Page 15

Behind her, the heat from the inferno radiated like a living thing, pressing against her back.

Flames licked at the sky, their colors vivid and violent—deep oranges and reds interspersed with streaks of eerie blue.

The fire roared with a hunger that matched her own, its sound a deafening, primal force that drowned out the distant murmurs of the darkened city.

Smoke billowed upward, thick and black, blotting out the stars.

Its pungent odor mingled with the underlying metallic tang of burning machinery.

Sweat beaded along Celise’s hairline as the heat intensified, waves of it rolling outward in a suffocating embrace.

Even at a distance, it singed the air, making it difficult to breathe.

She tilted her head, and her heart beat increased as she surveyed the devastation she had wrought.

There was a thrill in it—a satisfaction that bloomed in her chest as she watched the chaos unfold.

She turned to see her sisters standing behind her, their postures tense, their faces illuminated by the hellish glow of the flames.

Crestia smirked, her green eyes reflecting the fire as she crossed her arms. “Well, that’s one way to start a revolution.

” Her voice was almost drowned out by the crackling blaze.

Limaria frowned, her silver hair catching the faint light of the flames as she scanned the darkened city. “It’s not just the plant. Look at the streets. The traffic lights are out. The buildings, too. This isn’t just a blackout. It’s chaos.”

Thraya stepped closer, her light-brown eyes shadowed with worry. She glanced over her shoulder at the plant, the flames casting flickering shadows across her face. “They’ll be coming. The humans. They’ll try to stop us.”

Hishta, as silent as ever, hovered near Thraya, her amber eyes wide as she stared at the fire. She looked almost ghostlike in the glow of the flames. Her curls were damp with sweat, and her lips parted as though she wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words.

Celise smirked. “Let them come. Humans are predictable. They’ll send their sirens, their flashing lights, their little men with guns. And we’ll send them back in pieces.”

As if on cue, the distant wail of sirens broke through the roar of the fire. The piercing sound was frantic, growing louder with every passing second. Red and blue lights flickered in the distance, reflecting off the shattered glass and twisted metal that littered the ground.

Crestia’s grin widened as she turned to Celise. “Shall we greet them?”

Celise gritted her teeth, her patience already wearing thin.

“They’re not worth the energy. But if they insist on dying tonight, who am I to refuse them?

” Celise couldn’t deny the fact that the darkness inside of her was feeding off the destruction and writhed inside of her to be released on anyone that would get in her way.

It was a living, breathing thing dwelling in her, separate from her own being. And she reveled in its power.

The police cars arrived in a screech of tires, their headlights cutting through the darkness. Uniformed officers spilled out. Their faces tensed as they assessed the scene. The lead officer, a burly man with a graying beard, stepped forward, his hand resting on the holster at his hip.

“Stay where you are!” he barked. His voice was authoritative but tinged with uncertainty as his gaze swept over the five women. “This is a restricted area. Identify yourselves!”

Celise’s lips curled into a predatory smile. “Identify ourselves?” she mocked. “How quaint. Tell me, Officer, do you really think you’re in control here?”

The man stiffened, his grip tightening on his weapon. “I won’t ask again. Hands up, all of you!”

Crestia laughed, the sound sharp and biting. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”

“Except you’ve already forgotten that we don’t have any powers,” Thraya pointed out.

Limaria took a step forward, her silver hair catching the glow of the flames. “Celise, we don’t need to do this. Thraya’s right. We have no way to fight them. At least not until you can figure out a way to get us our magic. Let’s just leave.”

Celise’s smile didn’t falter, though she was irritated. “And waste such a lovely opportunity? I don’t think so. Although I think we will leave one so he can scurry off and tell his fellow ants what’s coming. Let them all drown in their fear.”

The officer drew his weapon, his movements swift but shaky. “That’s enough! I said hands up!”

Celise sighed, her patience snapping. “You humans. Always so eager to assert your authority. Always so blind to the fact that you’re nothing more than insects underfoot.”

