Page 33

Shiri

N o! No! NO!

I fell to my knees, black magic leaching from my fingers, as I picked Aurora’s necklace off the ground. All I could think about was burning down the world to get to her.

How dare they! How dare they! I shook off my mates when they reached for me. I didn’t need comfort. I needed revenge! In that moment, I understood why my aunt had gone mad, because I wanted nothing more than to turn Helian and Ash to dust.

A cry rang out, and Tari was sitting in front of me, Aurora in her lap.

“Aurora!” I lurched forward, snatching Aurora from my sister and draping the tau stone necklace over her head. Then I cried into my niece’s hair while turning my back on the rest of my family. This had been such a bad idea. We were very lucky Aurora and Tari were alive.

“I’m sorry.” Aurora clung to my neck with a sob, her voice muffled against my bosom. “I didn’t want my mommy to die.”

Rocking her in my arms, I kissed her forehead. “I know, sweetheart.”

She blinked at me, tears running over her eyes. “Are you mad?”

“No.” I swiped moisture from her cheeks. “Just, please never do that again.” I forced out the words through a throat constricted with emotion. “I don’t think I could go on if I lost you.”

Ember tugged on my skirts, and I knelt on the ground, taking both girls into my arms, kissing their cheeks while holding them against my chest. I loved these girls so much, as if they were my own children. How dare Helian and Ash assume I didn’t have a say when it came to their safety!

I smiled at Teddy while he awkwardly stood there, his wings drooping behind him. He’d been through so much in the past few days, losing his parents and then almost losing a newfound friend.

“What’s wrong with Tari?” Finn blurted.

I swiped tears from my eyes while watching my sister’s mates wave their hands in front of her face. It was then I noticed her vacant expression, like a morning mist had rolled in from the ocean and coated her eyes.

I shared a worried look with Blaze.

Is she going to be okay? he projected to me through thought.

I shook my head. I don’t know.

“Tari?” Finn pleaded. “Can you hear me?”

Her jaw went slack, and she unfolded her arms, a muddy doll falling from her lap.

“Bethamy!” Ember lurched forward, scooping up the doll and holding it to her chest.

I couldn’t keep track of all of Ember’s Bethamy dolls, since they all had the same name, but I wondered if that was the doll Ember had lost in the flood. I never thought she’d see it again.

Helian knelt beside Tari, shaking her shoulders. “Tari, my love, please answer us.”

Ash paced in front of her like a caged animal, his eyes shifting into glowing slits. “Her eyes are too fogged.”

Finn sat back on his heels, wiping tears from his eyes. “What if she’s lost her memories again?”

Helian gritted his teeth. “Then we get them back.”

Ash threw up his hands. “How?”

Helian dragged a hand down his face. “Kill Megaera.”

“She’s already dead,” Tari said, her voice a dull monotone.

“Tari?” Finn scooted closer to her, taking her hand in his. “Are you okay, darling?”

Was it my imagination, or were my sister’s eyes starting to clear?

Tari blinked at Finn, recognition dawning in her eyes. “Megaera was eaten by an Indus worm.”

“An Indus worm?” Blaze blurted.

Tari’s mates swore.

“Brace yourselves.” Tari wrapped her arms around herself. “The Darkness is coming.”

The Darkness? The demon king?

A loud crack rent the air as if the sky had split open, and the ground shook with such a violent tremor, I feared the castle walls would fall down upon us. I clung to the girls, and Drae threw up a curse chamber moments before a chandelier fell from the ceiling. It bounced off the bubble, striking the floor and setting the carpet on fire. Drae popped the bubble, and my mates stomped out the fire before it could spread.

Ash lifted Tari into his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder while mumbling about needing to close the portal.

Helian ran to the window, pointing at something outside. “What is that ?”

I pressed the girls to my sides and looked out the window as a wicked bolt of lightning zig-zagged across the sky, exposing the biggest dragon I’d ever seen, even bigger than the Nephilim, only this dragon had seven heads attached to seven long necks that waved in the air like slithering snakes, and he was gripping the seawall! If he destroyed that wall, we were definitely screwed. So, this was Mephis’s Infernal form? No wonder he’d been able to control Drae.

Dragons swarmed the creature, but he easily knocked them down with one of his seven heads, splitting them in half and flinging their lifeless bodies into the ocean.

