Page 103 of Commanding Flame and Shield
“Beg to differ,Agamemnon.” Alec inched closer to Alvara’s side. Matching the monster’s arrogance. The beast snarled at the sound of his own name on Alec’s lips. “Cool name, by the way. As in Menelaus and Agamemnon. Right?” Alec inclined his head to the side as he touched Alvara’s back, his hand glowing white. “So, you’re…his brother. Adrastos’ brother.”
The answer was there, in Alvara’s mind, and Alec fished it right out as he healed her ribs. Quickly. Silently. Her chest slowly expanding, a little deeper with each breath. The monster’s brows stitched together over those tight eyes. Anger flashed as he came face to face with his enemy, understanding dawning as they flicked back to Alvara, who smiled sweetly through her pain.
“He said you were coming,” Agamemnon snarled. "You really are the seer of the North, then.” An emotion flashed across his eyes, so fast I couldn’t read it. He took one lumbering step forward, setting my hair on end.
“In the flesh, motherfucker,” Alec stepped between Alvara and the beast, arm around her shoulder, refusing to lift his healing touch from her spine. I moved to flank him, bolstering my shield around our group.
“Pathetic.” The monster turned to release a backhanded blow, but his hand was glued to his ribs. Marcus and Alec both pulsing shields forward. Alvara inclined her head, smile twisting from sweet to cruel, and raised her good hand. She cupped it like she meant to strangle him, and I realized as her fingers closed in, that that was exactly what she was doing. Slowly, she closed them into a fist, and Agamemnon’s eyes widened as the air sucked out of his lungs. There was a collective roar as the remaining three beasts sprang back into action. The wind began to tear through the room as the monster staggered forward, forcing his way through the shield, like walking through waist deep mud. Jason, Damien, and Fae engaged the blood wolves as I dove forward.
A scream from his mate had Alec whirling towards her, terror rippling off him as he dove for her. In the same instant the shield faltered, Agamemnon lunged forward. He grabbed Alvara’s throat and hoisted her back into the air. I hurled my shield against him, again and again. He didn't so much as sway where he stood. Alvara’s emerald eyes were unwavering as she stared him down, in a race to the last ounce of air in their lungs. Marcus’ shield battered against the monster, but he remained unaffected. I threw my body against it, not feeling the pain as I hammered it with my fist, lightning sparking. The storm flickered, like a lightbulb as it dies, and panic sent my heart hammering an even more frantic staccato. I threw up my own shield again, advancing forward with all the rage buried in my bones.
The lights around us flickered out, and I blinked frantically into the gloom. Alvara’s storm ceased its assault. My shield guttered into nothing, as an eerie melody began to creep down the hallway, lifting the hair on my neck on end. Bit by bit, my body drained of magic, the sensation like blood leaving veins.
Marcus stared at his hands, and then threw himself forward, gripping his blade, but Agamemnon grinned, the expression entirely absent of joy, and seized Marcus’ throat. He hoisted the enormous Commander until his feet dangled just below Alvara’s.
Marcus slammed his blade into the monster’s arm, and Agamemnon bellowed, but barely yielded an inch to the blow. He just pulled his lip back like a snarling wolf. Marcus made to kick, but that hand tightened around his neck, rendering him still. Both of their shields flicked out. There was a grunt of pain and a cry behind us.
Slowly, fractured arm trembling in effort or pain, Alvara reached her hand out to me. There was strength in the motion, expectation in her outstretched fingers. Terror coursed through my veins, ice and fire all at once, as the vision solidified. This was it. Our only shot. With a roar, I threw every single ounce of myself forward. Like compacting the earth beneath bare hands, I shoved against the pressure on my magic, summoning it up from the depths of myself. Alvara’s wind softly whistled, gradually regaining its speed as our magic collided and merged, twisting in a hurricane of wind, rain, and lightning. There was a great crash of thunder that rumbled through my ribcage.
An emotion that could only be described as shock skittered over Agamemnon’s icy eyes. “Im-impossible,” Agamemnon breathed. In response, the room filled with the force of the magic mixing, physical storm sleeting against our skin.
