Hellfire (Nightfire Academy #4)

Chapter 30 - Luna

CHAPTER 30 - LUNA

“ W hat’s that?” I asked my beautiful dark knight.

Gable took my hand and lifted it for a single kiss. “Don’t you want to destroy the Brotherhood for good, Princess?”

Yes, I did. Only then could Gable, Mary, and I be truly free.

His eyes flicked to the sixth element, hinting at our next step.

Ah. Gotcha.

I squeezed his hand and lifted my gaze back to the stormy snake, telling it, “I have more requests of you, great wonder.”

The landscape shuddered at a terrifying boom.

I raised the sigil of power higher into the air to show it I still held command over it. “I command the Brotherhood of Serpents to surrender their power over the dark forces forever.”

The serpent tattoo on my wrist sizzled, the marking fading, leaving nothing but clean skin.

Gable ran a finger over his freed wrist. “Bloody hell, Princess, I think it’s time I called you Queen.”

My ego purred at the new title, but it didn’t seem fitting with what I just did.

“Queen of nothing now,” I said, sorrow burning in my chest that I might have to do away with the nickname of Dark Princess now that my heritage no longer existed.

Cole slid up behind me, his arms coming around my waist. “You’re a queen in here.” He set his hand over my heart.

Talon got on his knees to bow. “My queen.”

I snorted at waved at him to stand. “Can you check on Blaze, please? I have a request for him as well.”

“Whatever my queen asks of me.” Talon stood and bowed his head like a true knight, leaving to retrieve my final lover.

The elemental python let out another impatient rumble.

“I’m getting to it, I promise.” It snorted at my response.

I wasn’t sure if what I was about to ask was even possible, but what the heck, right? This was the ultimate power, and I didn’t see why it couldn’t do the impossible.

“I command that every creature the Brotherhood hurt is healed,” I commanded. “And none of them remember any of this ever happened.”

Gantii of every kind lifted from the bloodied soil, resurrected and reanimated, whirled into the air, sucked back through the vast hole in the sky, where they disappeared, returned to their own worlds.

Hopefully, this removed Gable and Mary’s mental scars, as well as the other escaped serpents, or those forced into servitude.

Next, I turned my focus on the tears in the Veil that the djinn ripped open to journey to Earth and help us rescue Blaze. “Restore the Veil and seal every rupture on every world, including my own.”

The sixth elemental obeyed, and the terrible gash in the barrier between Earth and other dimensions contracted upon itself, leaving the sky unblemished and safe from the things on the other side.

“Perfect, thank you,” I told it, earning a restless rumble.

Talon guided a dazed and now pale-eyed Blaze over to us.

I curled a hand behind his neck, drawing him down to me, and placing a desperate and yearning kiss on his bloodied lips.

“You did it, sweetness,” he murmured into my lips.

I sure did!

His hands circled around my back, pulling me close. I closed my eyes and stars exploded behind my eyelids. Into that kiss, I injected all my love, relief, and joy. Coronas blossomed in my mind’s eye, expanding into galaxies of brilliant colors, and stars twinkling in the universe. In Blaze’s chest, I saw a new star winking into existence, growing brighter with every caress of our lips.

“Return the power that was stolen from my love,” I ordered the elemental, “only this time, make it permanent, without the need to replenish in the djinn world.”

The snake roared, spitting bolts of lightning that birthed Blaze’s powers once more. He twisted his arms, both glowing with the djinn tattoos. His eyelids slid closed, multi-colored light pulsing beneath his lids.

“I’m even more powerful than before,” he whispered, eyelids reeling open to reveal his turquoise eyes. “Thank you, sweetness.”

“You’re welcome.” I didn’t dare touch him, wary of his newfound magick settling in.

I stepped up to Talon. “And what do you wish for, Frog Prince? Say it and I’ll wipe away the curse.”

Talon swallowed thickly. “I want to stay a gargoyle, Princess. I kinda dig the wings, horns, and impervious strength.”

I was pleased he’d come to terms with his gargoyle side and no longer resented it.

“And the lava cum and spying through walls,” Cole knocked him in the arm with his elbow. “Damn pervert.”

Talon grabbed Cole by the neck and messed up his hair. “Don’t you know it, bitch!”

