“We need to do something.” A ball of anxiety grew in my belly until it felt like I was carbonated. “We can’t sit here and watch the Furies attack the island. You need to Phase us down there so we can help Atlas.”
Silas cursed, his eyes trained on something in the distance.
“What is Atlas doing now?” I squinted, seeing the Titan standingon topof his protective sphere.
“He’s going to try to rotate the skies,” Silas said darkly. “Atlas can rotate the heavens, but at a great cost.”
We all watched as Atlas raised his hands. Night descended on us in an instant, darkness creeping around us all like a suffocating blanket. Then Atlas began to rotate his hands—stars twinkled and glowed, spinning at a rapid pace like they were on a Ferris Wheel that had gone off the rails.
The Furies let out angry cries of rage, clinging to their bucking monsters. Whatever Atlas was doing was throwing them off. The spinning stopped as Atlas ducked—one of the sky serpents flicked a long-pronged tail at him. It missed by inches.
“Could it save us?” I asked. “What Atlas is doing?”
Silas just shook his head. “It’s not about that. It’s a distraction. He’s buying us time, drawing the Furies’ attention away from us and toward him. He’s tempting them so we can act.”
“Then let’s act.” I paused in thought. “Can we somehow repair the wards…that we just broke wide open?”
Silas shook his head again. “Even if we could, it wouldn’t be fast enough.”
“We can’t let Atlas do this alone.” I glanced and saw my hands glowing in defense. Magic leaked out of me, sensing I was in distress and coming to my rescue. I just didn’t know how to use it. “I’m going to help him,” I declared. “I have to try.”
“Phasing down there will only get us killed faster,” Silas said. “It won’t be until—Atlas!”
Silas bent in half, a cry of pain leaving his lips. I couldn’t hear Atlas’s matching cry, but I watched as the Titan’s body fell from the skies and the orb of protection he’d been holding up began to blink out of existence.
Atlas had gotten clubbed by one of the sky serpents’ tails. I could feel the physical pain radiating off Silas. The bond between brothers was on full display, which could only mean Atlas was seriously injured.
“Take me to him,” I commanded Silas.
Silas looked resistant, but I could see the visceral pain etched on his face. He put his hand out, curled me to his body, and moments later we were on the ground. Isprinted toward the fallen Titan. All around me, Rangers were shooting webs of magic into the sky to form a new barrier against the Furies circling above.
“Atlas.” I collapsed by his body once I reached him.
The sky serpent’s tail had been filled with poison, a poison turning Atlas’s skin an ugly shade of gray. The Titan looked like he was crumbling to ash before my eyes. I had no clue how to stop it.
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “Tell me how to help you.”
“The Furies will sense my Titan blood more than ever now that I’m hurt.” Atlas gave a hoarse cough. “I’m going to Phase to another part of The Isle. They’ll follow me. It’ll buy you more time.”
“To do what?”
“Only you know the answer to that, Alessia. You’re the one they’re after.”
“You know I’m Fae?” My chest was tight.
“Yes. But sweetheart,” Atlas said dryly. “You’re so much more than that to my brother.”
“But—”
“I need to Phase before I lose too much strength.” Atlas raised his hand, touched my cheek in an amiable gesture. A note of confidence that felt out of place, all things considered. “My brother has waited many lifetimes, for you Alessia. You’re worth it.”
“How can you say that?” I wiped angry tears from my eyes. “The only reason he needed me was to break thecurse. I was supposed to protect his island, and I’m failing to protect his people.”
“You aren’t failing,” Atlas said. “Also, that’s not why he looked for you.”
“Why else would he need to find me?”
“You’re his mate.” Atlas smiled. “You didn’t know?”
