“Max?” Darcy called and I stepped forward, still holding my bow ready as I closed in on the Nymphs who were kicking and thrashing on the ground before us.
My gaze flicked around for any sign of Gerry, but she was nowhere to be seen. My gut churned as I forced my mind away from that concern and stepped closer to the bound Nymphs.
I reached out towards them with my gifts, hunting their emotions and searching for any sign that they might not just be the mindless, evil creatures we had always assumed they were before finding out the truth about Diego.
I set my attention on the closest Nymph, sensing nothing but hatred and violent intentions from him as he set his deep red eyes on me and thrashed against his binds. The others were the same, nothing but malice and hatred oozing from them, making it simple enough for me to continue with this plan without guilt.
“Nothing,” I said, looking to the others and taking a step away from the creatures who still fought to get free. “They’re our enemies through and through.”
“Good. That makes this easier then,” Darius said, striding forward and kicking the one closest to him. “Let’s get this fight started.”
I looked up at the sound of footsteps through the trees and relief spilled through me as Gerry burst out from behind a bush, her flail in hand and her chin high as she panted heavily.
“I have checked the perimeter, my queens, all is clear for us to proceed.”
“Good. Let’s string up some Nymphs and see how loud they scream when they have Phoenix fire tickling their feet,” Tory said, that same demonic gleam in her eyes that Darius got so often, reminding me once again of how weirdly perfect they were for one another even as they continued to play this little power trip game while we worked.
Seth and Darcy quickly grew thick wooden stakes up from the dirt before Geraldine strapped the Nymphs to them and we all moved to take up our positions hiding in the trees, far enough from the creatures to be safe from the worst of their rattles once they came.
Tory, Darcy and Darius each flicked a flame to life at the foot of one of the stakes and Geraldine removed the gags of dirt from the Nymphs’ mouths so that they could scream for help as we’d planned.
Adrenaline spiked through my limbs as I held myself aloft in the tree canopy on a gust of air and I used my gifts to build a wall of utter terror at the entrance to the clearing for the Nymphs to pass through when they arrived. They might have been able to fight back against our Elemental magic easily enough, but they had no idea what they were going up against when they came face to face with the monsters which lay within us. We were the most powerful of our Orders in the entire kingdom, and we were ready to play.
C aleb and I were crouched on the branch of a huge pine, gazing over the ridge of the hill to where a black stone pyramid rose from between the trees like a cursed mountain. Endless stairs ran up the closest side of the temple and Nymphs were crowded on them in droves. But as pain-filled shrieks carried through the air from behind us, the Nymphs surged towards them as one.
We remained in the shadow of the tree canopy, not moving a single muscle as the Nymphs charged beneath us through the undergrowth and my grip tightened on the hilt of the Phoenix sword at my hip. Those assholes were heading right towards the girl I loved. But as I thought of Blue, I remembered the monstrous flames of destruction she was capable of casting with her Phoenix fire. That girl could bring about an apocalypse on this world, and I knew in my heart that she could defend herself. She was a force of nature, a fucking hurricane. And between her, Tory, Darius and the others, I knew they could handle this. The Nymphs were running towards some of the most powerful Fae to ever walk this earth, and it was just a shame I wasn’t going to be there to join the fight.
I shared a look with Caleb as the last of the Nymphs scurried beneath us, their heavy footfalls fading into the distance and they left the temple without a single guard on its steps. A competitive smile curled my lips and a challenge flared in his eyes as he nodded in answer to the question in my mind.
We leapt out of the tree we’d been using as a hiding place and shot forward at the same moment, sprinting toward the temple with the full force of our gifts, my feet barely touching the ground with how fast I was moving. The air whipped against my face and the tension of an oncoming war hung everywhere around me.
We made it to the black steps of the temple, my shoulder slamming into Caleb’s as we turned onto them and raced up the stairs at a furious speed. We were both fighting to prove our speed, our rivalry flaring between us as we ran so fast it made my skull rattle and my heart rush to keep up.