Chapter Twenty-Four
AVA-MARIE
The battle was over, but not all of us were going home without scars.
Charlie had used his body as a shield to defend me. He’d taken every blow of Deuce’s whip willingly, giving of himself so I would come out of that fight unharmed.
I refused to allow Deuce to live the moment his lash ripped open my husband’s back. He’d claimed revenge upon Charlie for all he’d done at the Institute, so I’d claimed his life. My arrow found his heart, and the sound his chest made as the shaft sank into his undying form was the most satisfying music I’d ever heard.
Existing alongside Charlie was something I struggled to do. He’d hurt me too much. But I couldn’t live without him, either, and I would not see him dead. Ancestors help anyone who dared to try and take him from me, because I’d send them to hell for it.
I made sure Charlie was on his way back to the palace before I spoke to Eldin. “Would you escort us to the refugees’ beach?”
“Of course.” Eldin tapped her spear against the ground. “If everyone would please follow me.”
We trailed after Eldin along the shores of the beach. Alana took her Toaqua troops with us, remaining as silent as I was.
Kallie, on the other hand, was ranting loudly. “I should’ve been able to kick Deuce’s ass. By the gods, I used to assassinate people like him!”
“Deuce was more powerful than any of those other weasels,” Marcus argued. “You have to give yourself credit for how well you stood up to him.”
Kallie scoffed. “I’m only alive because Deuce decided to play games instead of snapping my neck.”
“Well, we snapped his,” Danny offered.
“That’s not the point,” Kallie insisted. “I lost my most powerful magic when the Dollmaker took my wings. I can’t fly, shift, or manipulate time. I’m operating with a handicap on the battlefield, and we almost lost Charlie today because I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I may be a demigod, but unless I can use my demigod powers, it doesn’t do us any good.”
“We won the fight, and that’s enough,” Marcus pressed. “You’re enough, Kallie. You need to be certain of that.”
By her stony silence, I could tell she didn’t believe him.
“Look at what Ava did,” Danny offered. “She has no magic anymore, but she kicked ass out there with her bow. She killed a demigod vampire none of us could. It’s not about your powers. It’s about how you use what the world has given to you, and how you wield what you still have left. If she can do it, so can you.”
The reverence in Kallie’s tone was clear as she said, “Yeah. You’re right. We could all be more like Ava. If she’s not letting anything stop her, neither will I.”
I didn’t want my friends to look up to me. I’d made a lot of mistakes. But if they did, I was willing to accept it, because I wanted them to use every tool they needed to get them through this war.
We came upon the beach where our soldiers had led the fae refugees. There were thousands of people here, scattered along the wide beach while Elvish soldiers set up makeshift tents, supply lines, and medical shelters.
I started giving orders. “Eldin, I want the Firebirds to gather as many fae sorceresses as you can that are still strong enough to cast. We need to start creating illusion homes to shelter these people.”
“Their illusions won’t last long, princess,” Eldin pointed out. “We will have to come up with a more permanent solution.”
“We will, but our resources are already stretched thin,” I said. “In the meantime, illusions will work, at least for a few days. Let’s get these people inside, no matter how temporary their accommodations are.”
“Right away, your highness,” Eldin said. She bowed before hurrying off to gather illusionists.
I turned to the rest of my friends. “Ez, you know what to do. Track down the wounded and treat the worst of the injured first. Kallie, help the other sorceresses make as many homes as you can sustain effectively. Marcus, work on securing the area. We need to make sure no Mission members slipped through. And Danny, I need you to find a way to get these people food and water. It looks like The Mission starved them.”
“I’m on it,” Danny said, already on the move. The rest of my friends rushed to help.
“What do you need from me?” Erica asked, cocking out her hip.
“And me,” Alana added, surrounded by her Toaqua warriors.
“Find the Elvish army and help them distribute supplies. They need clothes, blankets, and hygiene kits. These people require a lot of things, and we’re going to get them back on their feet again.”
Everyone rushed to do as I said. I didn’t need to order anyone else around. I saw that most of our allies, including our parents, the Demigod Guardians, and others were rushing to lend a hand wherever they were needed. Now I had to go where I could help out.
