Nodding, I extend both hands upwards. The Angel hoists me up easily, and we fly through the humid air. Late afternoon is preparing to give way to twilight, and I can see the future devastation of destruction for the first time from this height.
My heart stops in my chest.
Thick smoke rises to the sky, mixing with the gray clouds and turning the sun red with ash. One of the tallest highrises has been split in half, the top part laying precariously across three other buildings.
Nearly a third of all visible has been laid to absolute waste. I’ve never seen destruction like this.
My brain has no problem supplying the gory scenes scattered around that square. There is no point in trying to do anything other than sob.
This is because of me. Me. My fault. This is my father’s personalized message.
Even if he hadn’t sent that horrible man Conrad, I would have known what he was trying to say. My father’s cruelty needs no words, neither written nor spoken. His words echo through every trace of disaster he has inflicted upon this city.
If you do not die easily, I will ensure others do.
And die they do, for someone they have never even seen. They will never know me. The heat of the last few days is changing rapidly. A cold front sweeps in from the south, and I shiver as my mood disintegrates.
“Helena, now is not the time to hit rock bottom,” Phaedra says gruffly. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for the senseless brutality of a fickle demigod.”
But her words don't stop the metaphysical knife from twisting deeper into my heart or the tears from falling. Not even when she uses her magic to comfort me.
“Think of Erik,” Phaedra says softly. “Center your mind on all that is good. This destruction is not your fault, but you can do good things here. I’m taking you to your uncle. He and Erik are safe in the Gods’ Square.”
I nod, my mind still centered on all the death. Phaedra’s grip on me is firm, but it doesn’t hurt.
Soon, the statue of the gods comes into view, my two uncles posing proudly on top. We swoop down to the ground, where the real thing, Uncle Aidoneus, is standing next to Erik. My captain has a dried trail of blood across his shoulder where his shirt is torn, but he doesn’t have any visible wounds.
Thank the gods for that.
The king’s power snakes around him, promising pain and death.
“How many?” Aidoneus asks. He directs his question at Phaedra and me, so I hold up three fingers to signify those dead at my blade.
“Seven,” Erik says.
“Sixteen,” the Angel replies. As if in emphasis, her glorious wings give a little flutter. She is fast, lethal, and deadly.
My jaw falls open as I look up at Phaedra.This innocent-looking woman killed sixteen Elite by herself?
A ghost of a smile haunts my uncle's lips as he exchanges a look with his assistant. “Nine.”
Even my uncle hadn’t had enough time to kill as many as her.Shit. Erik also swears viciously, and I nod.
Phaedra pulls a map from the watch on her wrist without so much as bragging. A file floats in the air, projected from the small device.
“Intelligence says that thirty-eight, perhaps thirty-nine, Elite came in from the sea. So far, thirty-seven have been eliminated. I would say that the threat is now contained,” she says.
One of the DaePolice walks up, overhearing the last part of the conversation. He clears his throat. “Your Highness, with all due respect,” he starts, his eyes flickering to Phaedra. “It only took thirty-seven of them to destroy a third of our city. If even one is left, we should remain on high alert.”
King Hades considers the male. His voice is cool as he says, “Commander, thank you. Perhaps it would be best to focus on population management instead of interrupting my advisor.”
The male’s features turn to stone as he whirls around and shouts orders to his men.
“Ha—Your Highness,” Erik says sloppily. “How did so few men do so much damage to a city like this?”
Uncle Aidoneus flicks his gaze back to Phaedra. She clears her throat. “It seems that the Ice Mer have not been so averse to technology as they had led us all to believe. I’ve never seen anything like those explosives before…” the Angel shakes her head as she stops the projections from her watch. “More investigation is necessary.”
“Where would they even get devices like that?” Erik asks.