The disgruntled elemental cut short my laugh, and I hurried the list of wishes along to keep it happy. “Remove the curse over my love that binds him to the stone. Grant my love the power to change into a gargoyle at will and bear their strength, speed, flight, communication channels, and…” I rolled my eyes. “Sight through stone, please.”

My two lovers burst into harder laughter, wrestling like schoolboys.

“And no lava cum, thank you.” Sorry, not sorry.

They both groaned at that one. Bad luck. No more holes through dormitory doors or pulling out before coming. I wanted my man to enjoy the whole ride.

Stone cracked over Talon’s skin and then crumbled, dissipating in the wind as the curse lifted. He tried out his new powers, calling on his gargoyle, and his body crusted over with stone.

“Thank you, Princess.” He came over to kiss me. “Do you think you could ask for some stone superhero briefs? Gargoyle cock is embarrassing.”

I laughed so hard it hurt my stomach, and my men joined in, joking about Talon’s pants.

I conveyed the rest to the elemental, who cracked with agitation but delivered the request.

My Frog Prince swept me into his arms for a kiss that made me swoon. “I think you’re forgetting someone, Princess.”

He released me, and I glanced between Gable and Cole. “Any requests?”

“Is my brother alive?” Gable’s voice shook. “That’s all I want.” He touched my waist and claimed my lips in a thankful kiss that took my breath away.

I teased the lush lock of sable hair over his forehead. “I don’t know about that, but I’ll ask.” I glanced up at the furious mass of swirling clouds. “Can you bring Gable’s brother back to life? Minus the zombie-factor?”

The sky grumbled with the changes set into motion.

Fingers crossed that worked.

I went over to Cole and played with his hair. “What would you like, my knight?”

“Just that we have a home together always.” I loved that he kept it simple.

I traced his temple. “You don’t want me to free your mom?” He always wanted his family back together and now was the perfect time to get it.

“Not yet.” His jaw tightened. “She’s seeking revenge and doesn’t want out until she gets it.”

Another sore spot for him when he didn’t understand why them being together as a family didn’t mean more to her than justice.

“Hmm.” I tapped my lip, coming up with the perfect idea. “For Cole, I request that his mother achieves her revenge and is released from the Guild of Guardians. And that neither he, nor I, nor any of my lovers are suspended or banished from the Guild of Shadows ever again.”

Thunder crashed and lightning flickered as my wish exacted.

Cole grabbed me in a long hug and kiss. “That was perfect, Wildfire.”

“What about you, Princess?” Gable traced my cheek, and my eyelids fluttered at the tingles he triggered. “What do you want?”

I thought about it for a moment. “Just that we’re all together. That Astra is released from the Guardians. And that we never have anything to worry about ever again.”

The heavens cracked so loud as the elemental brought wish into existence.

“It is done!” the elemental boomed over the Cairn. “Release me!”

Yeah, yeah. Hold your snaky tail. I was getting to it.

“Thank you, elemental,” I said, lifting the sigil higher. “Destroy this symbol in my palm. Erase it from my memory and any book that it contains so that no one may command you ever again.”

It rumbled with pleasure, and the light of the sigil extinguished from existence.

“Go back to your true form,” I gave my last instruction. “Return to your home. Slumber. Never wake again. Whatever held you there, let it be there again, just the way it was.”

The beast snorted as if relieved. At once, the cloudy mass of lightning and pure power turned into a sparkling, misty light that contracted into nothing. The hole through which it came sealed up, and just like that, the most dangerous entity in existence was gone.

I advanced to the edge of the Cairn, finding the djinn standing below it, fists crossed over their chests. They smiled at me and vanished into their elements, water, fire, air, earth or death.

Today, we made history by destroying the Brotherhood of Serpents. None of the students at the Academy would ever know that love and the snake princess and her harem saved the world from an incomprehensible evil. That Gable was a redeemed hero and not the villain they made him out to be. That Blaze was part djinn and possessed an unearthly power commanded by only one other—the djinn king. That Talon and his heart were free of his curse, a true Frog Prince under all that gruff, hard stone. Or that Cole remained my loyal and unwavering knight through the highs and lows, the only person to never doubt me.

Meh. I had enough infamy at the Academy and didn’t need any more. I had everything I needed. My four protective knights. My bestie back. And… maybe my parents as well. For once, I couldn’t wait to be welcomed back into my home and family.