Page 36 of All Hallows Fate

My next breath died in my throat, and I found I didn’t need to breathe at all when it refused to kick back in. Both overseers grabbed at Madde, and I could have sworn every spirit watching from the small caves on the opposite wall leaned forward in anticipation. Someone was going to die, but who? Did they want their overseers to fall, or hope for their victory?

“Pain, put your net beneath them,” I breathed, my voice hitching when Miz flung out his arm, a slice of dark smoke knocking one of the overseers away from Madde. The winged creature spun too quickly to stop his momentum and crashed into one of the rounded cubby holes opposite, sending the miner fleeing deeper into the mountain.

A shiver gripped me, making my teeth rattle, and the fine hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. The furious hunger for justice that lived in every cell in my body vibrated at a higher pitch, screaming, howling.

That scent…

Not just stone and blood and damp but… mint.

I barely saw it as Madde ripped off the other wing, kicked off the falling overseer’s body, and landed flawlessly on the narrow path. I only half paid attention as the last overseer whirled towards us and spat a detailed, explicit threat.

“Get down,” I said in a voice so cold it felt like ice on my tongue. And I understood how Madde felt earlier, understood the frozen rage he must have felt. “Get down!”

The second my husbands were out of rage, I erupted, detonating every gathered, rageful burst of magic at where Violence leaned against the entrance to the tunnel, the self-satisfied expression leaving his face when my power crushed him into the stone.

24

Death

Iwatched from where I’d flattened myself to the treacherous path, the black stone so glossy it reflected the shock on Violence’s face when Cat’s magic burst like a dam and crushed him against the wall. It was so strong, the air shook above my head, making the dark robe I’d wrapped myself in, hidden within, shake like a tornado had ripped a hole in the side of the mountain.

Pride burned in my chest that Cat was this powerful, this dangerous even newly reborn, but fear sat right alongside it. Violence was here. He could kill her again, steal her forever this time. She was stronger as a god, but not invincible. None of us were. I wish I had the strength to evict him from this mine. The power I’d had months ago would have suffocated him, but he and Cruelty had done too good a job destabilising the realm. Weakening me precisely so I wasn’t a threat.

I hated that it had worked. Hated the fucking bones of the bastard.

I pushed what remained of my arms against the ground, checking that no one saw the wisps of devouring fog as I got to my feet and rushed for Cat. Miz was right there with me, clasping her shoulders, pulling her back into his arms as Violence’s smile dropped to reveal the cold, emotionless expression we were used to.

“Give me the scales, Cat,” he commanded in a voice so devoid of humanity that I watched a shudder travel through Cat’s entire body.

“No,” she replied, but weakly. Shaky.

I moved around her on the narrow path, angling myself in front of her. I was his true target; with me weak, he was free to poach yet more power from the domain. But I had no doubt he’d hurt Cat again to get at me.

“Hand over your hammer if you’re so eager for Cat’s scales,” I challenged, knowing full well he’d never surrender his instrument of death.

“The mine is a strange choice for a day trip,” he remarked, ignoring me as he brushed a speck of stone from the sleeve of his impeccable suit jacket. His sister had died so recently I could still remember the exact scent of her blood, and he didn’t seem to care one bit. There was no sign of mourning, no dark circles from sleepless nights. He was focused, even energised. “What brought you here?”

He was desperate to know, I realised. Tor did too, because he laughed. It was a low, rumbling taunt only Tor could produce.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he purred, a smirk on his face as he stood beside me, a united front. A different kind of front, I realised when Madde jumped out of a swirl of shadows and attached himself to Violence’s back, both hands around his throat. He attempted to snap his head off like he’d done to the overseer, but unfortunately Violence was hardier than the stone creature.

“Motherfucker,” Madde hissed, pulling at Violence’s neck over and over. “Sorry, buddy. Should that be sisterfucker?”

Violence’s upper lip curled, and Tor and I exchanged a surprised glance. It was rare to see Violence’s stony façade crack. Maybe he grieved Cruelty after all.

“Jesus,” Pain breathed when Violence grabbed Madde’s ankle and snapped—successfully, unlike Madde’s attempts to rip his head from his neck. “Cat, don’t look.”

“Don’t look at what?” she demanded behind me, sharp and breathy. “Pain. Don’t look at what?”

“Not to worry, my lioness,” Madde said, punching a dagger of honed death magic into Violence’s back and twisting the knife. “Just a minor dislocation. I’ll relocate it in one second. Well,” he added, sinking the knife into the back of Violence’s neck as the god fought to unseat him. “I know where it is. Not relocate in that way. I haven’t lost it.”

I dove forward, wrapped in the cloak and cowl of my god form, and satisfaction filled my chest when Violence’s attention fixed on me. He was still wary, despite my weakened state. I proved that wariness valid when magic flared from me in a dark tempest so severe it flattened his skin against his skull, until he looked monstrous and dead. It shook his hair until strands tore free, and ripped buttons off his fancy suit.

It was nothing, mere smoke and mirrors, but it put the idea in his head—was I truly weak, or could I still pose a threat?

Tor threw a vicious punch into Violence’s gaunt face, ducking to avoid the answering swing from the bastard’s pale fists. Unblemished hands, from a man who preferred others to do his dirty work, caught Tor’s next punch in mid-air. I knew who would win; Violence had the edge in magic, but Tor had callouses from a lifetime of fights and affray. He was scrappy and fast and, as Violence found out when Tor drove his knee into his dick, then into his nose as the god wavered on his feet, Tor fought dirty.

“Jesus, Madde,” Cat gasped, managing to get around Pain to see what was happening.