Helian let out a war cry, punching the air. “We have to do something!”

“What can we do?” Drae blinked again and again while staring out the window, as if he didn’t believe his own eyes.

“We’re fucked.” Ash adjusted Tari in his arms. “No way in hell am I letting you go up against that.”

“Do you think your siren could control it?” Blaze asked me.

I gaped at him. “I-I don’t know.” But Elements help me, I needed to try.

Ember tugged on my skirts while blinking up at me. “You can if you know his familiar name.”

“Do you know it?” I blurted.

She nodded. “Satanas.”

I knelt beside her, grasping her shoulders. “Your friends told you this?”

When she nodded again, I kissed the top of my niece’s head. “Thank you, darling.”

Tari pushed against Ash’s chest. “I have to go.”

He refused to release her. “Where?”

“To the portal,” she said on a slow drawl, as if she was still waking up. “I need to close it.”

Ash’s eyes flared with rage. “Have you gone mad?”

She flattened her hand against his chest. “Cassandra said if we close the portal where the Infernal came from, the demon will be sucked back into hell. I saw the portal when Megaera captured me.”

The room shook again as another loud crack rent the air. I peered out the window, horrified when lightning flew out of the demon king’s dragon mouths. The idea of closing the portal was looking better and better, because I sure as heck didn’t want to go up against that monster. “Do you remember the spell?” I asked my sister.

She nodded. “This will never end so long as the portals are open. I’m closing that one, and then I’m going over the mountains and closing the other one.”

Ash let out a groan when Tari slipped from his arms, straightening her skirts.

He clutched her arm, snarling. “I’m going with you.”

Helian grabbed her other arm, his features hardening with resolve. “So am I.”

“Don’t get yourself killed, sister,” Tari said to me. “Just distract the demon king until I can send him back to hell.”

My mates swore, and I swallowed back bile. How the hell was I supposed to distract that beast without getting killed?

* * *

Shiri

I CARRIED AURORA TO the battlements while Tari carried Ember. I kept glancing behind me to make sure Teddy followed us. There were no words to describe the scene at the seawall, other than pure chaos. Lightning streaked the sky while dragons swarmed the seven-headed beast that clung to the other side of the wall, water dripping off its scales. It stood upright like a Fae with two arms, talons for fingers, and one long, leathery tail that moved like a whip and ended in a set of about a dozen wicked spikes. Each serpent head had strange, translucent bubbles around their faces that covered the eyes and head but left their snouts and fangs exposed. Odd. What were those things?

Along the beach were at least three dozen long, slimy creatures as big as dragons, though they had no legs or wings and slithered like snakes. They, too, had strange translucent bubbles that wrapped around their necks, covering their ear slits.

“Indus worms,” Tari rasped, her jaw dropping, shock and horror reflecting in her eyes.

“Do you remember seeing those bubbles on their heads before?” I asked.

She squinted at the worms and shook her head. Why would these monsters need invisible shields for just the tops of their heads?

A sickening feeling washed over me when I realized what they were probably for. “I think the shields are to protect them from the siren song.”

“Then we’re screwed,” Helian blurted.

I nervously chewed my lip. “We’ll have to find another way to destroy them.” If I could defeat the undead without my siren, I could fight these monsters, too.

Mages, shifters, dragons, and our two wyverns valiantly tried to fight the worms back as they slithered over the wall dividing Delfi from Windhaven, adding to their numbers, and I feared the supply of worms was never-ending. If they could breach the Windhaven wall, they could scale the castle! Thousands of Fae had been relocated to the castle keep, clinging to each other while war raged around them. They would soon be carrion for the worms if we didn’t stop them.

My breath hitched when I saw Isa and Radnor leading the charge, dodging lightning and all seven slithering heads. Dragons cried out, spiraling toward the water when one of the beast heads bit them.

Isa! I projected to my dragon.

Get Triss out of here! she answered. This beast shoots venom and lightning!

I will , I answered. Please don’t die. I’m coming!

We ran beneath a giant, gray shield, a curse chamber in the shape of an umbrella, held up by Malvolia and a few of her stronger firemages. Drae ran to them, using his magic to help them hold it.

Triss cowered in the corner, her tail wrapped around her legs while she looked at me with frightened, watery eyes. I handed Aurora to Finn and stroked Triss’s neck, trying to soothe her.

