“Evander,” Mona breathed, her eyes sparking with hope.
Prue was panting, a stitch forming in her side. Hot blood dripped from the side of her head. Her wound had reopened.
She wouldn’t last much longer.
“It’s just past that tree,” Lagos murmured, pointing to a jagged stump of a tree that marked the beginning of the dead forest.
“If we move from here, we’ll be exposed,” Mona said. “They’ll see us.”
Lagos pulled a glass vial from his pocket. It was filled with a liquid the same color as the smoke from earlier. “Ihave one left. We can use it now, but it won’t last long.” He glanced at Prue, then made a gruff noise of concern.
Prue shook her head. “I… can’t,” she wheezed. “Nothing… left.”
“I can do it,” Mona said. “Break the glass, and I’ll hold them off.”
“Mona,” Prue rasped. “Don’t.”
“I have no intention of dying today,” she said firmly. “I’ll be right behind you. I swear it.”
Prue nodded, somewhat appeased by this. Too often, her sister sacrificed herself to save others. She couldn’t bear to watch it happen again.
“All right,” Lagos whispered, glancing at them both. “Prepare yourselves.”
He hurled the glass to the ground.
And the three of them sprinted toward the trees.
Prue focused on her steps, one foot in front of the other, as she pushed as hard as she could.Move,she urged.Faster. Run!Her breaths seemed to tear through her chest. Pain lanced through her head, streaking across her brain like a line of fire.
The ground rumbled as Mona’s power surged to life. Cracks appeared, and thorny vines sprang forth.
Titans shouted from behind them. One of them cried out, but his voice was cut off. Prue envisioned one of Mona’s brambles strangling him.
They were so close now. Just a few more steps.
Mona screamed. Prue faltered, then released her hold on Lagos’s hand.
Atlas had Mona by the throat. His dark eyes bored intoPrue’s as he squeezed. Mona’s body convulsed. She clawed at his hand, trying to loosen his grip.
“No!” Prue roared, barreling forward. She didn’t care that her energy was gone. She didn’t care if she had no strength left.
Shewould not loseher sister. Not today. Not ever.
Before she could crash into the Titan, Lagos surpassed her. With his head bowed, he launched himself straight into Atlas’s chest, horns out. A sickening crunch echoed around them as Lagos’s horns impaled the Titan. But Lagos kept pushing, driving deeper into Atlas’s flesh. The Titan shrieked, the sound piercing the air.
Atlas released Mona, who fell to the ground in a heap, gasping for air. Prue was at her side in an instant, helping her to her feet. Mona blinked at her, dazed, but still alive.
Thank the Goddess.
“Lagos!” Prue shrieked. Atlas’s arms were flailing as he tried to pull Lagos’s horns free. But the demon was relentless, shoving harder, his roars of fury feral and unhinged.
“Prue, I see it!” Mona cried, pointing toward the tree.
Prue followed her gaze and found a small rip gleaming through the tree bark. If she squinted, she could barely make out Cyrus’s face on the other side.
“Prue!” he shouted. His voice called to her soul, beckoning her, drawing her closer. She yearned to run to him.
But she couldn’t leave Lagos.
