Page 154 of Commanding Flame and Shield
They have magic.August thought from behind me. Itching for a fight, I flashed a grin that was all teeth at the tight group closest to me. He could sense the power welling in them, just as I could.
I could do this. For Freya, for James and Sam, I would do this.Fuck, get it together Ally.With a flick of my wrist, I whipped a long line of flame towards them, and it licked the invisible shield between us with a deafening crack. Sparks sizzled up the side of it.
Hang in there, kid, the calvary is coming.Aren assured, but the words sent a chill down my spine. They couldn’t be here. Not for this.
Ar, please. I have a plan. Trust me.
Ally.I could hear the growl in his tone and panic sliced through me.
Be ready to move if we get back.
When.Whenyou get back.
I grimaced, trying to keep my internal voice steady as I sucked down breaths.
Eyes up. On your two, kid. Focus.
Jerking my head up to the right, my mind surveyed the men in question. I stretched my arms out wide, loosening my joints as I grinned at the opponents advancing on us.
Six of them on my side, all as broad as Aren. All hidden beneath dark hoods, faces shadowed under August’s storm which crashed a warning. I didn’t care—couldn’tcare—who they were or what they looked like, or even what gifts they possessed. They were on the wrong side of a battle that could not be waged.
When they were within about twenty yards, I slammed my feet to a halt, burying my boots into the loamy earth with the force of it. My hands tucked by my ribs, I pressed against the invisible wall, shoving my own shield against theirs. Sparks and smoke sizzled in a roar that split the air, and the advancing Renown began shouting as my wall of white-hot light slowly, steadily, began to crush their collective shield back towards them. Like a soda can in my hand, I squeezed, and it began to crumple. Tighter. I smiled as they bellowed with the force of holding it upright.
Wind whipped past me in a violent rage, and their hoods fell. I fought the desire to look behind me to check on my mate. August could handle himself.
The men in front of me were all Renown. Dark eyes, but none of obsidian. No sign of demons. I inclined my head to the side as one of them made a break for it, sprinting behind them. For escape, or to seek aid, I didn’t care. He’d signed his death warrant when he bowed to Adrastos and Agamemnon.
One hand pressing against the shield, I reached the other skyward. Curling it into a fist, I plunged it down, and those white flames erupted down the line of the shield. My hand burst into a flurry of them too—I opened my palm and flicked my fingers until the flames formed a great lioness. There was nowhere to run when they turned in attempt to. My shields were steady, trapping them for her. The fire beast sprinted forward in great leaping bounds and devoured them whole. Ash began raining down around us, as my flames continued their assault, unmanaged. Screaming, the cracking of wood as it scorched, and the rolling thunder of August filled the air, the reek of burnt flesh, urine, and singed earth making my eyes water.
The next wave of advancing resistance hesitated and outstretched their beefy arms. The ground shook, and I flashed a smile Aren had affectionately dubbeddeath dealer. I wiped the sweat from my brow, knowing every ounce of my loathing was visible in my eyes. I steadied my breathing. Stilled my heart and mind.
We could play with earth, then.
A great wave curled over the surface of the singed field below us. I rode it and sprinted forward, preparing to leap over the next one. My footing was mercifully steady as I jumped over the second roll of the earth. I had only a heartbeat to pray August was just as stable behind me. A great shard shot forward, earth and stone screaming as they split in two. I threw my hands forward, shattering the attack. The dirt shuddered as I yanked it forward—a great stone spear spiraling out of the ground. It impaled two of the men advancing, a third rolling out of range. I could feel Alec’s silent approval in the back of my mind. The third—the one who was lightest on his feet—snarled.
Panting, I braced my hands on my hips, and flashed him a saccharine smile.
“Earth is fine. But I prefer fire.” I dropped my hands to my side, and in a sweeping arc, brought them above my head in an air-shattering clap. A screaming flame erupted with the movement, and its shattering noise startled August enough that he glanced back to me. From his place on the field, I looked towards a twelve-foot Phoenix of flame. Fitting, perhaps. He jerked his gaze back to his own opponents, and the fallen in his gifts’ wake. I did the same, sending my wings of fire crashing forward.
Somewhere in the distance, creeping over the screams, and roar of fire devouring the field, a melody was playing. Something in the short pattern sizzled my rage. Quiet and steady, it played over the wind. Haunting, I realized, some part of me that I couldn’t place. I shook my head, as if I could shake the sweet melody away. Feeding more of my rage into the flames. No more Renown advanced. None were suicidal enough to.
Sweeping surveys confirmed it. No more would fight. They were fleeing before us. As my mind lashed forward, I realized, perhaps for the first time, what August and I looked like as we bore down upon the camp of sin and greed.
Judgement day.
I lifted my face to the wind to roar, “Is that all you’ve got?”
Behind me, August, his anger visceral and voice guttural, bellowed, “Adrastos!” The power in that summoning raised goosebumps down my body. I began retreating to his side, not willing to put any more distance between us. “Adrastos!” It was a threat, and a challenge, and it sent a thrill down my veins. He was ready. He had to be. “Adrastos!” August continued calling out the Commander behind these cowering forces. Still, my fire lapped up tents like fuel.
But God above, thatwasa music box, I realized. A music box, somehow carrying on the wind over the carnage. Something deep in me stirred, the sensation wetting my anger, cooling it down. Goosebumps lined my arms, as I again pressed my back against August. His fingers found my own by our sides, and they intertwined. Unease settling into my bones, I drew my blade, thumb sliding over the Celtic knot in the hilt.
“Adrastos!” August bellowed, and that same primal thrill shot through me. He would put an end to this himself. We would, side by side.
I’ll be waiting for our encore, my love,he whispered in my mind.
Still, that eerie melody filled the wind, louder now. This time I felt them before their scents filled the air. Like shadow and death, their power rippled through the camp. August could feel it too, although it did nothing to dampen the rage rippling off him.
I pressed my mind forward again, still no sign of Freya or the others. They weren’t here. That dark power ebbed forward, and my stomach twisted with the sheer strength of it.
