by Lila Jean
The trouble came in their firepower and sheer force of numbers. To combat this, they would keep low, taking out any scouts or cameras they found, masking their approach and remaining as undetected as possible. No actions would be taken before a thorough scouting of the area was done.
Don’t get cornered. Don’t go out in the open. Don’t get caught. Those were the rules of their rescue mission, and with her priests’ lives on the line, Tina would not fail.
She crouched in a section of the forest that offered the barest view of Epara through the tree trunks, far enough away that no one would see her, but close enough that she could still get a decent view of the area. Zane and Draven knelt beside her, Draven stiff as a statue as he scanned the surrounding area while Zane continued to run his thumbs over his phone, systematically screwing with the complicated network of cameras that had popped up in her absence. One by one, he disabled them, looping their feed to the past twenty-four hours, effectively hiding their approach without anyone else being the wiser.
“Brilliant as ever, darling,” she said, kissing his cheek. He paused as her lips brushed his skin, a goofy grin spreading over his face momentarily while he caught her eye.
“Forest is clear,” Killian said, appearing from the brush behind her without so much as ruffling the leaves on the ground. “Killed three scouts, but no one is the wiser.” He knelt with them, one hand on her back. “We’ll bury them after this is over.”
“They hardly deserve it.” Draven snorted, and smoke billowed out of his nose. “Let them rot.”
“We can have compassion,” Tina said with a sidelong glare. “Even if they lack it, there’s no need to stoop to their level.”
Draven frowned, catching her eye briefly before he returned to scan the forest. He was no doubt still upset that she had come here specifically against his wishes for something he viewed as trivial, but her priests and priestesses weren’t disposable. She had entrusted their care to her High Priestess after being assured Ray had the resources to handle it, and the High Priestess had failed.
Tina should have known better than to put so much pressure on Ray, especially since it seemed like the woman wasn’t exactly happy in her position, but Tina still hoped Ray hadn’t been killed as well. Regardless of how things went so horribly wrong, it was time for Tina to make it right.
“The temple itself is empty.” Flynn pushed his way through the forest and joined them, head low as he spoke in hushed tones. “Half of the rooms are in ruins, but the other half is cleared.” The demigod rubbed his neck, clearly frustrated. “I found a few cameras, but Zane had already gotten to those. No people, no clues, nothing. Wiped clean.” He sighed. “The police cleaned the crime scene, so I couldn’t get anything new from it.”
“Damn.” Tina leaned an elbow on one knee, staring at her ruined temple, hoping against hope clues would pop up soon. “We can’t go in blind. We need something to go on.”
A rush of wind blew past them, and seconds later, a blur sped toward them in the forest as Anthony joined the party. He slowed and knelt beside her, not even winded from his run thanks to his remarkable super speed. All business, he leaned in, giving his report in hushed tones.
“The tunnels are bustling with activity.” His gaze flickered to Flynn, who tensed. “Everyone’s below ground. I smelled gunpowder and metal, so they may be planting explosives to blow it up on us if everything goes south.” Draven shook his head in frustration, and Tina wasn’t too happy with this little development either, but Anthony’s attention shifted toward her as he plowed on. “There are roughly twelve priestesses tied up in the center-most chamber. They’re calling out, allowed to make noise, so it’s clearly bait to draw you in.”
“Probably,” Tina conceded, nodding as she reflected on this new development. “Any soldiers down there?”
“Twenty in black uniforms with body armor.” A dimple appeared in Anthony’s cheek as he no doubt chewed on it, lost in thought. “No logos, no branded gear, nothing, which makes me think they’re disposable guns for hire.”
“Sounds like everyone involved is supposed to die.” Draven glared at Tina. “Still think this is a good idea?”
“Of course, it is,” Zane snapped, and everyone turned to stare at him in surprise. He glared at the dragon shifter, unfazed. “Do you think Odin is going to allow her to fight in the god challenge if she carelessly lets her priests and priestesses die? Do you think that demonstrates the strength and courage he’s looking for in a goddess’s host?”
