I was cut off by the sudden sensation of her arrival. It electrocuted the air. But she didn’t appear where the stones were set out. She appeared behind Rayis, her magic wrapped around her like a cloak, and all hell broke loose.
Chapter 34
Plan B It Is
Hera’s shadow magic speared through Rayis’s chest like a weapon, lifting him into the air before slamming him down to the ground. The floor quaked with the impact.
Another spear of shadow magic hit Dagon next and vaulted him into the pixie barrier, and the massive Nether Royal slammed into it with a grunt. The pixie magic held, but the impact radiated across the glittery globe surrounding them.
Big wrapped Kate in his arms and kept his eye on Hera, ready to teleport the second shit got bad. It was the promise I had him make me before we came here. No matter what, he needed to get her somewhere safe. If all the dust he had left was used to protect her, it’d be worth it.
Phillip and Sloan worked in unison to get the ancient bitch into the corner where the stones were. Her eyes glowed an eerie green and her arms lifted in an ominous dance. I sucked in a sharp breath, too weak to summon fire. I could only watch as the same action she took on them before I reversed time manifested like an omen around her.
I couldn’t lose them again.
I gripped Blood Slayer, ready to fly out. “Get back!” My hoarse cry was swallowed by the sound of a huge blast.
Aram had brandished his sword and his magic whipped out with devastating speed to construct a barrier between them and Hera. He interrupted whatever spell she’d been casting and provided cover so both of my guys were able to get away safely.
I dashed out with my sword, but it hit an invisible wall around her when I tried to land a blow. My reaction time was slowed by the overuse of my power, so I was thrown back and caught by Cash before I hit the ground.
He positioned my body behind his, the side of his face aimed at me. A stone levitated above his hand and warmth washed over me. “It’s temporary and it’ll take a couple minutes to work, but it should give you a little boost, love. Don’t waste your energy. Remember the plan. Let the rest of us fight the slithery hag and patiently wait for my signal.”
I nodded.
I hadn’t forgotten. We’d planned for more than the stones trapping her. We had to. There were too many variables to consider, and she was a villain who’d been around my type before. It wasn’t a surprise she anticipated it. Maybe she’d checked for it somehow the first time around and caught it this time. There wasn’t any way of knowing for sure, but she’d come in ready to fight.
A black swirl opened up behind Hera. She was outnumbered and knew it. The only viable option was to run. Anticipating it, Aram was quick to attack. He got her away from the portal she opened. Rayis and Dagon were finally back on their feet, and the two summoned magic to block her exit. The black void froze over and solidified, but it required all their concentration to do it.
In a space not big enough for the battle ensuing, Aram and Hera traded assaults. I kept an eye on the others, but my stare immediately snagged on the necklace around Hera’s throat. Itglowed off and on, rebounding any magic used on her so nothing truly hit. It was exactly how it’d been when she fought my group the first time.
“Do it now, V!” I heard Cash yell, the stone he’d used on me finally taking full effect.
My mouth ticked up. I was dragging in air like I needed it, but I’d regained some of my strength. The throb of my core told me I’d have just enough power to do what we talked about thanks to Cash’s little magical stone boost.
Plan B it is.
Aram had Hera engaged in a dangerous fight between sword and magic. The powerful weapon was breaking through the barrier the necklace produced, but it still wasn’t enough.
Jo and I caught each other’s gazes before I called on my power and the world came to a screeching halt. Everyone was frozen in place, their actions paused. It was too much to carry everyone into the frozen window with me as depleted as I was, so I only brought Jo.
The Chaos Fae’s body whispered across the floor until she was in front of Hera. She didn’t hesitate. Not that I truly believed she ever would, but I mean, itwasher mother.
With a flash of her hand, Jo yanked the necklace her mother wore, hissing like it burned on contact, and threw it to the ground. Her boot and magic broke the thing to pieces. It scraped against the tile as she kicked it aside. Blood seeped from a wound on her palm, but she gripped the dagger like none of it bothered her.
I made my way over and helped her drag Hera’s frozen body to where the stones would trap her. Extra insurance if my ability gave out. It was a lot to try to keep a hold on time and haul a frozen lady, but I managed it like a champ.
Jo touched my face with the hand not holding the dagger, then she buried Aram’s blade right in her mother’s chest. Mypower gave out, shuddering to a start. Time moved, and Hera stared down at the dagger sunk into her heart. The stones were finally activated. They glowed and trapped her to the spot so she couldn’t move.
“You…” the ancient bitch whispered. “I could’ve killed you long ago, but I didn’t, and this is how you repay me, you ungrateful ingrate.”
“A mistake you would’ve punished me for at one time, no?” Jo spat in Hera’s face before burying the other dagger in her mother’s throat. “This is for Reyna, for V, and for everyone you betrayed to make yourself powerful. I hope their souls haunt you in the afterlife. Go to hell and fester, you evil piece of shit.”
Jo pulled both daggers out as painfully as she could, and they came back blue and dripping. With a quick glance at everyone, Jo took a step back and wiped the blades on her pant leg.
Rayis grunted. “Your daughter has bollocks, old hag, I’ll give you that.”
Hera made a noise between a moan and gasp, inky webs consuming her alabaster flesh. She was reduced to ragged breaths, frozen in her slow-acting demise. All she could do was let the poison take her.
