by Linsey Hall
I gasped. “How will we kill them all?”
Cade squinted up through the cage. “We can’t kill them all, but they may have a queen. We can try for her.”
“Yes!” Hope flared. “Maira said the slave collars are propelled by the magic of one source. These bastards like to use magic like that. So maybe the queen’s magic controls the rest. If we can find her…”
Cade searched the sky as more and more slammed into the cage around us. Slowly, they petered off, flying higher into the sky. Waiting. Waiting.
“What are they waiting for?” I asked, anxiety ratcheting up inside me.
“Something’s going to change. They don’t want to decrease their numbers.”
Suddenly, my lightning faltered and flickered. Then the cage disappeared, the lightning drawn back up into the sky, then outward toward the edges of the arena.
It struck against metal rods that extended high into the air.
“The bastard created lightning rods,” Cade said.
And now my lightning was useless.
And the wasps were hurtling down toward us. A big one led the charge.
I pointed. “The queen!”
“Shield me with your illusion,” he said. “I’m shifting forms.”
I didn’t have time to guess at what he planned, but I followed on instinct, using the last of my drained magic to create a mirror image of human Cade as he shifted into his wolf form. Immediately, I hid the wolf from the eyes of the crowd. Fortunately, the wasps created a shield over us so that they couldn’t see well.
Unfortunately, they were super close. My skin was ice and my brain buzzed with fear. I’d never been so scared in my life.
The queen was fifteen feet above me when her giant body collapsed in on itself, blood spraying. I couldn’t see Cade because of the illusion, but I knew what he’d done.
Cade had jumped up and bitten her.
Holy crap.
Quickly, I formed an illusion of lightning striking down to where the queen now thrashed in the air, no doubt being shaken in Cade’s wolf jaws. It looked like the lightning struck the queen—hopefully the crowd would buy it.
Suddenly, the wasps all disappeared.
The queen was dead.
Warm, heavy fur pressed against my side. Cade. He shifted back to human, his arm on my shoulder, and I used the last of my illusion power to make his fake form disappear.
We stood, panting.
Fading adrenaline made my limbs weak, and I leaned against Cade.
“The lightning illusion was smart,” he said.
I nodded, my breaths heaving. “Thanks. I didn’t know how we’d explain their death otherwise.”
“And now they just think you’re a powerful lightning mage—or that his rods stopped working.”
“We need all our powers to stay secret. I don’t want them tying us up in that magical rope again if they suspect what we are.”
He nodded.
The Ring Master stepped up to the edge of his platform, scowling. He was about to speak when clapping sounded.
I turned toward it.
Cocidius.
“Just you wait, buddy,” I muttered.
The Ring Master closed his mouth and stepped back.
I took that as our cue. “Let’s go.”
We limped off the field. Blood seeped slowly from my wounds, and I was exhausted. As I neared the exit, I glanced back at Rowan.
She and Cocidius disappeared, leaving their dais empty.
I felt her loss in my chest. Panic welled. I gripped Cade’s arm. “She’s gone.”
“She’ll be back.” He lowered his voice since we were near the trainer. “We’re too weak now to save her, anyway.”
I leaned against him, acknowledging his words.
The trainer stepped back to let us inside the corral. It was empty now, since we were the last fighters. He jerked his head toward the exit. “To the healer.”
I grimaced, but did as he said. I knew I didn’t have the strength left to heal myself. And what little I did have, I needed to save for our rescue attempt.
“We’ll have to take our chances.”
“Yeah.”
Three guards escorted us to the healer’s—more than before, which meant they were growing wary of us. Good thing we hadn’t used all our skills. If they’d known the magic that was going on behind the scenes during that fight, our guard would be twice as big.
My stomach turned as we entered her creepy roundhouse and took our seats. She stood with her back to us, stirring her glowing cauldron.
“Wonder how long she’ll make us wait?” I muttered.
Boris the rat popped out of her hair as if he’d heard us, glittering eyes glued to us. He chittered, patting the healer on the head with one front paw.
“Calm down, Boris,” she croaked.
Boris squeaked again.
“Don’t you know this potion is important?” she said. “We need it for the collars. No collars, no slaves. Then we’re doing our own laundry.”
I doubted the captives washed her laundry much, given the look of her, but that wasn’t the interesting part.
This must’ve been the potion that kept the collars’ magic powered up. Suddenly, I was grateful that the dino-beast had dug into me.
We’d just found the location of the collars’ source magic.
Boris leapt off her head and ran across the floor to us. His fur shined a dark brown, and he actually wasn’t a bad-looking rat.
He stopped near us and sat up on his hind legs, whiskers twitching.
“How you doing?” I asked.
He inclined his head, inspecting our wounds. My shoulders looked a bit like ground meat, which made my stomach turn, and Cade had a deep laceration in his side.
Boris turned on his hind legs and ran to the side of the house, where a tall shelf contained various vials and glowing objects. This place would be creepy-cool in a Halloween way if the healer weren’t such a miserable witch.
Boris grabbed a vial in his mouth and brought it back to us, dropping it at our feet. I leaned down to pick it up as he repeated the gesture, bringing a second vial.
