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Halting Hades, Thessa spoke to the crowd. “I have a message for your general.”
One soldier among the rest inched forward. It was Kellan. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“If this is the type of regime you wish to uphold Kellan, then by all means, fight for it.”
The soldiers murmured while Soren kept quiet, though she’d felt his eyes snap her way after addressing the soldier by name.
“You’re a demon,” Kellan announced, as if it weren’t wholly evident. Her shield may be translucent, but it was definitely black.
“Surprise.” She wiggled her onyx fingertips for effect.
Soren grinned beside her.
Kellan conjured his own magic, molding it into a perfect sphere. As the air-wrapped fireball hovered atop his palm, she wondered if he’d ever cared about her—the difference between lust and love wasn’t evident until she’d found it.
“You’ve been practicing,” Thessa crooned. “As have I.” She spread her arms, casting her magic wider. “You can tell your general her reign ends now!”
Kellan, among the rest, ignored her, tossing their fireballs into her sphere of night. Except, they had no idea how her magic worked, and it showed on their bewildered faces.
Thessa sat taller, shouting, “You’ve all been lied to—bred to hate something you know nothing about. Our kind were incinerated for your general’s pleasure. Let today serve as a reminder that we’ll never be forgotten. I suggest you leave now, or fight against us!”
Only a dozen soldiers scattered, ripping off their jackets and running down the graveled streets. Kellan remained, with his usual smug expression.
She lifted her chin and spoke softly to Soren. “Shall we?”
His thick whistle rang through the air in response, signaling the host of insects hiding in the alleyways. In a series of bursts the crawling creatures transformed into a full-fledged rebellion army, poised and ready to fight.
The Elemental soldiers startled back, tossing out a defensive wall of fire. The blast of heat felt all too familiar. With asingle finger, Thessa cast a line of magic just as powerful, negating it.
“It won’t be that easy, not this time,” she seethed.
A slithering heap of darkness shot towards the gates as serpents poured from Soren’s fingertips. Hundreds. The ones that weren’t fried to a crisp wrapped around their targets’ throats.
Soren yelled, “Charge!”
An onslaught of shadow bloomed across the graveled streets, smothering the choking soldiers within reach. Thessa paused to watch Kellan struggle for air he wouldn’t find. She’d never told Soren about the gluttonous male who chewed up her heart and spit it out. If shehad, his death wouldn’t have been so quick.
Meanwhile, the Elementals on their side fought fire with fire and air with air. It was a meticulous game of who had better aim, and more power. But it wasn’t enough. Fireballs were flying higher than blasts of air-magic could deflect, and farther than Thessa’s magic could protect.
Screams roared as the rebellion burned. Their war cries shifted to pleas for help; pleas for death. The ground was a tangled mess of scarlet, flame and shadow. Thessa looked down, focusing on her breath and her shield. Her magic still pulsed strong, protecting as many soldiers as she could.
“Thessa,” Soren shouted, pointing up.
Her eyes drifted to a massive cloud of Celestial magic growing overhead. Its glorious plume of white shimmering stars halted every soul in the streets. Countless Celestials appeared through the alleyways next, casting a sphere of magic so large Thessa wondered if there’d be any stars left in the sky.
They came. Why?
Thessa scanned the crowd. Leora’s warm eyes flashed intoview. Both worry and determination laced her brows. Beside her was Ivy, Beatrix, and so many others. There wasn’t time to tell them how stubborn they were, or how perfectly kind and compassionate. Celestial magic wasn’t defensive, only distracting—but distracting enough to cease a war.
If only it’d lasted more than a moment.
The group of Celestials were forced back by the rebellion as the battle ensued. “We need to move,” Soren shouted.
Thessa agreed, letting Hades follow Ares. Turning in her saddle, she hurled her shadows back toward the gates, then all the way around until she faced forward again.
Soren unleashed more serpents on enemy targets; his specificity was unmatched. But the Elemental Army had shifted to destruction mode. Fires burned everywhere. Flames were launching beyond her veil of darkness. Serpents fizzled. The smell of burnt skin was piercing her nostrils while the acrid taste of smoke coated her tongue.
It wasn’t enough. She wasn’t doing enough.