38. Evelyn
38
Evelyn
M y heart pounded as I stepped to the front of our army. The dark forest behind us was our last refuge; we prayed we wouldn’t have to use it.
From the mansion’s sprawling lawn, Eris emerged, flanked by a legion of horrors—ravenous vampires, malevolent demons, menacing shifters, and countless other wicked beings intent on our destruction.
I swallowed hard.
We’d practiced for this moment, but the real thing? It was a totally different ballgame.
“Ready?” I murmured to the guys flanking me.
Rafe nodded grimly. Chad cracked his knuckles, his usual grin nowhere to be found.
A cold, mocking boom from Eris echoed across the lawn. “Have you come to surrender, little one? To join the glorious new age of power?”
I let out a sharp laugh. “Sorry to disappoint, but this ends today.”
The goddess tilted her head, her eerie smile widening. “You truly believe you can defeat me? How adorable.”
My lips curled into a wicked grin.
Time to wipe that smug look off her face.
“Oh, Eris, you should know better. I don’t fight fair.”
I glanced back at Alister, who stood at the rear, waiting for his cue.
Go time.
“Now!” he bellowed.
With a coordinated magical attack, witches and wizards catapulted enchanted pouches high into the air, falling over Eris’s army in a scarlet rain.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then…chaos.
The vampires in the front lines went berserk, trampling each other to lap up the blood, only to collapse in heaps moments later.
The sedatives had taken hold. We’d feared their speed and strength the most, and now they were sprawled on the ground, motionless.
I allowed myself a small smile.
Guess those sedatives packed quite a punch.
“Masks on!” the chief shouted to our shifters.
More pouches flew, these filled with pheromones enchanted to keep dispersing. Enemy shifters howled, abandoning their posts to chase the airborne scents. Only the strongest resisted, but even they looked…pained.
I stifled a giggle.
Fighting with a raging hard-on won’t be fun.
We’d reduced her army by half, and we hadn’t even engaged yet.
Eris’s face contorted with fury, Lia’s elegant features twisting into something monstrous. “What have you done?!”
I shrugged, feigning innocence. “Just stirring up a little chaos. Isn’t that your thing?”
We’d landed the first blow, but the real fight was just beginning.
I gripped my sword tighter, electricity crackling at my fingertips.
Eris’s eyes blazed with rage. She raised her hands, and a wall of black flames erupted, roaring toward us.
“Shields up!” I screamed.
Adrien and the shield casters’ meticulous preparations deflected the worst. The counter-spells held strong, but the heat was still intense, leaving scorch marks on the lawn. This was her advantage, her domain, and she wasn’t holding back.
Then all hell broke loose.
We surged forward as one, weapons clashing and spells crackling in the air.
“Now or never,” I muttered, summoning the lightning.
It surged through me, raw power tingling in my veins. I hurled bolts at the nearest demons, their shrieks piercing the air as they disintegrated under the force of my attack.
All around me, chaos erupted. Zade’s massive wings unfurled as he dove into the fray, a blur of precision and deadly grace. Rafe fought beside him, his movements fluid, every strike calculated and powerful.
“Having fun yet?” I shouted to Eris, zapping another demon.
To my surprise, she laughed, the sound sharp and wild. “Oh, darling, I’m just getting started.” Her eyes gleamed with a manic light.
Is she…enjoying this?
As I struck down another enemy, a chilling realization hit me. Eris thrived on chaos. She didn’t just feed on it—she was it.
Were we playing right into her hands?
I pushed the unsettling thought aside, focusing on the battle surrounding me. There was no time for doubt now.
Officers from the SLEA and the brave volunteers who had joined our cause fought valiantly beside us. Spells flew, swords clashed, and the air was thick with the sounds of battle. We had an impressive force, but Eris’s minions were relentless.
Then I noticed it—something was off.
Shouts and arguments erupted within our ranks. Accusations flew, tension rising as allies turned on each other. This wasn’t just the chaos of war. It was discord—one of Eris’s tricks.
“Traitor!” someone roared.
I turned just in time to see a shifter drive a blade into an officer.
“Block your minds!” Alister’s voice rang out over the battlefield. “Don’t let her manipulate you!”
At the far end of the fight, I saw him standing tall, sword in hand, his face a mask of unshaken determination.
A massive demon lunged at me, its claws slicing through the air. I ducked, the wind of its strike brushing against my cheek. Electricity crackled in my palm, and I slammed my hand against its chest. The demon convulsed, its eyes rolling back—just as a thick vine shot up from the ground, coiling around its ankle. With a sharp yank, I sent it hurtling through the sky.
