“Fuck, why did I like you calling yourself Mommy?” Pierce grumbles, adjusting himself. I let out a laugh feeling like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders now that we’re all back together. I’d been missing my friend and her little devoted band of idiots. I quickly sober up though, remembering that she didn’t know we’re sisters, and I’d have to be the one to tell her.
“We have so much to catch up on. What the hell is this place, and what are you all doing here?” Skye asks, her words rushing out so fast that they blur together.
“We’re in the Underworld. A purgatory of sorts and we were tasked with retrieving an item.” My eyes dart to where the three demons lay motionless. “We should probably get moving though, I don’t know how long they’ll be out of commission and there is so much to tell you.” Skye follows my gaze and shrieks.
“What are those?”
Lukas steps up to where the three demons are and lands a kick to one square in the stomach. “Fuck you.” He reels back and spits on the crumpled form. “That’s for fucking with us for the last two years of our lives. I hope you rot down here.”
“We should get moving.” Garrison implores, his hands wringing together as he keeps watch.
“He’s right, we shouldn’t linger here. We’re not far enough away from the castle yet, and who knows if they’ve raised the alarm.” Walker chimes in, a frown pulls at his scarred forehead. If we weren’t desperately in need of getting the fuck out of here, I would’ve kissed that worried forehead of his. I hate all this running that we’ve had to do, but it’s this or die down here, and I won’t let that last one be an option. With the threat of others going after the box, I know we have to continue.
As we gather ourselves, a loud shriek comes from behind a dense cloud.
“What was that?” Emmet asks, eyes wide and knuckles clenched as if he’s ready to punch whatever it is that’s making the ear-piercing sound.
A large black form bursts through cutting the large cloud with its massive wings.
“That, was a motherfucking dragon.” Pierce exclaims with his mouth dropped open. I watch in horror as it banks in the sky and barrels straight towards us.
CHAPTER31
Chapter Thirty-One
SKYE
SONG: I SEE FIRE BY ED SHEERAN
Idon’t even have time to blink before a wall of fire is aimed right at us. I raise my hands on instinct and close my eyes, bracing for the impending impact. But it doesn’t come.
I chance a look and see we’re surrounded by flames on all sides, but it’s held off by what looks like a bubble of protection.
“Holy shit, Skye. You saved us.” Pierce gapes at me as he huddles against Salem as if he was planning on protecting her with his body.
“I haven’t had time to catch you up on everything.” Salem says to Pierce, but also seems to be talking to me at the same time.
“Well, we don’t have time for it now either. That thing is coming back.”
I brace myself for the impact and attempt to pull from within to protect us like I did before. This time, I’m more cognizant of the feelings coursing throughout my body as I tell my magic what to do. I feel as if time slows. I raised my hands and reach deep inside me letting my magic place a barrier between the dragon fire and my friends. I wave my wrist and extinguish the flames as quickly as they arrived. Satan growls at the beast. The dragon makes another pass lining itself up to rain fire upon us once again.
As the dragon rears its head readying for another blow, Satan takes off running full speed and vaults himself into the air. I hear Salem gasp as we watch in horror as the hellhound falls directly onto the Dragons head. Its paws slip on the black scales, but as it slips the hound opens its large maw and bites into the leathery skin. The dragon tries to shake him off, but Satan manages to hold on.
“Skye, you have to use your magic to help him.” Salem implores.
“Can't you use yours?”
She shakes her head no, “it hasn't worked since I've been down here. Please. Can you help him?”
I square my shoulders end point my hands in the direction of the dragon. It's attempting to bash the hell hound into the side of the mountain. The hellhound lets out a high-pitched squeal as it's back slams up against the rocks. I focus all of my energy at the dragon. A deep burning begins in my stomach. Nausea clings to me as I send a wave of magic straight to the dragon’s heart. An orange glow begins to emanate along its scales. It lets out a painful shriek before bursting apart and sending the hellhound careening to the bottom of the mountain. Sweat beads down my back as I focus on catching the hound. My arms shake with the effort as if I'm physically lifting him from his free-fall.
“Oh my God, you're doing it Skye.” Salem wraps her hand around mine and a jolt of pure power passes between us. It feels like I've just been hit with lightning and my knees quake beneath me with the effort to hold myself up. It takes everything in me not to fall and drop the hound as magic passes between us.
“I don't understand what's happening. What is this?” The hound reaches the lip of the cave safely before I let go of Salem’s hand. I sway on my feet and feel Lukas step up behind me and grab my arms, tucking me into his side. “I’m alright.”, I assure him. I squeeze his hand and face Salem.
She looks at me with trepidation coating her eyes, “It must be because we're sisters.”
I take a step back as if retreating from her presence will make those words untrue.
