Page 70 of Into the Abyss
Pain lanced from my wrist to my elbow as I’dnever punched someone before and had no idea how to hit anythingcorrectly, but the blow pushed her back a step, which was enoughtime for Magnus to grip her shoulders.
“What are you doing?” he yelled at her.
“Youdid this!” she screeched.
Hooking her fingers into claws, Balelaunched herself at him, and they staggered into the wall. Shekneed him in the gut before kicking him in the shin. Magnus’sbreath exploded out of him. He wasn’t fighting her as he’d foughtNalki, but I suspected it was only a matter of time before hestopped seeing her as a friend and saw her as an enemy.
“This isn’t his doing!” I cried.
Grabbing Bale’s hair, I yanked it back.Twisting her head, Bale’s fangs snapped at my wrist, and Magnusemitted a sound between a snarl and a roar. Releasing her wrists,he seized her throat and spun her so fast her hair was pulled frommy hand.
“This is the world of the jinn!” Magnusshouted as he slammed her into the wall. “Thejinndidthis!”
Bale struggled in his grasp for a fewseconds before his words sank in.
“The jinn!” she spat, and suddenly Magnusheld only air.
• • •
Corson
Bale came awake with a vengeance as she leapt to herfeet and unsheathed the sword strapped to her back. She surveyedeveryone in the cave as if we were the enemies she wouldslaughter.
“Welcome back,” I greeted dryly.
Content there was no enemy, Bale lowered hersword, but she maintained a two-hand grip on it as the bladesettled on the rock. Shoulders heaving, she surveyed the caveagain. Most of those still alive were awake and leaning against thewall. Vargas, Wren’s friend Jolie, and a handful of other humanshad come back to us over the past eight hours.
There were now eighteen humans awake and,including Magnus and Hawk, there were nineteen living demons freeof the Abyss.
Only five demons remained asleep, includingWren, as well as six humans. The rest were dead. Almost three daysago, we numbered one hundred twenty-five. Now, with the angels, wewere down to thirty-nine fighters.
“What is going on?” Bale demanded.
“It seems Sloth and the jinn teamed up,” Isaid. “And they’re wreaking havoc.”
“Where is Sloth?”
“Caim has been searching for him withoutluck,” Vargas said.
Sitting beside Erin, Vargas had his legsdrawn up and his arms draped across his knees. Even with his olivecomplexion, he was abnormally pale, and his nearly black eyes withtheir flecks of golden brown were haunted.
No one came out of the Abyss eager to sharewhat they experienced, but Vargas wouldn’t speak about it atall.
Rising, Lix’s skeletal feet clicked againstthe stone as he made his way around the much emptier cave.
Bale sheathed her sword. “Why don’t I seeMagnus’s body?”
I explained what had happened as I strokedWren’s silken hair and let it slide between my fingers. The earringshe wore for me lay against her cheek, and her hands twisted intomy shirt.
A flutter of wings drew my attention beforeCaim sauntered in.
“I’m back!” he declared. “And so are you!”He ignored Bale’s scowl when he clapped her on the shoulder. “Howwas the Abyss, Red? Did you see anything exciting?”
“I saw rock walls and misery. It was likebeing in Hell again,” Bale replied. “Then I came across Magnus. Iassumed he caused it, so I tried to kill him.”
“Not the first time,” I said.
Bale gave me a wan smile. “At least theother times, he deserved it.”