“ Evelyn, behind you! ” Chad’s voice roared in my mind.
I spun around just in time to see a serpent shifter barreling toward me, fangs bared and eyes glowing with malice. My breath caught, but Chad’s hellhound form slammed into it with bone-crushing force before I could react. The shifter yelped and went limp under his claws.
“ Thanks, puppy ,” I sent back through our bond, my heart still racing.
A searing pain exploded in my shoulder as a demon’s claws ripped through my skin, hot blood dripping down my arm. I stumbled, gritting my teeth against the pain. With a flick of my wrist, I summoned a vine to impale the demon, pulling it into the earth.
We had this.
It was time to put her in time-out, literally.
“It’s time,” I said, catching Zade’s eye.
He gave a curt nod and flew to the witch battalions.
Witches and warlocks moved into position. Days of preparation came down to this moment. My heart pounded in my chest.
“Freezing spell, now!” Zade commanded.
A blast of icy magic shot towards Eris.
For a split second, I saw surprise flicker across her face. Then, stillness.
It had worked.
“Cuffs!” Zade called out.
The enchanted cuffs appeared out of thin air, snapping onto Eris’s wrists. I remembered the weight of those cuffs all too well.
Finally, the cage materialized around her, shimmering with layers upon layers of protective spells.
The battlefield fell silent, an eerie calm descending, as Eris’s minions looked lost, unsure whether to flee or continue fighting.
I allowed myself to feel hope. We’d done it. We’d actually—
A sound like shattering glass filled the air. I watched Eris break free; the cuffs falling uselessly to the ground. Her laughter, cold and cruel, echoed across the battlefield.
The air crackled with dark energy as Eris spread her arms wide, her eyes gleaming with malicious glee. The chaos around us seemed to flow towards her like a river, feeding her power.
“Enough games,” Eris’s voice boomed across the battlefield. The ground shook beneath our feet, her power twisting the air around us. “It’s time you understand what true power means.”
The chaos we had inflicted should have been Eris’s downfall. Instead, it was fueling her. The air shimmered, and reality warped as her presence swelled. Her magic fed off the destruction and funneled it back into her army.
I watched in horror as wounds closed, torn flesh knitted back together, and enemy vampires—who should have been down for good—rose again. Eris’s laughter rang sharp and exultant.
Suddenly, Eris’s vampires darted in too fast for my lightning or my vines. I unsheathed my sword to guide my attacks, but even that wasn’t enough.
A massive raven shifter with unnaturally large talons dove from the sky and raked his claws across Rafe’s chest, blood spraying across the battlefield.
No, no, no!
Chad took a vicious blow to the head, stumbling.
Above us, Ryker flew around in his massive dragon form, scales gleaming even in the dim light of the corrupted sky. I swung my sword, cleaving through an enemy’s chest, the blade sinking deep into flesh, when—Ryker roared as flying shifters swarmed him, but the figure on his back made my blood run cold—his father had shifted back to human form, wielding a spear. With a sickening crack, the spear struck, and Ryker plummeted to the ground.
“Ryker!” I screamed as I conjured a vine, its thick tendrils spiraling out to wrap around him and break his fall.
He was back on his feet in a flash—human once more—locked in a brutal one-on-one fight with his father.
I swung again, cutting down another opponent with a quick slash, but we were losing ground.
I could feel the guys’ pain through our bond, each injury like a dagger in my flesh. Despair clawed at my insides. I had to—
“Evelyn!”
Lia’s voice cut through the din, raw and pained.
“Stop this! You’re hurting me!”
I froze, my sword wavering mid-swing.
Was it really Lia, or was it just another one of Eris’s tricks?
The moment’s hesitation cost me.
A sharp pain tore through my shoulder as a vampire’s fangs sank into my flesh.
I stumbled back, blood trickling down my arm. The vampire grinned, its fangs stained red. Anger surged through me, hot and fierce, as I slashed the monster with my sword.
Time to end this.
I closed my eyes and reached deep within myself. The heat built inside me, spreading through my veins like liquid fire. I could feel my skin begin to burn, growing brighter and hotter until I was burning like a star.
Eris’s laughter faltered. “What are you doing?”
I opened my eyes, meeting her gaze. “You wanted chaos?” I said, my voice resonating with power. “Let me show you chaos .”
