Chapter 33
Thirty - Three
Atlas
Three more explosions rip through Tronovia. Smoke wafts up from as far north as Calmara down to the main city streets. There aren't any enemy ships in the harbor, meaning they either rode in through the forest, or they sailed in under the guise of someone else.
I bolt outside and stare in the direction of Draakstan. Thankfully, there's no sign of disturbance there.
I could run and get to Vidarr. We could launch an aerial assault and –
Thrane's hand clamps down on my shoulder. "We cannot use our dragons," he says sternly, as if he read my mind. "The enemy is mixed in with civilians. If we fly our dragons over the city – "
"We kill Tronvians," I finish what he's about to say. "Shit. Then we have no choice but to get down there and find them."
The church groans with each tremor. There's a good chance this structure doesn't hold if more blasts go off.
Shaye runs out, her hair already twisted into a braid, ready to fight. "The Hydrans. They're gone."
"What?" My eyes widen in confusion. "Why does it matter if they're gone?"
Shaye ignores my question, instead tossing a thumb over her shoulder for Thrane to acknowledge the Hydrans' absence.
"I think you're right about the Hydrans.
Something isn't right. There are no enemy ships in the harbor or even further out to sea.
There's no indication they came from the forests to the north because we have a patrol out there.
We would have gotten a warning. Vesper had help getting into Tronovia. "
My mind is spinning. "Someone betrayed us?"
"Not someone," Thrane shakes his head, his brow furrowed. "Astrea Talay."
"My mother is a lot of things," Eris chimes in, her disguise still intact. "But to bring Soul Eaters to an ally's shores? That's a stretch, don't you think?"
"It seems I know your mother better than you do," Thrane's voice cuts deep and even I flinch. "We Basiliuses will head for the harbor. If the Hydrans did bring the Soul Eaters here, we will need to cut off their escape."
"I'm going with you," Shaye steps forward, rage filling her grey eyes.
"Shaye – "
My protests fall on deaf ears. She shoots me a glare that chokes the words about to spill out next.
"I will fight with my kin," she says sternly. I know she wants to have their backs, so I don't argue.
Fear of something horrible happening to her ricochets through my body. I thought we had more time before having to part ways to fight in a battle. We can't be attached at the hip. I'd be more distracted with her fighting beside me than holding her own somewhere else.
"Where Shaye goes, I go." Nyx steps beside her, arms crossed.
"I will go north," I roll my shoulders back. "I can ensure the safety of the people dwelling there and cut off any attempts for them to escape through the forest."
"I'm with Atlas," Finn says without hesitation.
"Count us in as well." My mother and Ronan step forward.
"No," I point at my mother. "Stay with – "
"Your father and Eris will stay with Viella and the royal family in case the enemy makes a move for them," my mother cuts me off. "If the demons want a fight" – flames lick up my mother's arms – "then we will fight."
She was denied the opportunity to fight in the Great War. If I stand in her way now, she might be inclined to pull rank on me and I'm in no mood. And quite frankly, we don't have time. So reluctantly, I nod. "Fine." My eyes find Shaye. "Be safe."
She bobs her head, a small smile playing at her lips. "I will see you tonight, my love."
With that, she, Nyx, and the Basilius family take off down the hill. Shaye kicked her heels off ages ago, and sprints down toward the city with ease.
I shove all trepidation of not being with her to the back of my mind. Tronovians need us. With my brother, cousin, and mother with me, we take the path through the Old Kingdom to reach the northern part of the city.
Ronan hasn't said a word. Not that his words would do a better job of expressing his fury than the rage burning within him. Ronan is going to fight with everything he has. At least he has the comfort of knowing my father and Eris are guarding his new bride for when he returns.
We make it to the northern side and people are screaming, running in different directions, and sections of the city are collapsed from explosions.
We sprint through the city streets, aiding citizens trapped under rumble and debris.
My stomach clenches when I see blood in the streets and bodies of the dead scattered.
I'm so focused on searching for people with red-rimmed eyes I nearly miss the giant wolf-crocodile hybrids. Finn smacks his hand to my chest. "There's six of them."
"Six?" I stare down the street and sure enough, terrorizing my people, shattering glass windows, and destroying everything in their path are crolves. "Fuck." Shadow swords appear in my hands. "Protect the people on this side. Ronan – "
My cousin doesn't wait for instructions.
He sprints ahead, shifting into his transcendent state.
I haven't seen Torch in years, but Ronan is a beast unleashed.
He screams and wraps his arms around one of the creatures.
It howls in scorching pain. Ronan doesn't release him.
He's so blinded by his rage he fails to see one charging him from behind.
I'm just out of reach. I scream for Ronan to turn around, but the crolf suddenly twists in horrific shapes.
It's arms and legs are broken in several different unnatural angles. It bellows, levitating off the ground.
I twist and look back at Finn. His eyes are bright orange. He's using his affinity. "I've got this one. Push forward!"
Ronan drops the dead creature, sizzling and charred.
He takes off down the street, his brutal tactic working.
I take off after him, slicing the crolves that start chasing my cousin.
He's perfect bait. The second the creatures realize I'm behind them, it's too late.
I cut them down easily, their blood splattering across my face.
Six down. But as we turn the corner, we see more at the end of the street wreaking havoc. Where are they all coming from?
Four more turn their attention to me and Ronan. He's getting tired, I can see his shoulders droop.
"You've spent too long in your Torch state," I tell him, garnering a wicked glare. "You're no good to anyone dead or burnt out, Rone. Fall back."