I uncorked it and sniffed.
“Smells good,” I murmured. “Comforting.”
Cade sniffed his. “Healing potion. Thank you, Boris.”
I downed the contents in one gulp, enjoying the taste of berries. “You’re a good rat, Boris.”
Maybe he’d liked our compliments on our last visit, I didn’t know. But I’d take it.
As I set the vial on the bench next to me and stood, the healer turned.
“Back again, are you?” she said.
“And leaving just as quickly.” I nodded to Boris. “Great rat you have there.”
She glared at Boris. “Again?”
He shrugged, a movement that clearly said, “If you’re not going to do it, I am.”
We left her sputtering at the rat and him ignoring her, and stepped outside. The three guards waited, their gazes riveted to the door.
They escorted us to the food hall, which was mostly empty. No Maira. Cade and I ate quickly, restoring a good bit of our strength, then were escorted to our roundhouse. Exhaustion pulled at me as I walked, and I had to use every bit of magic I had to maintain the glamour that we wore.
There were more guards on the roundhouse this time. Four at least, depending on how many of our escorts stayed.
They shoved us inside and slammed the door behind us.
I turned to Cade. “Rowan is gone from the camp.”
“She’ll return. Have faith. This is his headquarters.”
“Where would they go?”
“To meet with the other Rebel Gods, possibly.”
I nodded, pacing.
“Rest. Gain your strength. We’ll find her.”
I nodded, praying they would return. Reluctantly, I lay on the furs and stared at the ceiling, trying to relax so that my magic would regenerate.
Cade lay next to me, and I reached for his hand.
“Thank you for all of this. I know it’s your job, but thank you.”
“It is my job. But I’m here because of you.” He turned his head to look at me. “I care for you, Bree. More than I’ve ever cared for anybody. That means I care for your sister as well. We’ll save her. Promise.”
Tears pricked my eyes. It’d been so long since I’d had anyone at my side besides Ana and Rowan.
Now I had the Protectorate, but even better, I had Cade.
I leaned my head toward his shoulder and rested, letting my magic fill up inside me. Every second that passed was an eternity, but he was right. I needed to recover.
I felt her return to the camp like I’d been struck by lightning. I sat upright, gasping.
“She’s here?” Cade asked.
“I can feel her.”
“Good.” He climbed to his feet. “I’m ready to fight. Are you?”
“Definitely.” My magic wasn’t at 100 percent, but it was close enough. I walked to the door and pressed my ear to it, calling upon my new hearing power from Heimdall. The sound of men’s breathing filtered through the door, and I counted. “Four of them.”
“It’d be best if we could get them in here to take them out. There’d be some sound muffling from the walls and no witnesses.”
“Agreed.” I stepped back from the wall. “But how?”
He rubbed his chin, brow creased.
A half second later, Mayhem flew in through the back wall, as if she’d been listening to us.
I grinned. “Hey there.”
She wagged her tail. For the first time, she had no ham or hunk of meat in her mouth. She was ready for battle. I wouldn’t put it past her to have a battle ham, but today she flew solo.
“Could you lead the guards in here?” I asked her.
She nodded, then flew out the back wall again. Cade and I took up position on either side of the door so we could jump them. I drew my sword from the ether, and he did the same. I met his gaze, and he grinned.
Now it was really time to fight, something that the god of war definitely enjoyed.
I didn’t bother to give us the usual glamour. This was it—now or never. Cocidius was going to figure out we were after him, so no need to waste my magic.
And I’d be glad to fight beside Cade when he actually looked like the guy I knew.
There were some confused murmurs, then Mayhem flew through the front door a moment later.
The door slammed open, and two men rushed in.
I took the first one, slicing my blade across his throat before he realized what was happening. Cade did the same with the second.
The last two guards were harder. They’d seen their fellows fall.
I lunged out of the door and grabbed one by the shirt, yanking him inside and plunging my blade into his gut. He gurgled and spat blood as I twisted the blade.
Normally I’d feel bad about killing a non-demon, but these guys participated in slavery and forced captives into death fights.
I hated taking a life, but these guys were fair game.
Cade went for the last guard, cutting off his shout of alarm before it could get too loud. He dragged the guard’s limp body into the roundhouse and nodded at Mayhem. “Good job.”
She nodded enthusiastically, looking like she wanted to give a yip of excitement. But she bit it back, now a seasoned war dog.
War dogs…
“Cade,” I whispered. “What about the war dogs? The ones who hunted us?”
He looked at Mayhem. “Can you go distract them so they don’t let up the alarm? They might not sense us, but just in case.”
Mayhem nodded and zoomed out of the house, ready to take care of her fellow canines.
“Handy to have a pug dragon,” I said.
“Very.” Cade crept to the edge of the door and peered out. “The torches are all doused, and the camp is quiet.”
“There will be sentries.”
“They may be asleep. But can you conceal us?”
I reached into my pocket, making sure I still had the heavenly transport charm. “Yes. But we should hold hands since we can’t see each other.”
