concerned, but I waved her away.
"Please, just do it."
"Of course. We'll be in the clearing across from the bridge. Meet us there?"
"Yes."
I waited for her to leave with Aliana's body and then looked around the immediate area. This place of misery, hatred, and spite was going to be reduced to rubble – a monument for any who would think to subject this world to their whims. A myth of the gods that used to rule this planet for the future generations.
Running my fingertips over a cobbled wall and I absently watched the stone melt beneath my touch. How did I destroy this palace in one shot? My body was still storing quite a bit of the power from the barrier surge. It was possible that I could send out a superheated pulse and just blow it apart. Would my body survive the explosion? Did it matter?
In this volcanic form, I wasn't at my most logical. My fire fed off emotions and I was a fiery walking tower of rage right now. So much anger, so much hurt. I grew up knowing that the world wasn't fair, but I'd hoped that once I had my powers that I could make changes for the better. So far, I was just maintaining. Well, not even that anymore. I was hiding more than anything, hoping to steer clear of Nyx and her children so that I could try for just one more day of normalcy before she killed me.
Well, those days were over. I was tired of hiding and sick of being afraid. This cold war was about to heat up with me at the head of the charge. No more fear.
I gathered the energy close to me and then released it in a piercing war cry. The building blew apart. Dust and small pebbles of glass rained down on my head, and I rose, higher and higher above the ground. A small cyclone of air and fire spun out from my feet and obliterated anything still standing taller than a few feet high, sending it crashing into the ocean.
Finally, my emotion was drained, and I looked down to see that nothing was left of that palace of pain. "Good."
Medusa and George were in the clearing where we'd planned our mini-invasion, and as I drew closer, I could see the shock on Georgie's face. Medusa, on the other hand, was looking at me with intense speculation. I should have been afraid, but I was mostly curious. What was going on behind that face?
"Are you still holding onto that crystal?" She asked.
I looked down at my hands expecting the crystal to be dust along with my clothes. Nothing survived my transition into this form. "Damn," I breathed.
My flames sputtered out, and I stood there, naked, staring down at the pristine crystal in my hand. I nearly dropped it. "I can't keep this." My voice was shaky. Was I going into shock?
"I agree. Maybe right now it's best that you don't hold onto it."
"What do we do with it?" George cleared her throat and gulped. She'd seen this form before when I'd killed Lyssa, but she hadn't witnessed my potential for destruction.
"Are you okay?" I asked, suddenly afraid that I'd wrecked our friendship.
George gave me a tremulous smile and said in a breathy voice. "I didn't realize you were such a badass, Grace. Damn."
"Back to the question at hand," Medusa interrupted. "I think it's safer if we take it back with us."
I shook my head, panicked. "No no no no no. I cannot keep this around me. You saw what I did back there, while I was holding it. I'd blow up the entire Olympus pocket by accident. You keep it."
Medusa reared back in shock. "You would trust me with this?"
My body broke out in goosebumps at the thought, but deep in my soul, I knew that she was the right person to hold onto this cataclysmic weapon. "Yes."
I dropped the crystal into her hand and shuddered with relief. Hecate's madness made a little more sense now.
"I - I am honored that you would trust me with this, Grace. I will keep it safe."
The breath I hadn't realized I was holding expelled in a rush. "Let's get the hell home. It's time to start hunting Nemesis."
"Maybe after a nap," George said, rubbing her eyes. "Going big takes a lot out of me."
"Yeah," I agreed. "And food. Man, I could eat."
My friends - Yes, they were both my friends now. I knew without a doubt that Medusa and I would be friends – laughed, and Medusa said, "Typical."
I ripped open a Rift and gestured for them to go first.
Medusa picked up her sister's new stone form and walked through the swirling portal. I stared into those tormented stone eyes. Hecate now looked like a beautiful, sad statue.
Georgie glanced back at the destruction left behind us and shuddered. "Glad to be going home. See you on the other side."
"Yep," I replied. I turned to the other friend I’d made on this adventure. He’d been standing off to the side, patiently waiting to see if I’d follow through on my promise. “Well, are you ready?”
I hadn’t lied to him. Porkchop wasn’t being left alone on this world. He was coming home with me where he’d be loved and cared for.
He bounced from foot to foot and started chattering. “I have absolutely no idea what you just said, but I’ll take that as a yes.”
I swept my arm toward the portal and bowed. “After you, kind sir. I’ll be right behind you. Please don’t impale me again.” Something that sounded like a chuckle came from his snout, and he trotted through.
I didn't go through right away, though. I too looked back at the destruction I'd wrought on that palace. Nobody should have that much power to throw around. I wasn't tired. In fact, I felt even more energized than before. Giving Medusa the talisman had been a good idea. Because I'd use it. I'd use it to destroy Nyx and her children. I'd use it to obliterate Nemesis. That duplicitous bitch should be terrified right now. Because I was coming for her and she wasn't going to survive the encounter.
A ghost of laughter sounded through the back of my mind, and I froze.
What? No!
I hadn’t checked on him in a long time. I’d just assumed that his body had wasted away when I buried his conscience. That was one of many mistakes I’d need to correct. I felt like a fool for just assuming anything when it came to that monster. Something I hadn’t considered when she’d escaped through the portal, was that Nemesis may know where his body was. Would she be able to wake him? Had she already done so?
“Where in the hell are you Hypnos?” I whispered. After an anxious shudder, I stepped through the Rift. It looked like I wasn’t going to be able to hide or isolate any longer.
Nemesis was correct. The game was on.
Note from the Author
First and foremost, I need to thank Gillian, Jennifer, Katie, Kristie, Nichole, and Sherry. They have so patiently prodded, cheered me on and sometimes even cajoled me into finishing this book. They were integral in getting it just so with their thoughtful feedback and support. Illusions wouldn’t have happened without them and they can’t even imagine how grateful I am for their friendship and insanity. I say insanity because they’d have to be insane to keep up with my neurotic self. (smiles)
Second, my readers have waited so patiently for this book. It probably looked like I’d given up, and man had I. But you guys kept me going. Without you, there wouldn’t be more Grace stories to tell. Thank you.
SJ, you are always, always going to be in this list. You, well… even still you keep me sane through this process.
Last but not least, thanks to all of my friends and co-workers who keep telling me to get to writing and stop screwing around. You guys are a dream to call friend. (Mostly)
About the Author
The perfect day involves a good book, a comfy place to read and infinite cheese enchiladas. When she's not writing books, or managing video game communities, Nicole enjoys reading, cooking, playing video games, and listening to great music. Geeks of the world Unite!
You can connect with Nicole on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thenicolehamlett/
Other Books by Nicole Hamlett
Huntress
Rifts
Volcanoes
Catalyst
Nicole Hamlett, Illusions: A Grace Murphy Novel
Illusions: A Grace Murphy Novel Page 21