We helped Finn load the girls onto Triss. Marius handed Teddy to Finn, and they climbed behind the girls. I waved goodbye to them before they disappeared, teleporting to Abyssus, where I prayed they’d be safe.

My sister gritted her teeth, putting on her warrior face before giving me a tight hug. Don’t die, sister , she projected to me.

You too , I answered, choosing to avoid looking at Helian and Ash. Those two were still on my troll-dung list.

Our mother ran up to us, trying to hug Tari, but my sister waved her aside.

“Get below, Mother,” Tari commanded, signaling to Derrick. “It’s not safe up here.”

Mother gaped at us as Derrick pulled her away.

Then Tari ripped open the air with her hands, creating a portal into what looked like an underground sewer. Raising his sword, Helian went in first, followed by Ash in his upright, monster wolf form as he carried Tari. I gave a start when the portal snapped shut behind them.

“Elements, protect my sister,” I whispered, reluctantly adding, “and her mates, too.” As angry as I was with Helian and Ash, I didn’t want them to die.

“Shirina!” Malvolia shrieked, appearing ready to collapse beneath the weight of the curse chamber while she held it over her head. “Do something! He’s going to smash the wall!”

I gritted my teeth, magic swelling my fingers. “Not if we can help it.”

Nikkos grabbed my arm, panic lacing his words. “We don’t have a plan!”

Blaze snapped open his wings, his eyes hardened with determination. “I’m going to distract him, so you can take him down.”

My heart took off at a race. “No, Blaze!”

“I have to.” He turned his gaze to the sky as another dragon cried out before being flung onto the beach. “Nobody flies as fast as me.”

“Take me with you,” I pleaded, panic tightening my chest.

“No.” His eyes shone with moisture as he dragged his knuckles down the side of my face. I love you , he projected to me. He kissed me hard, breaking away from me too soon, jumping into the air in a blur before I could stop him.

I turned to Nikkos. “I have to go!”

Nikkos gritted his teeth. “Not without me.”

I’ll take you, Goddess. Isa’s dark voice reverberated in my mind. Let me magnify your powers. Radnor is getting too bold. That beast is going to kill my mate.

She flew toward the battlements, landing just outside the umbrella.

“This way!” I called to Nikkos.

He followed me, using his wings to shield me from falling debris.

He flew me on top of Isa, and I’d just strapped into the saddle when Drae ran from beneath the curse chamber, wildly waving his arms.

“No, Shiri!”

I grabbed on to the pommel. No way was I letting Blaze attack the beast without my help. “We’re going, Drae. You can either come with me or stay here.”

“Go!” He waved us away. “I’ll follow.”

Nikkos wrapped his arms around my waist before Isa jumped into the sky. I looked over my shoulder, catching Drae’s eyes as he followed us.

Isa flew wide circles around the demon king’s heads. The creature must’ve recognized us, because all seven serpent heads spun toward us, hissing like venomous snakes. The beast released the wall, jumping into the sky, those translucent bubbles around its heads jiggling with the movement. If we were able to pop them, I could use my siren voice on the monster.

I clung to the saddle and Nikkos held me tight when its massive batlike wings displaced the air and blew us back.

Hang on! Isa projected as we spiraled through the air.

Nikkos flew off her back with a cry, spinning in the other direction. Panic gripped my chest when I lost sight of him. I lost sight of Drae and Blaze, too, and I worried they’d been killed.

Radnor roared, latching on to the beast’s barbed tail.

Hearing a snap, my heart caught in my throat when Radnor let out an agonized roar, flying across the sky like a falling comet.

Isa’s mournful wail reverberated in my mind.

I clung to her scales. Tari will heal him as soon as we defeat this monster , I tried to reassure her, though I prayed Radnor wasn’t already dead.

Hovering in front of us, the beast threw back all seven heads, letting out several roars, then focused on me with hooded eyes. You should’ve left me in your mate’s body. I told you you’d regret it, Princess. A dark, thunderous laugh cut through the thick, humid air. Now you will die!

A tremor coursed through me at the sound of his oily voice in my head. How was he able to mindspeak me?

A blur of black feathers swarmed around the demon, a burst of flame, a flash of steel. Blaze! The monster furiously flapped his wings, trying to attack Blaze as he continued his assault, slicing open the flesh of its exposed necks.

