“What is going on?” Marik demands. Blood no longer drips from his nose, but is now caked on his face, his neck, the collar of his shirt.
I want to yell at him that he doesn’t get to ask questions. “I don’t know,” I snap instead.
We were just here. We were just talking to Basil and Etta. Screaming comes from the inside of the tunnel city. I dart forward, but Asmo blocks me with his arm.
“We need to think through this before we dive in there,” he barks.
“What is there to think through? There are people in there!” I hiss.
“It’s a tree?” Elle asks, confusion evident in her tone.
I turn back to her. “This is the entrance to the home we’ve been staying in. It wasn’t…It’s not supposed to be on fire. Something is wrong,” I explain hurriedly. “We have to help them.” I turn to Marik. “Can I trust you to protect her?”
Elle’s eyes widen at the question. “What the fuck, Mae? No, you can’t.”
I place my hands on her shoulders. “It will all make sense when I get a chance to explain everything. Youcantrust him.”
The words make me sick.
She stares back at me, horror, betrayal, sorrow, all flashing through those amber eyes, the same eyes that look back at me in the mirror. “Wh—I don’t understand.”
“I know you don’t. Marik, please tell her you’ll protect her so she knows you’re not lying.” Every word is hurried. We don’t have time for this. Every second that’s wasted is a second I could be saving my court. My friends.
He hesitates but meets her gaze. “I promise I will protect you. I won’t…I won’t betray you. Your wellbeing is all I care about.”
Truths.
I know Elle feels them, too. She stares back at me, anger still burning in her eyes.
“Elle,” I interrupt. “I know what he’s done. But for the sake of those people in there, I need you to trust me.” She grits her teeth, but nods. Thank the Mother. “Are you well enough to fight?”
Marik begins to answer for her, but she steps in front of him to cut him off. “Yes.”
We don’t have time for this. Elle is an adult. Marik is powerful and will watch out for her.
“What’s the plan?” I turn back to Asmo.
“I don’t know,” he admits as he rubs his jaw. “I don’t know if this is a rescue mission or a battle. Or both. If this fire was set intentionally, we need to be ready to fight. If you see a discarded weapon, grab it. Be ready foranything.” More screams cut through the air. “Ready?” Asmo stares at me.
Yes. No. I’m terrified. But I meet his eyes, loving the way they soften for me but harden for everyone else.
He gives me one final look, then turns toward the entryway to Squall’s End. The three of us follow him, through the smoke and into chaos.
Because chaos it is. And it threatens to bring me to my knees.
Drabars fly through the air, thick, black membranous wings rippling through the smoke, sharp talons slicing and felling hybrids as they make contact. Undead animals and children sprint through the space, leaping on backs and sinking teeth into soft skin. Witches fire black magic at groups of hybrids, who fire back as they defend their home. The home they’ve spent decades building and hiding from everyone. The home that we stumbled upon, that these hybrids offered to us, to keep us safe…It’s all under attack. We brought this to them.
I’m so fucking tired of this.
Fire, wind, ice, water, earth…It all comes rushing to me.
A cambion sprints toward me. I strike it down with a flick of my wrist, its body engulfed in white flames. A drabar flies toward me. I fire another burst of white flames at it. It drops, body charred and smoking on the ground.
A witch spots us, black cape billowing behind her as she strides toward us. Asmo chuckles. He raises his hands. Loose dirt rises, then rushes straight toward the witch in a concentrated funnel. A squirrel hybrid leaps out of the way with a yelp. The witch’s smug expression turns to panic. She turns and runs, but Asmo shoves the funnel of dirt down her throat.
Another witch sprints for me. I throw out a wave of white flames. She dodges them with a leap. I summon wind and force the flames upward. She screeches as they find her and take purchase. I funnel more flames, more heat, more more more. Her ashes fall to the floor, mixing with the dirt. The four of us clear the entryway within minutes.
A female hybrid runs to us, dirt and sweat marring flushed cheeks. A group of hybrids follow behind her, half of them in fighting leathers, the other half still insleeping clothes.
