35
PHAEDRA
Frantic, I look around for help, but there is none. And the victorious smile he’s flashing tells me he knows it. I offer up a little prayer to the gods for any help they want to send my way.
I hurtle myself to the right and abruptly stop. He’s already there. Damn vampires. Too fucking fast. I grip the hilt tighter.
Frederick slashes his sword a few times as he stands in front of me, the air whistling as the blade slices through it. “Hmm, no curses? And where are your gods now?” He makes an elaborate show of looking around. “Such a shame. Leaving you to fend for yourself. They should have made you stronger, more magical, instead of giving you boring, old, cursed magic. Guess that means you’re bottom of the food chain.”
He shrugs. “Let’s get this over with. Places to be and all that.” He cups his hand and motions to me.
Fury burns in my gut, and I leap forward, swinging the sword as I pull the trigger, shooting him in the kneecap. Hedrops for a split second, and I pivot and take off. Darting in and out of fighters, I help where I can, shooting vampires so their opponents can take their heads as I frantically look for options.
Frederick bellows, and I look back. A wolf shifter prowls between us, stopping him. Nose tilted to the sky, the shifter howls, calling his fellow wolves. Two join him, circling Frederick. I pick up speed, trying to put distance between us while I can.
Mathias and the horde are right in front of me. I move closer. They have to be ten deep, surrounding him on all sides. I stumble over a human and notice the pistol in his side holster. Grabbing it, I tuck it into my waistband.
Inhale. Exhale. If you don’t help him, nobody else will. It isn’t like you can die. Sure, it might hurt, but every time hurts. Well, except…Focus.I take one more deep breath and unload a clip on the outer ring closest to me.
Striding forward, I swing with all my might and manage to almost decapitate the vampire in front of me. Before they can regenerate, I hack the rest of the way through. His head topples, and I immediately turn to the next to do the same thing.
A swoosh of air blows back my hair, and I look up to see Gatlin and another gryphon helping to clear the horde too, diving deep and scooping them up, then shredding them with their razor-sharp talons.
I’m deep into killing them one by one, when a gryphon screeches, but it’s too late. A hard body slams into me, and I go flying into the dirt. Spitting out a mouthful of sand, I hear Frederick laugh above me.
“Think a few little wolves could stop me? I’m ancient.”
It’s my turn to laugh. “You’re really going to play the old man card. Look around you.”
Where is my sword? On my hands and knees, I scramble for it, but Frederick chuckles and kicks it out of my reach. He’s toying with me.
“You have neither the strength nor the skill to wield even the most basic sword,” he says, mocking me. “Now, tell me, where did you hide my panels?”
“Did you know one of them is fake?” I ask, cautiously stepping a couple paces to the right where I see a sword underneath a lifeless shifter.
He chokes out a laugh.
“It’s the truth. The top panel is fake. So you’ve only had one real panel the whole time.” I smirk. “The oneIgave to you in exchange for Mathias’ life.”
Red seeps into his eyes, and he stalks forward.
One of the gryphons dive bombs him, and I race to the shifter and yank the sword out. The air sings behind me, and I instinctively leap over the body, barely making it to safety as Frederick’s blade buries itself into the ground where I was standing.
He snarls and rips it out of the dirt.
Backing away, I scan the area for anything or anyone that can help, but there’s nothing. Frederick’s sword swings, and I raise mine to meet it. The two come together in a jarring clash that makes my arm ache. Again and again, he charges, and I do everything I can to block each hit, but exhaustion is wearing me down. Meanwhile, he looks as fresh as a damn daisy.
I stumble. Frederick raises his sword, and I lift mine to meet it, but instead of the usual ringing sound, there’s a clap of power. Startled, I glance at my hand and find a magnificent short blade with runes glowing on it.
Gold with multiple curved edges, it looks like it would tear a gut in two or rip a jagged edge in someone’s throat. I lift it intothe light. Strike that. There are two identical weapons connected by a thick gold chain and engraved with the name…Ares.
In awe, I stare at the Blades of War, then rotate them a few times. Perfectly balanced. This time, it’s me who motions him forward.
Frederick whistles, and one of his minions rushes toward me. Reacting, I step to the side and swing, and the sharp tip scrapes across his chest. Poof! I blink as a shower of ash rains down.What the fuck?!
He lets out a series of low whistles, and the remaining horde around Mathias parts like the Red Sea. Dark hair wet with sweat, his shirt plastered to his chest, he swivels to face us, short swords ready. When he sees Frederick, his face fills with fury.
In an unexpected move, Frederick throws his sword like a spear, straight toward Mathias, and while I’m watching its deadly path, he reaches out and swipes my blades. Horrified, I watch Mathias dodge Frederick’s sword and streak toward us.