This was my chance to destroy the beast. I rubbed Isa’s scales, praying it worked. I gave a start when Nikkos landed hard in the saddle behind me, gripping my waist.

“Nikkos!”

Never mind me. His booming voice echoed in my head. Focus on the monster, Shiri. You’ve defeated him before. You can do it again. He’s the same demon, just in a different body.

I swallowed, focusing all my attention on my magic while rubbing Isa’s scales. The magic gathered strength in my chest and fingers.

Blaze, duck! I called to him through thought before launching a ball of black magic at the demon.

Blaze disappeared in a blur moments before my black magic hit the monster.

The magic lit up like starbursts when it hit the beast’s chest and fanned up its necks and maws. The beast cried out, its heads whipping in the air, its wings faltering before it fell into the ocean, the water bubbling as it slipped beneath the waves.

Nikkos squeezed me tight. “You did it, Shiri!”

I gasped when Isa shuddered beneath me, her wings sagging.

Isa , I called in her mind, but she didn’t respond.

“Oh, no!” I cried out. “I drained too much of her energy!”

Before I could react, Nikkos snatched off my belt and whipped me from the saddle. I screamed when Isa separated from us, falling through the sky like a bird with clipped wings.

Isa!

My heart plummeted when she hit the water with a violent splash, then I gave a start as a loud roar sounded behind us.

Move out of the way! Radnor dove on top of Isa’s lifeless body, trying to lift her from the ocean, though he struggled, with one of his front legs broken and bent at an awkward angle. It took two other dragons to help him heave her over the wall.

Tears stung my eyes as Nikkos followed them.

We landed on the beach in a spray of sand. Dragons formed a barrier between us and the worms while Radnor whimpered and nudged Isa with his snout. She was breathing, though barely. I clutched my throat while watching Radnor try to wake her. I hadn’t realized I was draining too much of her energy. Why hadn’t she warned me? We needed Tari back to heal her.

I spun around when Blaze landed behind us. “Where’s Drae?”

“There!” Blaze pointed to a lone mage on the castle ramparts blowing a stream of fire onto the worms that slithered up the walls. “The worms are trying to breach the castle!”

Cries rang out as more and more worms slithered over the Windhaven wall. There had to be hundreds, maybe thousands, of them. There was no way the mages and dragons could fight them all.

Freya and Enso flew past us, letting out excited squawks as they soared over the seawall. Where were they going?

The thunderous flapping of wings filled the sky above us, as if we’d been struck by a powerful cyclone. Thousands of wings blotted out the moonlight like one continuous black thundercloud. Freya and Enso dove toward us, flying circles around our heads while letting out excited squawks.

Thousands of wyverns descended, their sharp talons slicing into the worms and shredding them to bits, even popping the magical bubbles covering their ear slits. Warrior satyrs jumped from the backs of wyverns, shields lined up above their heads while they moved as one, slicing open worms with spears. We ran under Radnor’s wing when worm and wyvern droppings rained down on us. Elements, save us!

* * *

Tari

A SH CARRIED ME, FOLLOWING Helian, who led the way with his sword raised. My mates sloshed through soupy water that was so deep, it almost went up to Helian’s chest. And the smell was so unbearable, I wondered if we were in the sewers. I didn’t remember this tunnel. Why hadn’t my portal taken us to the dungeon with Megaera’s mists? We had no idea where we were going, but we trusted in the fireflies that lit the way through one tunnel and down another while my mates grumbled.

I don’t understand , I projected to them. The dungeon we were in only had ankle-deep mud and no water.

There must be a reason your magic didn’t take you straight there , Helian answered through thought. If that’s where you saw the portal, it’s being overrun with Indus worms right now. You saw how many were slithering over the walls.

He was right. Damn. How would we be able to close the portal with so many worms in the way?

My mates finally sloshed their way to another long tunnel with mud that only went up to Helian’s shins.

I looked over Ash’s furry shoulder while clinging to his neck, grateful he’d carried me as two bulging, bright eyes blinked at me from the water we’d just traversed.

Was that a sewer? I asked them.

Helian heaved a groan while tightly gripping his sword. I don’t want to know if it was.