More, more, more!She demanded it all. Everything I had to give her. She sucked the magic from my body, and I bellowed, channeling all I had towards my Alvara. Dark magic slashed against my shield, pressing in, but mine was stronger.Ourswas stronger. Her eyes fluttered closed as the current rippled through her, muscles spasming under the force of the magic. When they opened again, her eyes glowed with that lethal green light. In the last seconds of air, her lips pulled up at the corner, and she slammed her good arm into the monster’s face, palm across his eyes. He dropped Marcus to the floor to slam his hand against her face in turn, covering her mouth and nose.
Jason!Her voice cracked in a roar of demand right as Marcus rolled to his feet, scrambling to reengage. An image flashed of empty cerulean eyes staring up at the ceiling, right as she sank her canines through the flesh. Black blood spurted and the monster roared. Jason’s body slammed into his now-lunging Commander, tackling him out of the way as the lightning exploded through her, arching down her arms into the monster. Agamemnon quaked in a great, terrible seizure.
A flash of light. A roar of outrage, and another man of Renown materialized in the hallway where Agamemnon had emerged.
“Fuck!” Marcus bellowed as he lunged at him, now fighting both of his brothers as they yanked him backward.
“I can’t fucking shift!” Damien growled, a blade braced in his free hand. Behind us, Fae’s cry was swallowed by a roar, and the brother’s whirled as I threw myself towards Alvara. She fell to the floor, just as Agamemnon collapsed.
The newcomer rushed forward as I did, and hoisted the giant up, looping his arms under his comrade’s and heaving him away from her. As he acknowledged who was struggling to her feet in front of them, his eyes flashed with knowing, followed by fleeting panic, and finally, outrage.
I stepped between them, covering her and bracing for the fight. Gasping, Alvara threw up her hand, and I did the same. Magic drained to the dregs, she trembled as she held her arm steady for one last blow. Keeping her safely tucked behind me, we threw the remainder of our lighting towards the men of Renown, currents spiraling together in one lethal bolt.
But they were no longer there to strike.
FORTY-ONE
PROPHECY
ALVARA
“Thatwas Adrastos,” the words were a hot rasp in my throat as the lights flickered back to life, our power along with them.
Marcus appeared by August’s side, eyes wide as he stared down at me. “Ally,” he rumbled, silver in his remarkable blue eyes, voice shaky with fear, and grief.
“We’re sorry.” Jason breathed, voice quavering, skin glistening with sweat. “So sorry. We-”
“I’ll fucking deal with you later,” Marcus snarled, leveling his brothers with a livid glare.
“We all fucked up, mate.” Alec’s tone was dry as he appeared at August’s side. I didn’t feel death in the room, nothing lurking in the smoking shadows, save for dirty air, and ash. “We knew the plan was balanced on a blade, it’s not on you. Ally knew what she was getting into.” Alec knelt by my side, and then glanced to August, whose hands trembled—with fear, or rage, or helplessness, I wasn’t sure. “Fae just needs another nudge. Go finish her healing. I’ve got Ally.” August, also still panting, met my eyes, and upon my nod, turned to help Aphaea.
Marcus knelt next to us, and as Alec reached for my ribs, Marcus gently set his fingers on my fractured arm. I lifted the dress’ collar above my nose and breathed as deeply as I could muster between the crack in my ribs and weight of the smoke. Sirens sang out in the distance. The two souls pushed their own precious life force into the wounds, stitching them back together with glowing hands. The steady pulse of white behind us told me August was getting to work on Aphaea, too.
When the bones had fused, Alec looked to Marcus and demanded we leave before the building collapsed.
Energy spent, the jump took the last of what I had to give. Every drop. When we landed at Marcus’ loft, I collapsed to my knees. Curling over them, I gasped for clean air. A thick blanket was tossed over me, and then there was August. The sound of a metal kettle filling with water behind us. He used the fabric to wrap around my exposed arms and legs and lifted me against his chest. I pressed my face against his warmth, breathing in the sage and pine, the steady thump of his pulse lulling me to sleep. The feel of those toned muscles beneath me, like a wall between the world and myself. When he laid me across the bed, sleep took me.
