“Be careful, cousin,” I called to Malakai as he left, to which Barrett let out a dramatic scoff and shouted something about how I should love him as a cousin, too.
I actually laughed as Dynaxtar landed loudly between us.
“Okay, Vale,” I said, cupping her face in my hands. “I’m needed down here. I have to go find Meridat and ensure any evacuations are taken care of, plus apparently I need to try to kill these gorgons, but you go high. Dynaxtar will protect you while you read, and when you have a chance, get any fucking Angel or gorgon close enough to me to take them out.”
She nodded, jaw set but pain staunchly darkening her olive eyes. Silver ebbed around the irises. “I’ll look for you in the stars, warrior. Don’t start losing fights now.”
I cracked a smile. “Never, Stargirl.”
Chapter Seventy
Tolek
Angels,Ophelia and Sapphire were fucking magnificent flying over the battle, blasting beams of Angellight down to clear debris. It had crackled with every color, burning through rubble and tumbling down streets like a storm.
I hadn’t seen them in a while, though, and I ignored the wave of Spiritsdamned nausea that swept through me at the fact. At the very real possibility that Echnid was waiting beyond the walls.
But while I’d wanted to jump onto Sapphire’s back right behind Ophelia and take to the skies so I knew she was okay, I had another job tonight. And I’d raced toward it as fast as my damn legs would go after I said goodbye to Ophelia.
Now, I assessed the monstrous creation before me, wheeled up to the roof of the capitol building a few days ago. Its rusted iron barrel gave it the allure of a weapon that had seen centuries worth of battles. That had taken as many lives in defending its coasts.
I dragged a finger up the body, and power radiated through me at the touch.
Finally. A cannon.
Placing a hand on my sword, I spun to face the Seawatchers behind me. Only a handful had been assigned to this roof, the rest stationed at battlements along the city walls or high lookout points in the tallest buildings.
Ezalia had planned for everything—every point to be covered. Every scenario that could befall us. She’d taken me under her wing to head the cannon operations, as if a part of her had an inkling she may not survive the war Echnid brought our way.
“Is the powder loaded?” I asked the Seawatchers.
There was no need for a fancy speech. These were her most finely trained warriors. They knew what was at stake and had seen their chancellor fall. The only thing they needed to know was my determination matched the steel glint in their eyes, carrying out the mission she died for. So, I kept my voice firm and actions decided. The dagger carved with my sister’s initials hung at my waist, giving me strength.
“Enough for a half dozen shots,” one broad warrior said. The bow slung across his back was over half the size of my body.
“And how much do we have after that?” I asked.
The man grinned something savage, stepping aside. Entirecrateswere piled behind him, full of the pulverized, magic-imbued rock mined from the Mystique Mountains to fuel the weapons.
“We can go all night, sir.” His thick brown beard rippled with his proud exhale.
“Excellent,” I said, spinning back toward the weapon and positioning myself behind it. “And what’s your name?”
“Seviren, Sir.”
“Seviren,” I said, as I searched the skies beyond the scope of the roof, trying to ignore the chaos happening in the streets below. “Call me Tolek. We’re going to be here a while; we may as well be comfortable.”
The Seawatchers manned their posts along the building’s edge, Seviren baring closest in case I needed something. Ezalia had spent her final days teaching me the precision of the cannon, instilling her confidence in me to command this post and weave it with the military strategies that had been planned and replanned for weeks in the building below.
And as I stood behind the carriage now, one hand on the lever, the pressure of her reliance inflated my body. It buzzed along my muscles, a sense of accomplishment and capability in every move, tangling with that weird thrum of power my sword had instilled in me. The one that wanted to claw to the surface, unleash on the enemies before us.
The tattoo across my back heated, Lyria’s words echoing through my mind.You already have everything you need.
Fucking Angels, I did.
My eyes locked on a bolt of lightning-streaked magic rumbling behind a cloud, and the shadow of wings flashed within it. I lined up the shot with the Angel’s path and yelled, “FIRE!”
And we launched a cannonball directly at Thorn as he emerged.