She raised her hand, and dark magic crackled around her fingers. The officers barely had time to react before shadows surged forward, coiling around their legs and arms like living chains. Their shouts turned to screams as the tendrils tightened and dragged them to their knees.

“Celise!” Thraya’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and desperate. “This isn’t necessary! Let’s just move on to your next project.”

Celise turned to her sister. “Of course, it’s necessary.

They need to understand that their time is over.

” She narrowed her eyes on Thraya. “Don’t you get it?

Sacrifices are necessary if you want change.

And we need change. There is no other option.

Our species, all the supernaturals, will eventually cease to exist. Their magic will be absorbed by these machines, and the long lifespans, nearly immortal, will age and die.

It’s us or them, and I will choose us. Every. Single. Time.”

Thraya’s eyes burned with frustration as she stepped forward.

“And what about us? Are we one of these so-called sacrifices? A sad casualty in your war? Not to sound like a broken record, but your thickheadedness is keeping you from getting it. We don’t have powers anymore, Celise!

You brought us back, but we’re useless in this battle.

What’s the point of any of this if we’re just deadweight? ”

The shadows around the officers faltered for a moment as Celise’s gaze locked on Thraya. She gritted her teeth as she spoke. “You are not useless. I brought you back because I need you. And I will figure out a way to fix this. But until then, you do as I say. Understood?”

Thraya held her gaze for a long moment before looking away, her jaw tight. “Fine,” she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Satisfied, Celise turned back to the officers, and the shadows tightened once more.

She released one of the males before he died, sparing him so that he could warn the humans about what was coming.

The screams of the others were short-lived, silenced as the dark tendrils did their work.

When the last body of her wrath hit the ground, Celise lowered her hand.

Her magic dissipated into the night. She looked at the officer who she’d let live.

The terror in his eyes was incredibly satisfying.

His body shook, and the gun that had been in his hand was on the ground, forgotten.

“What are you?” His words stumbled out of his mouth, and his eyes widened in shock. His skin had gone white, and sweat dotted his brow.

“As cliché as it sounds…” Celise’s lips turned up into a smile that must have been quite wicked because the officer took a step back.

“We’re your worst nightmare. Whatever horrific being you humans create in your imagination, we are beyond that.

Now, scurry along and go alert the masses. The world as you know it is over.”

He stared at her, hands trembling at his sides and his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

“Go!” she snapped. He turned on his heel and ran to one of the police cars.

In less than a minute, he peeled out of the area, his taillights staring back at them as he drove away.

Celise briefly worried that in his emotional state he might have a wreck, then her message wouldn’t make it to anyone.

She shrugged. It didn’t really matter. There was more devastation coming for them.

Soon enough the humans would realize that they were facing something they couldn't possibly defeat.

She turned to her sisters. “We’re leaving. There’s more work to be done.”

“Where to?” Crestia’s green eyes glinted with anticipation.

Celise smirked, her gaze sweeping over the darkened city.

“First, we’re going to find a way to get your powers back.

We will return to some of the taverns I recently frequented and find an elf or fae who can assist us.

Blood magic can do much. Then, we will head to the heart of London.

Let’s see how they fare without their precious landmarks. ”

With that, she turned on her heel, striding into the night as the fire roared behind her. Her sisters followed in her wake.

Thraya shifted uneasily, her warm, pale chocolate eyes flickering to the distant sirens growing louder with every passing second. “And if no one can help us?” she asked cautiously.

Celise’s smirk didn’t waver. “There’s always a way. But someone will help us. They always do—when properly motivated.”

Without waiting for further protests, Celise raised her hands, and dark magic crackled at her fingertips.

Shadows coiled and twisted. The air around her hummed with raw energy.

With a flick of her wrist, she tore open a portal, its edges writhing like a living thing.

Through its shimmering surface, the faint glow of candlelight spilled out, accompanied by the low hum of voices.

“Stay close.” Celise stepped through without hesitation.