I sighed and pushed up from my tree, glancing around to see if he had brought the golems like Gabe had ordered him to.
Predictably, he hadn’t. They were likely still trapped in Raziel’s church.
“I see you didn’t bring my other parts.” I wasn’t surprised, but some part of me had still hoped he would have been stupid enough to do so.
“You won’t be needing them. I have no use for the mother and crone as a bride. I’m only interested in you, the maiden.” His grin widened. “And Raziel promised you to me as part of our bargain.”
“So that’s why you joined a creature that put you to sleep for so many centuries? Forpussythat isn’t even his to barter away? Goddess, you’re such a fucking red pill douchebag.” I snorted, stalking toward him.
I held the charmed scepter loosely at my side, and the tip of it dragged through the charged earth as I walked.
He scowled at me, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
“You’re a fool, Hecate. You couldn’t fight me in Rome, and you can’t fight me now.” He glanced around the cemetery, his smile widening once he confirmed I truly was alone.
“Your little kitty-cat isn’t here to save you this time.” He stepped toward me, his magic building and sizzling around him in a colorless wave of hot anger.
“He’s too chicken shit to stand up to Raz.” We were close enough to each other now that I could almost taste his vile words. “Maybe I’ll stringyou up to Shemhazai’s cross and put you through what he went through? Raziel has been very forthcoming with his training methods. I’m sure you won’t make it easy for me to break you.”
Rage ignited through me at his words. The cruel way he referenced the abuse Hazai endured at the hands of that vile seraphim made me so angry my blood boiled.
The magic that my circle had called up responded to my anger, and I felt my eyes go white.
For the first time, I saw a flash of hesitation on Ares’ face as I allowed the power conjured by my friends to fully soak through my earthly body.
“I’d like to see you fucking try,” I spat.
And then—I attacked.
Alexa play: Good People by Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams
Iwatched in my raven form as Hecate took on Ares.
It was difficult not to jump in to back her up immediately, but I had promised she could take on Ares if she left Raziel to me.
So, I waited and watched quietly as the mountain of a god squared up with the tiny but vicious silver-haired goddess.
She was fucking incredible.
The magic that Luna and Willow had borrowed from the earth was flowing through her with so much intensity she was literally glowing.
Her first swing with the scepter missed as Ares ducked expertly out of the way.
“I am agod,you stupid bitch!” he snarled, firing a massive blast of power back at her. “Your tiny stick will not unmake me.”
Hecate wasn’t quick enough to evade his blast, and it hit her directly in the chest. I winced as she was blasted through several ancient gravestones. Each of them turned to rubble as her body passed through them, and I ruffled my feathers in agitation.
She managed to keep hold of the scepter and used it to get shakily to her feet. Her eyes were entirely white with power, and her jaw was set in a determined scowl.
She brushed some rubble off her shoulder and let out a growl that Shemhazai would have been proud of.
“Ugh… I like this shirt, you douchebag. Now it’s all stained,” she grumbled before rushing back toward him.
She drew the scepter back, but he cracked her across the face with a closed fist. I winced as the sound of her cheek breaking echoed through the deserted graveyard.
Giles Corey was cackling maniacally as she went down.
Panic was beginning to overtake me. Maybe she was wrong, and the magic that her friends had conjured to help her wasn’t enough.