He shifted his sword to his other hand and reached for mine. I gripped his palm, then used my magic to make us invisible. It shivered over us.
“To the fighters’ quarters first,” I said. “We’ll release them so they can break into the armory. When we’ve got Rowan, I’ll set up the alarm, and they can start to fight.”
“I’ll stay with them and see it done, then join you back at the Protectorate.”
“You’re really sure that same portal will be there?”
He nodded. “It’s been there thousands of years. I have faith.”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
We crept out of the roundhouse, keeping our footsteps as silent as we could. The village was eerily quiet at this hour, the total lack of sounds of modern life making it feel weird.
We passed several smaller roundhouses before finding the large one at the edge of the village. It looked just as Maira had described, down to the worn-out track leading from the door. The track that hundreds of fighters had trod before being forced to fight for their lives so that Cocidius would have some entertainment.
Rage burned in my chest, a renewed commitment to take the bastard out. And everyone who participated in this miserable operation.
It was truly the worst of humanity, a stew of violence and aggression that did nothing good for the world.
“Lighten up,” Cade whispered.
I realized that I was squeezing the hell out of his hand and loosened my grip.
There were only two guards at the door, which didn’t seem like many until I saw the massive wooden bar.
No way the prisoners could get out to overtake the guards.
“I’ll take the left,” I murmured.
Cade let go of my hand, and we split up, each of us heading for our guard. I raised my sword and sliced him right through the throat. I really needed to start mixing up my kill shots, but this one was just so effective.
He fell to the ground, gurgling on his own blood.
Cade’s guard fell silently as well, and we lifted up the heavy bar that kept the door locked.
When I opened the door and saw all the fighters trapped inside, caged animals just waiting for a fight to the death, I didn’t feel guilty about killing the guards.
We were going to take these bastards out.
7
Maira hurried to the door, grabbing one of the fallen guards by the foot and dragging his body inside. Cade hauled the other one in after them.
I followed them into the house and dropped our invisibility illusion, revealing ourselves.
The fighters gathered around us, twenty in all. Confusion flickered on some faces, but most seemed to realize what the deal was.
“These are the ones I told you about,” Maira said.
“How can we trust them?” grumbled a man. It was the same one from the first meal—the suspicious-looking one who hadn’t spoken.
“I just risked my life to save you,” I said.
Cade stepped forward, dropping the control he’d kept over his magic. His signature surged forward, the sound of clashing swords, the scent of a storm at sea, and the aura of black and silver.
A low gasp ran through the crowd, mirroring my own. It’d been a while since I’d felt the full extent of Cade’s power, and… dang.
“I am Belatucadros.” His voice was quiet, but powerful.
Shock painted people’s faces.
“I will finish Cocidius,” Cade said. ”He is not what a god should be.”
There was a murmur of agreement and then silence.
I looked at everyone. “We are going to rescue my sister and ambush Cocidius. It will not take long, but we need your silence until then. Go to the armory and get weapons.”
Everyone nodded, clearly excited about the plan.
I looked at Maira. “I’ve learned where they store the potion that fuels the slave col
lars. The healer makes it in a cauldron. It’s in her roundhouse.”
“I’ll take care of that,” Maira said. “And I found out that Cocidius sleeps in the roundhouse at the east side of camp. There will be a couple of guards, and his sigil is carved on the door.”
I nodded. “Thank you, and good luck. I will send the signal—a lightning bolt—when it is time to begin. Then, fight for your lives.”
“We’re very familiar with that,” Maira said.
I smiled wryly, then turned and left, Cade at my side. Right before we stepped out the door, I reached for his hand and reignited our invisibility. It was becoming so much more natural, and I had to say that Loki’s power was probably my favorite.
We hurried silently across the camp, avoiding the dog cages where Mayhem glowed like a ghost, distracting the other dogs with her antics. They couldn’t figure out what she was, it seemed, but they certainly didn’t hate her.
When I caught sight of Cocidius’s roundhouse, I ducked behind a cart full of hay, tugging Cade along with me. He crouched beside me.
“Only two,” I muttered. “Cocky bastard.”
“He’s got the strength of a god,” Cade said. “No one else can defeat him.”
“Except us.”
“And we will.”
I let go of his hand and called my twin daggers from the ether. “I’m going to take them out with my daggers. Follow me once they fall.”
“I’ll catch them before they hit the ground.”
I nodded, appreciating his speed and forethought. Didn’t want to alert Cocidius, after all.
“See ya’.” I darted out from behind the cart and lined up my shot, then nailed both the guards in their necks. They gurgled, reaching for their wounds.
Wind brushed by me. Cade running.
The men sagged in midair, then slowly lowered to the ground, an invisible Cade easing them down. I hurried to join them, and pressed my ear against the door.
I heard nothing but the slow breathing of sleep. Two people.
“They must have returned and gone to sleep,” I whispered against Cade’s ear.
He nodded, and we slipped inside the roundhouse.
My heart thundered so loudly in my ears that I couldn’t believe I didn’t wake them. But Cocidius slept soundly on a massive pile of furs.