Her long hair was a similar platinum shade as Jordana’s, but infused with an otherworldly pearlescence that seemed to make it glow from within. Her face was beyond beautiful, heart-shaped and delicate, with high cheekbones and perfectly bowed lips.
She might have been mistaken for an angel if not for the dangerous glint in her shrewd, glacier-blue eyes. Those arresting eyes looked past Zael’s broad shoulders, zeroing in with laser focus on Jordana.
“What a lovely day for a stroll in the gardens.”
Zael and the other Atlanteans stood as if poised for combat, their palms illuminated with powerful energy. Harroth slanted a dark glare in Zael’s direction.
“Did your carelessness lead her here? She’s never been able to find the colony and breach our veil before now.”
“No,” Zael answered with force. “I would never do that. I swear it.”
Selene smiled with chilling amusement. “Do you forget your queen’s might so quickly? I am the oldest and purest of our kind in existence on this Earth. Few barriers can stand against me if I will it.”
Baramael lowered his head like a bull about to charge. “If you’ve come for the crystal, you’ll have to get through me and the rest of the colony first.”
“Careful, Baramael.” She sliced a furious look at him. “You do not want to tempt me. Do you think you’d still have the crystal if I had decided to take it back?”
Her attention returned to Jordana. Zael swore a curse and edged her farther behind him.
“She’s come for something else.”
Jordana drew in a breath, seeing the dark intent in her grandmother’s beautiful face. All of Nathan’s warnings and worries began to replay in her mind. So did the promises she’d made him--her reassurances that she would be safe, that she could handle herself if anything went wrong at the colony.
Now that she stood in front of this astonishing being in the flesh, it was all Jordana could do not to tremble.
Instead, she balled her fists, summoning the power that lived inside her.
Zael edged away from Selene and the orb that surrounded her. He shook his head. “You can’t have her, Selene.”
“No? We’ll see about that.”
A jerk of her wrist sent a huge bolt of light flying at him. Zael released his own light to block it, but the power shooting from his glowing palms wasn’t enough. Selene’s assault drove him to one knee. As formidable as Zael was, the blow took everything out of him, leaving him coughing and heaving for breath.
At the same time, the other Atlanteans, including Jordana, released their power at Selene. The jagged streams of light bounced off her shielding orb, but they didn’t let up. Jordana gritted her teeth with the effort, letting loose a roar of fury and determination.
To the Atlantean queen, it must have all seemed like a joke.
With barely a flick of her finger, she sent fiery spheres of light hurtling at each of the Atlanteans. They went down to their knees one by one, panting, utterly drained.
And then, only Jordana remained standing.
She unleashed everything she had on the woman calmly staring at her from within her cocoon of light. To no avail. All she accomplished was her own exhaustion.
“I haven’t come to cause harm to you, Jordana.” Selene’s voice sounded so sincere, it would be easy to believe her. Easier, if not for the five depleted immortals groaning and struggling to catch their breath on the ground at her feet.
“You are my own blood, child. I could no more harm you than harm myself.”
Jordana bit off a sharp, humorless laugh. “Is that what you told my mother before you locked her away and drove her to set herself on fire rather than live under your tyranny?”
Selene’s head snapped back slightly, a shocked, wounded look on her face. It was there and gone in an instant, replaced by icy resolve.
“I’m bringing you home, Jordana.”
“My home isn’t with you,” she shot back. “It never was.”
She sent another blast of power forward, but it was no use.
Selene’s shield glowed brighter and brighter . . . until its light was all Jordana could see.