Ash followed Helian up a steep tunnel through slippery mud. Helian lost his footing a few times, apologizing when he jarred into Ash. My shifter mate grumbled every time he had to balance me with one arm and stop Helian from sliding back.

Your claws can dig into this slime , Helian grumbled.

Just keep moving , Ash answered tersely.

But then Helian stopped, his jaw dropping as the fireflies fluttered to the other end of the tunnel, illuminating a cavern with hundreds of Indus worms squirming on top of one another like maggots on a week-old carcass.

Holy Elements. I clutched my roiling stomach, fearing I was going to be sick.

Helian turned to me, shadows darkening his eyes. You’re the only one who can destroy them .

I swallowed back my fear. He was right. But was my magic strong enough to defeat thousands of monster worms and close the portal?

Helian took my face in his hands, our lips only a breath away while he pressed his forehead to mine. You can do this, Tari . He looked up at Ash. We have faith in you. Just tell us what to do.

He was right, and as scared as I was, I didn’t have time to doubt my magic when Thebes was under attack. My family needed me to close that portal.

I clung to Ash’s neck, gathering the nerve to face the horrors of what lay ahead.

Take me to the monsters , I answered, desperately searching their eyes. Then stay with me.

Ash’s low growl rattled my bones while he squeezed me tight. Always.

Swallowing back the bile that burned my throat, I let magic swell my fingers. “Let’s do this.”

By the time we reached the top of the cavern, the swell of worms was so thick, I couldn’t see past their slimy bodies.

Ash set me down, and I rolled up my sleeves, my mates holding on to my shoulders as I summoned my magic. Closing my eyes, I thought of my children, the way Ember sucked her thumb and Aurora’s mischievous smile. I thought of my unborn child with Helian’s eyes and silvery hair. I thought of Shiri’s dedication to my children, and Drae, Blaze, and Nikkos taking care of my daughters as if they were their own. I thought of Isa, Triss, and Radnor. I thought of my parents, especially Marius, the father I never got to know. I thought of my rabbits and Wolfy, of Bea, Beau, and Enso. I thought of Cassandra, Gadea, and even Arabella and Malvolia. So many Fae who depended on this moment, on me delivering them from the evil that plagued our world.

I couldn’t fail them.

Exhaling a slow breath, I reached deep within my well of magic, imagining turning every last worm to dust. I balled up the magic and threw it with a roar, falling against my mates when the air whooshed from my lungs.

Thousands of terrified screams rent the air as magic crackled through the cavern, driving away the darkness with a light so white, it burned my eyes.

Helian and I clung to Ash when a boom shook the cavern, and a gust of wind threatened to blow us back. Ash held us steady with a roar as wind and dust hit us with the force of a gale.

Then the light faded, and the fireflies sprang to life again, revealing an empty, dark cavern where the worms had been slithering moments ago. The wind had blown away the dust from the worms, most of it coating us. I wiped my mouth and eyes while trying not to vomit.

Ash carried me across the cavern and into a smaller room that I recognized when I saw the familiar pool of mists.

Helian heaved a sigh, his shoulders falling as he looked over his shoulder at me. Is this it, Tari?

I nodded while praying I had enough strength to destroy the portal after using so much magic on the worms.

Ash set me down in front of the mists, which appeared innocuous, just a pool with steam, much like the ones the gray witches used to see into the future, though I knew better.

I leaned against my mates, grasping their arms. I need your strength again.

Ash rubbed my arm with clawed fingers. We’re here for you, Tari.

Helian traced the side of my face with calloused knuckles, brushing the sweetest of kisses across my lips. You can do this, darling.

Their faith in me, and the love from Helian’s kiss, infused my veins with magic. I could do this. I had to do this.

I swallowed back bile, recalling the spell Cassandra had taught me. I summoned my magic again, letting the white light flow from my hands to the portal. “Clausa porta infernio,” I called.

The portal shuddered with so much force, it nearly knocked us over.

Helian pulled me back. “Let’s not stand so close.”

“Good idea,” I said. Cassandra had said that the portal had to be in our sights, but I didn’t want to stand too close.

We moved several paces away, and I summoned my magic again, repeating the spell until the portal shuddered harder, the mist dissipating before it opened into a big, fleshy hole in the ground.

We moved beneath the shadow of the tunnel entrance just in time, because the earth heaved, and a giant Indus worm slid into the portal with a screech, followed by another and another. Where had that worm come from? Was the portal sucking them in from outside the cavern?