“I know, I know, Jesus.” Draven growled, returning his glare to the temple ruins. “This whole mess just makes me uneasy.”
Tina set a reassuring hand on her dragon’s shoulder, and he relaxed ever so slightly at her touch. “It’ll be okay as long as we stay together,” she reminded him. “We go in as a team, we come out as a team.”
“Right.” Draven gently grabbed her hand and kissed her palm, never once looking her in the eye. He was nervous, she realized, a feeling she didn’t think he could have. She opened her mouth to console him, to rein in his worries, but Anthony plowed ahead with his report.
“There’s more,” her wolf shifter said, voice tense. “The bottom level of the tunnels is blocked off, but I heard a woman barking orders. She’s mobilizing something, getting ready, and she’s scared.”
“Think that’s our target?” Killian asked Zane, the eagle shifter’s eyes narrowed with intense focus.
“Most likely.” Zane nodded, checking his phone once more before he stuffed it in his pocket. “She goes by the codename ‘Widow’ and has friends in very powerful, very well-funded places.” He gritted his teeth. “She’s been planning this for as long as Damara has been known to the world, and for whatever reason, she has it out for you, Tina.”
“Wonderful.” Tina rolled her eyes. “I love connecting with fans.”
“All right, the plan is simple.” Flynn gestured for them to lean closer, and everyone huddled around him. “We go in together and head for the Widow, Anthony leading the way and using his speed to routinely check for patrols.”
“Done.” Anthony nodded.
“The rest of us walk with Tina at the center, Killian at her side to protect against any attacks using your indestructible body if we’re surprised.”
“Of course.” Killian rubbed Tina’s shoulder reassuringly and smiled warmly, no doubt to allay her nerves, his entrancing touch soothing her even as they prepared to enter the enemy’s stronghold. Truth be told, though, she was ready for battle. If she was supposed to take on a god, then a few humans should be nothing in comparison.
“Anthony, you stay near enough that you can get Tina out of the tunnels quickly if things go south.” Flynn caught Tina’s eye, and it clicked for her in that moment. They were willing to die if it meant getting her to safety in time.
“You’re only okay with me being here because you think it’s more dangerous to split the party or leave me alone,” she said, the realization crashing into her like a tidal wave.
“Tina …” Zane began, but he couldn’t finish whatever he had wanted to say. She’d hit the nail on the head, and as she looked at each of her princes, they stared at her with intense concern.
“Damn it, stop. All of you.” She frowned, looking them in the eye. “I’m not some frilly little damsel you need to keep under lock and key. I’m a goddamn goddess, and you won’t hide me away.”
Flynn sighed. “Tina, I just meant—”
“I’ve nearly stopped your heart several times, Flynn,” she snapped, determined to make her point. “My powers were enough to chase away your fathers, powerful men, some of whom have never lost a battle, much less conceded to a woman.” She did her best not to raise her voice, not here, not where the enemy was so close, but she had to make sure they understood her power. “Draven, your fire can’t even burn me.” She stood, still masked by the cover of the thick surrounding woods. “You all can join me, but I’m not the weak little woman you seem to think I am. It’s best you remember t
hat.” She tilted her chin, glaring down at her beloved princes. “The only one who’s going to die today is the Widow. Do you understand?”
For a moment, none of her princes spoke. They merely watched her, waiting, some of them holding their breath. Finally, Anthony stood and set his hand on the small of her back, kissing her temple once in a silent acceptance. Killian and Zane followed suit. It took a moment, but Flynn and Draven stood as well, and both burly men nodded.
“Fine, woman.” Draven offered her a thin smile. “You win, for now.”
Tina chuckled, a little frustrated with her charming dragon, but grateful nonetheless he had finally seen the light. “Let’s go blow that bitch up.”
36
Tina
Anthony led them to a massive tunnel entrance deep in the woodlands around her temple, and it took a moment for Tina to realize it was the same tunnel Zane had shown her during one of their dates back during the contest. She caught his eye and smiled, reaching over to hold his hand, and her touch seemed to pierce his worry. He squeezed back, resorting to using his phone with only one hand rather than let her go. She smiled, grateful for her darling princes.
