Page 34

War of Souls

“ N

O!” Jared roared as Orthrus fell to the ground clutching his stomach with his bleeding hands.

Hands I had no choice but to slice in order to make this look real.

Because of course, I hadn’t actually stabbed him.

I only had to make it look like I had, something Jared knew would happen so as to get someone on the inside. Someone Garmr would foolishly trust.

Me.

Which had been my plan all along, one Jared knew. So, to play his part, Jared ran to his brother as I went off running toward the enemy, Garmr. And as soon as I was close enough, Garmr did what I had expected him to do.

He bellowed out his command to kill them all.

But seeing as we planned for this exact thing to happen, Nero had her spell cast at the ready.

She threw up her hands and created a blue barrier above them.

The size of the blue ring was no bigger than that of a large umbrella that only just covered all three of them.

Jared reached his brothers side just as a rain of arrows filled the sky, heading their way.

As for me, I had to hold back everything in me not to react in horror as I looked behind me and saw the three of them in danger.

I just hoped that Nero’s barrier was strong enough!

And thank the gods it was, but when the second wave hit, raining down on them, I could see her barrier was starting to fail, making her shout,

“IT WON’T HOLD!”

Oh god, what had I done! Had I made a mistake?

Had I put them all in too much jeopardy of getting injured?

! I was so close to using my powers to protect them, saying to hell with the plan, when suddenly I saw a great shadow flying ahead.

And no sooner could it have arrived because this was the cavalry we had planned for!

A third wave of arrows began coming down at them an almighty roar tore through the air.

Then just before the arrows could destroy the rest of Nero’s cover, fire shot across the sky in a long, burning stream.

The arrows all caught fire, scorched to a crisp, and all that was left was ash raining down on them.

I couldn’t help but look up, watching as the McBain brothers swooped across the sky toward Garmr’s army, bellowing out even more fire, this time aimed below.

The combined shifter was a sight to behold, a three headed dragon with three sets of wings, tails, and feet, each different from the other. It was an incredible sight, and even more incredible was the devastation it made on Garmr’s front line.

“NO!” Garmr roared in anger at being denied his kill before his gaze quickly returned to me.

Which meant, next, came the hardest part, and not just for me, but for Jared also.

Because the second I was close enough, I threw myself into Garmr’s awaiting arms, tossing my shacked hands up over his head and around his neck.

Everything in me tried not to recoil back from his embrace, instead forcing my body to relax into it.

“My love!” Garmr said as I cried into him, trying to seem overcome with emotion and relief that we were back together again. As for what was happening behind me, I could hear both sides of the army now charging toward each other.

“Are you hurt?” he asked me, pulling back as much as the chains would allow.

“No, unlike that HellBeast!” I sneered, before adding, “I told you he was mine to punish.”

Garmr grinned down at me, telling me that I had been right, my plan so far was enough to fool him.

“That you did, my love,” he cooed, but then the dragon started to swoop low and blow fire our way. “Quickly, I need to get you out of harm’s way and far from the battle.”

I nodded before he pulled me into the portal. And with each step, he was lured into doing just as we had planned. Because I knew with the added threat headed our way from the sight of the McBain brothers, he would quickly want to leave.

We had planned for them to do this. To put on a show of danger heading our way, and it just added yet another reason for Garmr not to doubt me. And it had worked, because in his panic, he pulled me through the portal that transported us back onto the balcony high on the castle’s battlements.

From way up here, we could see the whole battle at a close enough distance, but without being in danger of it touching us.

“We will not join the fight?” I asked, knowing what Anástasi would have said. In fact, after so long being forced to do nothing but listen to her, it wasn’t surprising just how easy it was to play the part.

“No, not yet, for we have something far more important to do,” he told me before I looked below, keeping my eye on the fight and watching as my uncle led his many legions into battle.

As did the others, and a line of well armored demons all raised their weapons high, about to hit out at what was left of Garmr’s front line.

The scorch marks left in the Earth were still flaming, thanks to the devastation left in the wake of the McBain brothers.