The fire exploded outward, engulfing me in flames. My body shifted, growing taller, broader, more powerful. Flames erupted from my body, engulfing everything around me. The vampires nearest to me shrieked, their bodies turning to ash in seconds.
Eris’s eyes widened, and her usual confident posture faltered.
The battlefield fell silent as I rose in my phoenix form into the air; the flames licking at the sky. Even my allies froze, gaping in awe. We’d kept this transformation a secret from everyone.
“Impossible,” Eris hissed.
I smirked—well, as much as a giant flaming bird can smirk—before unleashing a wave of purifying fire that swept across the battlefield. Our enemies shrieked as they were consumed, their bodies crumbling into ash. Some managed to flee, but the SLEA moved in, striking with precision. Cuffs clicked into place, spells flared, and the battlefield shifted from chaos to containment. I noticed among the restrained was Ryker’s father, who lay bound and bloodied as he cursed and tossed.
Eris snarled, hurling bolts of chaotic energy at me. They fizzled harmlessly against my fiery form.
“You wanted chaos?” I projected my voice. I spread my wings as flames danced around me as I hovered above. “Here I am. The embodiment of destruction and rebirth.”
Before she could respond, I dove at her, talons outstretched, fire trailing in my wake. Eris raised her hands, summoning a shield of swirling darkness.
Focusing on my powers, I teleported across the battlefield, watching Eris’s mouth open in surprise. She held her shield, eyes darting around as she swirled in place, searching for me. Her shield grew larger—her restlessness palpable, as though she feared what would happen when I collided with it.
Am I strong enough to break through?
I had to trust myself and protect those I loved. With a roar, I crashed into her shield directly behind her. My flames tore through it like paper, and the impact sent shockwaves across the battlefield.
My vision blurred in an explosion of light and shadow. Gravity pulled me down, and Eris parried my attack with a new surge of dark energy. As I pushed forward, sparks of energy cascaded in all directions, and for a moment, we seemed evenly matched.
Exhaustion. I felt it in my bones. No matter how much I screamed to focus my power on the goddess, it seemed like Eris had unlimited energy to deflect my attempts to purge her darkness.
I felt a warm energy mix with my own and realized that my mates were lending me their strength. Their power poured into me through our bond, and their love calmed my mind and told me I wasn’t alone.
My flames surged brighter.
Eris’s voice reached me as I focused our energies on defeating her. “Will you sacrifice those you love to end me?” She tried again. “Would you give up Lia? If this body dies, she dies.”
Breathe. Stay strong.
“I am chaos incarnate! I cannot truly die, but she can,” Eris reminded me. “I’ve seen your memories, your dreams. You know it’s true. Ending me means killing her .”
Lia. My best friend. Trapped inside this monster. Can I sacrifice her?
I faltered, my flames flickering.
“You’re right,” I whispered, the truth slamming into me.
We were doing this all wrong.
Eris fed on chaos. Fighting her, striking her down—it wouldn’t save Lia, and it wouldn’t save the world either; Eris would just find another vessel.
Our plan of trapping her had failed.
But there was another way.
I raised my head from the chaos around me so I could look at my mates on the far end of the battlefield. Their strained expressions were the result of lending me their energy. They trusted me with their lives. Zade’s expression caught my eye. He seemed conflicted, his grip tightening around his sword as he placed a hand on Rafe’s shoulder. He didn’t want Lia dead either. Yet, he was trusting me, too.
I turned back to Eris. “I have a better offer.”
Eris tilted her head, her curiosity momentarily overtaking her rage. “Oh?”
I shifted back to my human form, stepping forward. Flames coiled around me, simmering just beneath my skin.
I knew what I had to do.
The thought of the pain it would cause my mates made my heart ache, but I had no choice. Hecate had always said a sacrifice would be required. I hadn’t understood what she meant—not until last night, lying awake, staring at the ceiling as it finally clicked.
The balance must be restored. What was split in two must become whole again.
Of course. It had always been this.
This was why Morgana had killed my parents. Why she had tried to kill me. I wasn’t just reborn by chance—I was reborn to end the imbalance.
As soon as I realized it, I texted Adrien, working out a Plan B—a last resort. But I had hoped we wouldn’t need it, that our first plan would be enough.
But now, I had to accept it. This was the price only I could pay.
“Take me instead,” I said, my heart pounding. “My body, my power, my lineage. You’d be unstoppable.”