When they entered the tunnels below Epara, Anthony led them through the network of caves he had taken, avoiding the halls lit with firelight and lamplight, passing extension cords and cables. Whomever this was, they had moved into her temple in her absence, and, furious at their invasion, she vowed to bash in heads for their desecration of her holy space.
Eventually, they came across a tunnel completely filled in with rubble. Anthony nodded once to it, seeming to imply that this was the tunnel where he had heard the Widow’s voice. Zane pulled out his phone again, the low light on the screen still casting an eerie blue glow on his face as Draven and Flynn gently touched the wall. Tina frowned, rubbing her jaw as she tried to think of the best course of action.
“If Zane plowed through it, they’d hear,” she whispered, careful to keep her voice low so they could go undetected. “But if Anthony could hear them, the rubble obviously isn’t that thick.”
“Maybe my fire is hot enough to melt it.” Draven set his hands against the rock.
“Right, that’s subtle.” Tina rolled her eyes.
“Zane, can you find us another way in?” Flynn asked, whispering as he ran his hands along the rock, no doubt looking for a weak spot.
“Of course.” Zane chewed his lip, focused in his work.
Tina ran her fingers along the rock, feeling for a solution, tapping into Damara’s power as she sought an answer. The goddess knew these tunnels better than anyone, and perhaps she would know the way around, or even better, how to break through the rocks without being detected.
Beneath her fingers, a rock pressed in, like a secret button. Instantaneously, Tina’s world spun as a secret trap door slid open at her feet, and she fell through the floor. She pressed her hand over her mouth impulsively to keep from screaming, dragging the nails of her other hand along the wall to slow her descent. Above her, as fast as the floor had opened, the blue light of Zane’s phone disappeared as the door shut once more.
Tina landed hard on the rock below, rolling on instinct to absorb the impact from the fall. She groaned, trying her best not to be loud, but her very bones ached after the impact and a stinging sensation quickly spread through every joint and muscle. She looked up, but in the shadows of the dark tunnels, she had no idea how far she’d fallen. Carefully, she rolled onto her ass and checked her legs, hoping against hope that nothing was broken. Thankfully, a quick pass of her legs and shins was fine, and while she was definitely going to bruise, nothing had broken or shattered in the fall.
Tentatively, Tina stood, one hand on the wall for support as she got her bearings. This hallway was thinner than the other one had been, only wide enough for one person to comfortably walk through, and it was completely dark except for a single light flickering in a room not far away. A wooden door to the room sat open, shadows dancing over the iron hinges.
Two women spoke in hushed tones, and Tina tensed. She grabbed her dagger, willing her magic to fuse with it, and it glowed almost instantly as Damara’s magic rushed to fill the blade with her power. Tina wasn’t afraid, she was ready, ready to show the world what she could really do, who she could really be, and that she wasn’t someone to be messed with. Not anymore, not now that she and Damara had begun to so fully connect with each other.
One of the women whimpered in pain, yelping like a wounded dog, and she said something again, but this time the voice was familiar.
Ray.
Ray was still alive, and a rush of relief flooded through Tina at the thought. She and the High Priestess had had their differences, but Tina wouldn’t wish death on the woman, especially after all she had done to protect the priests and priestesses under her care, at least to the best of her ability. It was time to make things right, and Tina was prepared to do anything necessary.
Since Tina was alone, she needed to be cautious and careful. Her men would find a way to join her soon, but in the meantime, she needed to at least get information on what was happening. To avoid being seen in the darkness, she wished away the glowing magic in her dagger and pressed her back against the door, peeking tentatively into the barely lit room.
A single lantern sat on a stack of crates along the far wall, casting flickering shadows over everything around it. A slender blond with bright blue eyes held a gun, pointed at Ray, a shivering mess of a woman on the floor, her black hair knotted and messy, the mascara on her face running as she sobbed, hands lifted over her head as if they would save her from a gunshot to the face. The woman holding the gun looked vaguely familiar, but Tina couldn’t put her finger on why, and she held her left arm close, the forearm at an odd angle, clearly broken and covered in blood.