The wind picked up, knocking us into the mud, before I felt the pull of the portal. Great Goddess! Ash dug his talons into the side of the wall, clinging to me with his other arm. Helian drove his sword into the earth, holding on to the hilt with dear life as wind whipped around us while sucking worm after worm into the hole.

Elements save us, for I feared we wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer!

* * *

Shiri

C HEERS RANG OUT ACROSS the beach, echoing off the walls as wyverns, satyrs, shifters, and dragons slaughtered the worms. I’d no idea the satyr priests and priestesses were also killer goats.

Drae flew down to us, raising a curse chamber over our heads, blocking the worms’ deadly venom while wyverns and dragons snatched them back by their tails.

Radnor warmed Isa with his body, guarding his mate as her breathing became steadier. I still felt terrible for draining her energy, and I could tell by the dark looks Radnor gave me that he wasn’t happy with me, either.

Several roars rang out, our only warning before a wave washed over the wall. I sucked in a scream, the contents of my stomach rising to my throat as Blaze snatched me up, launching into the sky. Nikkos and Drae took to the air, too, but the dragons weren’t so lucky, crying out while the water barreled down on them. Radnor managed to tread the current, keeping Isa’s head above water until they landed on the other end of the beach.

My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest when seven serpent heads appeared from behind the wall, their forked tongues darting out of their mouths while they glared down at me. The scales had melted from the beast’s chest, open wounds exposed on its throats, but the monster still lived. What the hell would it take to kill it? It was then I realized the translucent bubbles covering its heads were gone.

“Fuuuck!” Blaze jerked back moments before the seven-headed beast launched over the wall, crushing several dragons and wyverns when it landed.

My mates and I landed on a grassy knoll above the beach, and Drae threw out a curse chamber to protect us.

Radnor pushed Isa behind him. He leaned on his good leg while guarding his mate with a growl, but he was no match for seven demonic serpents. When they reared back as if to strike him, I knew I had to do something.

Without a moment to lose, I pulled back my shoulders, summoning my siren. “Satanas, hold!”

The monster stilled, all seven heads going eerily still. Only its eyes moved, all fourteen of them glaring at me through serpentine slits.

You can’t hold me forever, witch , the demon’s ominous rumble echoed in my mind. I will summon more shields to break the spell. My magic is stronger than yours .

Several cries rang out. A cyclone of wind kicked up sand and debris, sweeping up Indus worms as it spun across the beach, sucking them down into a funnel that stretched across the wall dividing Thebes from Windhaven. It was then that I knew Tari had found the portal.

I smiled up at Satanas. “Your magic might be stronger than mine, but it’s not stronger than my sister’s.”

His eyes bulged when the cyclone widened, sucking him into its funnel, too, silencing his roars of protest and slamming him against the Windhaven wall before pulling him over the top.

Blaze slanted a smile. “That’s one way to get rid of the demon.”

The crowd broke into cheers. Drae popped the bubble, and I went boneless in my mates’ arms as every last demon was swept away.

We fell into a heap on the grass, hugging and crying and thanking the Elements. Drae flew me to the battlements as Nikkos and Blaze followed us.

My heart raced when we landed, and I saw no sign of Tari.

Mages and witches cried and hugged each other as my mates led me through the crush of Fae. We finally made it to the top of the turret overlooking the city where Malvolia and my parents were waiting.

Much to my surprise, my aunt welcomed me with a hug. “Congratulations, Shirina.” She kissed my cheek. “I knew you could do it.”

Wow. I never knew this side of Malvolia existed.

A loud rattle shook the battlements, and I spun around, bracing myself for another attack. My heart stuttered, then soared when the battlement wall ripped open, and Helian stepped through the portal, followed by Ash in his monster form, carrying my sister.

They were covered in mud and looked like they’d traversed through hell to get here. Maybe they had, but all that mattered was they were safe.

The crowd went silent, parting for them as Ash set Tari down on the ground.

Even though my sister’s hair was caked in mud and stuck to one side of her face, she smoothed wrinkles out of her gown and regally turned up her chin. “Well,” she said to the crowd. “Why are you all just standing there? The portals are closed. The demons are back in hell. It’s time to celebrate!”