Flames roared to life around me, an inferno blazing at my command, proof of the raw power flowing through my veins.
Eris’s eyes gleamed with hunger. “You would offer yourself?”
I nodded, forcing myself to remain steady. “Free Lia. Take me as your vessel instead.”
Gasps and shock reverberated across the battlefield. I felt my mates freeze in terror through the bond.
Eris stilled, her eerie, knowing gaze locked onto mine. “You would offer yourself? Just like that?”
I swallowed hard but didn’t look away. “To free Lia, yes.”
She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “And why would I trade a vessel I already possess for one that is—what? More powerful? You were the one destined to destroy me. And now you offer yourself? Tell me, Hecate’s champion, why shouldn’t I assume this is a trap?”
“Because you’re right,” I said, keeping my voice even. “I was destined to destroy you. But now I understand that I can’t. Not without killing Lia, and I won’t do that.”
Eris studied me, her lips curling. “And I’m just supposed to believe you’d rather surrender to me than end this battle another way?”
“I’m not surrendering,” I said firmly. “I’m making a choice. A sacrifice.” I stepped closer, flames licking at my skin but not burning me. “You want chaos? Imagine what you could do with me. With this. ” I spread my arms, letting the fire crackle around me, heat radiating in waves.
The hunger in her gaze sharpened, and she licked her lips, considering. “A phoenix…a true rebirth. No more weak mortal shell. No more limitations.” Her voice was almost reverent. A slow, delirious smile spread across her face. “Oh, you foolish, noble creature.” She laughed, low and victorious. “Very well. I accept.”
“Evelyn, no!” Rafe’s voice echoed across the battlefield.
The others shouted, too.
“ I’m sorry. I have to do this. Please forgive me ,” I said through the bound; I looked to Adrien, who was a little further back with Viper and Raven and gave him a small nod.
My friend’s expression was grim as he raised a shield around Eris and me, his magic shimmering faintly in the air like a protective dome.
A strangled growl tore from Ryker’s throat. “ No. No, Evelyn! ” My dragon was next to us in a split second as his bloody fists slammed against Adrien’s shield, the force making the magic shimmer.
“Drop it,” Lucien snarled at Adrien, his eyes burning with rage. “Right. Now.”
“I can’t,” Adrien gritted out. “She knew you’d try to stop her.”
Viper and Raven positioned themselves in a protective stance in front of Adrien.
Rafe’s voice cracked. “Evelyn, please, don’t do this.”
Through the bond, I felt their helplessness.
“ Little witch… ” Chad’s voice sounded broken.
“ Evelyn, my love, I can’t lose you, ” Alister said with desperation.
I looked at them—my mates, my loves—desperately wishing things could be different. Their faces were a mix of horror and disbelief, tearing at my fragile resolve. I had to believe this would work and they would understand why I was doing it.
“I’m sorry,” I said through our link. “But if you love me, you need to let me do this.”
I turned to Eris and extended my hands. She took them without hesitation, her grip strong. I extinguished the flames in my palms to ensure they wouldn’t hurt Lia. The fire receded, leaving only my human touch’s raw, open vulnerability.
My mates pounded on the shield, calling my name.
“Do it,” I said, my voice steady despite my heart tearing apart.
Eris’s eyes glowed triumphantly, her lips curling into a wicked smile. “Don’t worry, dear. I’ll make good use of you.”
Her essence began to pour out of Lia’s body, a swirling, writhing mass of shifting light and shadow. It shimmered and twisted in impossible patterns, colors bleeding into one another like a fractured prism, both beautiful and horrifying. The air hummed with raw, chaotic energy as tendrils of radiant, seething power snaked toward me, alive with intent. As it made contact, I braced myself, shielding my mind to hold steady, locking every part of me into place.
The essence of Eris slammed into my body, a powerful, suffocating force that clawed at every corner of my being. I could feel her trying to break me apart, to infiltrate my mind, my soul. Her voice yelled in my head, a thousand chaotic thoughts, a deafening cacophony trying to overwhelm me.
I gritted my teeth, summoning every ounce of control I had to shield my mind.
I closed my eyes and reached for my core power, the one linked to my life force, and unleashed it.
All of it.
Feeding my flames everything I had left.
I screamed, the effort of holding her at bay tearing through me.
I held on as much as I could.
She thrashed inside me, desperate to take over.
My shield collapsed, but it was too late.
My life force had run out.
Trapping Eris.
Darkness surrounded us as I landed in the shadow realm one last time.