Unfortunately, I also knew that they couldn’t keep this form for long, even less so when producing fire.

Which was why hitting that first line of defense had been so important, because what was left of Garmr’s first legion was easily defeated.

But this was when I started to notice something odd, quickly looking back at Garmr behind me to ask,

“Where are all the Hellhound souls I brought back? Should they not be fighting?” I asked, instantly having a bad feeling about this.

“No, they are not intended for here,” he told me, making me frown back at him.

“But you told me…”

He stepped up to me and took hold of my chin.

“Do you trust me, my queen?”

I was forced to nod, before agreeing.

“Yes, of course, but…”

“Then it is time to bring forth your souls, for they will be needed in this next part of the fight,” he said, taking my hands in his and looking down at my shackles. I felt myself tense because I knew this was the moment we had been waiting for. He frowned down at them and asked,

“These held back your power?”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak in fear of what I might give away.

“She must have been a very powerful witch to cast these,” he said and when he added no more, I knew he was expecting me to say something to this. So, with no choice but to continue to play the part, I told him only half truths.

“My sister, she was there.”

“What?” he asked, shocked.

“Lerna, she was the one who took me from you. I awoke and she smashed something, I breathed it in and it made me sleep. After this I woke up and found myself in the camp and I…”

“You what? Tell me?” he asked eagerly, so I looked up at him in what I prayed was a hopeful expression, one he would take as me seeking his approval.

“I wanted to make you proud.”

His eyes widened before he pulled me close enough to kiss my forehead and again, I had to hold so still, forcing myself not to pull away.

“Did you kill many of them?” he asked, his tone vengeful and full of dark promise.

“Yes, my temper… I just… I just hated that they had taken me from you,” I said, and I knew this was the right thing to say because he grinned.

“Good, you did well, my love. And these?” he asked, nodding to my hands.

“They must have had another spell, as I woke once more, only to find myself bound and unable to attack any more of his men,” I said, now feeling the strange sense of satisfaction… one firmly labeled… revenge.

As this was exactly what Garmr had done to me.

Tried to make me believe his lies, over and over again.

And now… I was finally doing the same back to him.

But unlike what he had done to Anástasi, the difference was that he wanted to believe every word.

He hadn’t been forced like she had been.

I hadn’t used any powers or stripped him of thoughts of his feelings.

He simply heard what I told him and believed what he wanted to and that… that made all the difference.

That made him the vulnerable one.

A captive to my lies.

So, I smiled, held out my hands to him, and asked,

“Let me help you win this war. Take these away and watch as I do what I was born to do… let me be your Summoning Queen,” I added for good measure, and his face showed nothing but love and admiration.

“You don’t know what this means to me, Anástasi.”

I bowed my head back to the shackles, trying not to be affected by the sound of so many deaths below.

Because I wanted this war to be over. I wanted to save as many of our side as I could.

And the longer he waited, the more soldiers would die.

The more chance that someone I loved could get hurt… or worse.

Thankfully, he took my hands in his once more and when his eyes started to glow crimson, it was all but a few seconds before the restraints snapped.

And with it, what would soon mark the end.

But first, I would put on a show, transforming my dress back into my own battle gear.

One that not long ago, Jared had stripped off me, before claiming me as his once more.

Every inch of me was now protected, from my knee length boots, my skintight pants, and my long tunic. But unlike before, I had added to it, with plated armor over my shoulders as a form-fitted breastplate that showcased the symbol for the house of Hades.

My true heritage.

Then I let the power flow through me, relishing in it once more after being parted from it for so long. Because Anástasi had been the one in control before. But now…

Now it was my turn to play the part of the true queen.

He just didn’t know that I wasn’t his yet.

I was Jared’s.

And I always would be.

I turned to face the thousands of soldiers below, feeling Garmr stepping up behind me, whispering to me,

“Take out the front line. The kings, their queens… they are all there. The ones who want you dead. Hit them with the power only you possess, my love.”