"No!" His flames grow hotter, licking up higher.
"Rone," I growl. "Don't be fucking stubborn. I don't need you passing out."
"I said – "
I slice my sword up, blocking his path. "I will not watch my future king put himself in danger. Fall back. Regroup."
My mother joins us. "Listen to him, Ronan. Finn will watch over you. Atlas and I have this covered."
Ronan's eyes are burning in anger, but there's a weariness there, too. Finally, his flames douse and he falls to his knees in a smoke of exhaustion. Finn is on us, his eyes back to normal.
"Go!" He yells. "I'll watch over him."
My mother and I sprint forward. "I've got the two on the left," I say and she nods with a wicked smile.
Flames flicker up to her elbows. She throws her hands out in two different directions as the creatures attempt to escape us.
Blasts of fire find her intended targets and holds them in place, igniting their scales and patches of fur.
I avoid their attack, using my speed to my advantage. I dip and dodge their claws and spiked tails, slicing their reptilian bodies before decapitating them. That's when I see her. Vesper.
She's leading a small team of Soul Eaters through the city with a few crolves following her orders. As if she can sense me, she twists around and meets my stare. She smiles and it sends an unwelcome shiver down my spine.
"Is that her?" My mother's question startles me. There's a viciousness in her tone I've never heard before. "Is that the one who carved up your chest?"
I swallow hard, pushing those torturous memories to the dark recesses of my mind. "It's her."
"She dies today."
Suddenly, my mother screams and throws an arm up to the sky where dark clouds swirl in fury.
She slices her hand down toward the street and a flaming ball streaks from the sky, headed directly for Vesper and her crew.
It all happens within seconds. Vesper was there, and then she wasn't. The ball strikes the ground so hard, the blast spears debris toward us.
We duck, covering our faces from the blow.
When the dust settles, there's a gaping hole where the group stood. The crolves are dead and there are a few bodies of Soul Eaters strewn about. Unfortunately, they won't remain bodyless for long. But Vesper is nowhere to be seen. She somehow managed to slip through our grasp.
A knife swings for me. I move just in time to avoid being stabbed.
Vesper grits her teeth, swinging her twin daggers with fury. Her face is stained with blood and black soot, but she shows no sign of slowing her attack. And my mother can't use her power again without risking hitting me by mistake.
I parry with her, moving with a swiftness I've spent years practicing for this very moment.
She hisses and screams but continues her wild assault.
My shadow blades slice against her thigh and her upper arm, but the injuries don't stop her.
They only infuriate her. She lunges for me but suddenly her knives clatter against the cobblestone streets and she grabs her head, screaming.
My eyes dart back up the path and Finn is walking toward us, his orange eyes raging, his hand outstretched to her.
"Don't kill her!" I command. "We need her alive. If you kill her, she'll find a new host."
At first, Finn doesn't let up. Vesper writhes on the ground, kicking and wailing, tearing her hair. My shadow swords disappear and I press my hands to Finn's face.
"Finn, you have to stop. We need her alive."
My mother comes up behind him and slips her hand over his shoulder and it seems to jar him.
"Finnigan. Release her. Your brother wants her alive.
" She shoots me a look to say, she wishes she could have killed her, but that wouldn't have solved anything.
I appreciate the motherly sentiment, but Vesper will only be destroyed when we bind her soul to a holy blade.
And I plan to keep her chained until I have the opportunity to be rid of her.
Finn blinks the orange away and he's back to himself. He releases Vesper but she doesn't move or make a sound. Shit.
"Did I kill her?" Finn's question comes out quiet. We stare at her body.
Ronan catches up to us, slightly pale, but not so tired looking. "People are safe and there aren't any more crolves from what I can see." He spies Vesper's body. "Dead?"
"I'm not sure," I step toward her, but Finn pushes past me.
He kneels and presses his hand to her neck to get a read on a pulse. But the second his hand touches her, her eyes flash open and she rams one of her daggers into his chest.
"Finn!" My mother screams.
Vesper kicks Finn off her and takes off down the street with her daggers, laughing.
I catch Finn as he falls backward, blood oozing from his chest. "Shit! We need to get him to Shaye. She can heal him."
"We don't know where she is," Ronan tears up, swallowing hard. "The Harbor District is enormous."
Finn's breathing is labored, his chest rising and falling slowly. I apply pressure to his wound and he groans. A tear slips down his face, disappearing into his hairline.
"Get me to the hospital," he rasps, eyes frightened. I don't recall my brother ever looking at me with such quiet alarm before. But it's how he says, "I don't have much time," that chills me to my core.
Ronan pushes me out of the way, pressing Finn's hand to his own chest wound as he scoops him into his arms. "The hospital is about a mile away. I'm the fastest runner. I'll get him there. You find Shaye and get her to the hospital."
My mother has tears streaming down her cheeks, inconsolable. I press my hands to her face. "Go with them. Be strong. We're going to save him."
She nods, though I sense her despair. She's the strongest woman I've ever known, and her entire body is alit with horror. I see it in her eyes. She's being forced to watch one of her sons die.
"Go!" I scream at Ronan.
Ronan and my mother take off down the street.
He's right. Out of the four of us growing up, Ronan was always the fastest. The adrenaline pumping through him will help him push through his exhaustion to get Finn to the doctor in time.
But I need to find Shaye. I know without a doubt, she can save him.
I sprint toward the harbor. It'll take me at least ten minutes to get there and Finn needs me to hurry.
I won't let my brother die.