The harpy’s squawks turned into panicked screams, its wings flapping. The heavy weight lifted from Cyrus’s chest as the harpy tried to… flee? It was attempting toescapefrom whatever had lit up the sky.
Light burned against Cyrus’s good eye, piercing through the dark haze that threatened to drown him. For a brief moment, he made out a brilliant sea of rose gold shimmering light. It filled the air with the scent of jasmine and pine.
“Prue,” he whispered.
Darkness took him, dragging him beneath its depths.
SONG
EVANDER
Relief coursedthrough Evander when he heard Cyrus’s frantic voice calling for him. And when his brother was lucid enough to taunt him, that gave Evander hope that perhaps they could both survive this.
Until a harpy, who had somehow survived Cyrus’s lightning storm, appeared out of nowhere, tackling Cyrus to the ground.
Evander screamed his name, trying to rise. During the attack, one of the harpies had sliced into Evander’s upper thigh, which was bleeding far too quickly. Silver blood gushed and flowed, and when he attempted to stand, it only worsened. He was losing too much blood.
The sound of ripping flesh echoed, mingling with the harpies shrill shrieks.
It was killing Cyrus. It would tear him apart.
“Move, dammit!” Evander growled at himself. He hastilytore a scrap of fabric, then wrapped it as tightly as he could just below the wound in his thigh. The flow of blood slowed, which was all he needed. He stood again, leg wobbling, then hurried over to Cyrus as quickly as he could.
Before he could reach him, a burst of rose gold light appeared. It was more blinding than Cyrus’s lightning. The glistening aura swept through the sky, sending creatures flying and screaming. Their bodies sank to the earth all around Evander with heavythunks.
A deep bellow resonated from the abyss. Anguished cries echoed.
Evander once more buried his face, trying to avoid getting disintegrated like the other creatures. But, somehow, this light did not harm him.
Somehow, the power knew Evander was not its enemy.
“Mona,” Evander whispered, closing his eyes as his chest warmed. She had done it. She had unlocked her powers.
The earth trembled. The burning light intensified. Evander’s bones rattled as the air pulsed with power. Too much power.
Something vibrated around Evander. His ears prickled, and his skin pebbled. It was a more potent magic than he had ever experienced in all his life. It felt as if the very earth were being cleansed and reborn. The fabric of the universe was being rewritten.
Evander couldn’t breathe. The air was too thin. He swallowed hard, trying to suck in gulps of air, but his lungs were straining.
Just when black spots appeared in his vision and hethought he would lose consciousness, the powerful magic faded. The air stilled once more, and, hesitantly, Evander peered around his hands to survey his surroundings.
Dead hellhounds had fallen alongside the harpies, leaving a broken battlefield of corpses. The harpy that had attacked Cyrus also lay dead.
“Oh, gods,” Evander whispered, hurrying to Cyrus’s side. He sank to a crouch to inspect the damage. There was blood everywhere. Cyrus’s face looked like bloody ribbons. A massive, gaping hole had replaced his left eye. It looked as if the harpy had eaten it.
Bile churned in Evander’s gut, but he swallowed down his unease and checked for a heartbeat. He held his breath, praying,beggingfor that pulse.
And there it was. But it was faint.
Cyrus was certainly dying. The power of the Triple Goddess might have spared him, but it hadn’t healed him.
Evander searched the skies, wondering if Typhon was still here. But even if he was, what could he do?
Mona,he thought.Mona can heal him.
But where was she?
“Help!” Evander bellowed, not caring who heard him. If any creature survived, they might hunt him down. But this was too important.Cyruswas too important. “Someone help me!”