“Please don’t,” Ray whimpered, her voice choked with tears, and she sobbed, shoulders heaving.
“You deserve this,” the blonde woman said, her tone harsh. She set her finger on the trigger, ready to blow a hole in Ray’s head.
Shit. Tina didn’t have time to wait for backup. She had to act now or Ray would die, and it would be her fault.
Quick as a whip, Tina dipped into her magic, summoning her connection with Damara so that she could tap into the hearts of those in the room. Both pulses thundered in her ear, loud as drum beats and that was the final straw for Tina. If it was just her, the Widow, and Ray, she could easily win.
Dipping into her magic, Tina accelerated the Widow’s pulse until it ricocheted, irregular and labored. The woman faltered, the gun lowering, and she gasped. She fell to one knee, dropping the gun as she struggled to breathe, her eyes wide and panicked. Ray stared at her attacker, apparently confused, and it took a moment before the High Priestess got herself together enough to grab the gun off the floor.
With the threat dissolved, Tina showed herself, striding into the space as though it were her throne room, glaring with the full force of her hatred at the girl now sprawled across the floor, still nursing her broken arm. It took a moment, but Tina finally recognized where she’d seen the girl before.
“You’re one of my priestesses,” Tina said, disgusted. “I saw you the day the kings arrived, the day I declared the contest.”
“Wait,” the girl said, gasping, but Tina hadn’t relinquished hold on her heart yet. “You don’t understand.”
“I think I do, actually.” Tina frowned, hand balling into a fist as she decided to do what she had never allowed herself to do before, push this girl’s heart to the limit. It would explode, and Tina would watch her die. It seemed to be a fitting end for someone who had tried to kill her High Priestess.
Beside her, Ray laughed. Tina paused, confused, and stared at the woman as she cackled, the gun in her hands lifting toward Tina.
“Ray, what are you doing?” Tina took a wary step back.
“The moment I feel you use your magic on me, I’ll shoot you.” Ray was breathing heavily, mascara still running, a complete mess as the deep s
hadows in the dark room nearly swallowed her up. “If you so much as try to hurt me, I’ll fill you full of lead, I swear.” She sneered. “I know how to kill a goddess.”
Shit.
Tina tried not to let it show, but her heart dropped into her stomach. “Ray, what the hell are you doing?” Her voice dripped with warning, daring her High Priestess to so much as try to hurt her.
“Looks like your luck has finally run out.” Ray sneered. “Ironic, isn’t it? That stupid twat was trying to save you, Tina.” Ray glared at the girl, her wild eyes full of hatred. “She’s not the Widow. I am!” The High Priestess laughed. “I even managed to fool that precious little tiger prince of yours. Not one person suspected me. Not one!” Ray sneered. “I win, Tina. You lose.”
She glanced at the priestess at her feet, who had managed to sit up and rest against one of the boxes, still nursing her broken arm. “I tried to warn you,” the girl said as she stared at Tina with wide, apologetic eyes. “I’m so sorry I failed.”
“Miranda was so close.” Ray frowned, an intense look of disgust on her face as she glared at the girl. “You almost got ahold of Tina a few times.”
“The scream I heard on the phone …” Tina looked at Miranda, and the girl slowly nodded, eyebrows twisted with remorse and pain.
“But nothing gets past me.” Ray chuckled, the sound more insane than joyful, and adjusted her grip on the gun that was still pointing at Tina’s heart. “I wasn’t chosen as High Priestess, you know.” Her wild eyes flitted back to Tina. “I took it, and I was supposed to be Damara, not you. Everything I did, everyone I killed, it was for a reason. And then, low and behold, a stupid little girl gets in my way.” Ray stretched her neck, revulsion on her face as she gave Tina a once-over. “Some stupid, greedy werewolves do the ceremony before I can get everything ready, and lo and behold, I have to deal with you.”
