Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Onyx moves first, rolling to her side and groaning. I don’t waste time aiding her. She’s going to have to figure things out quickly because Rune needs to die.
I search for the demigod and former god across the crevice, smoky from the melted demon bodies. Every once in a while, one crawls to the top, and Finley blasts it. Through the haze, I blearily make out Rune and Maddox locked together, but no details. I’m relieved Maddox is still alive and battling, but I’m well aware that the Blood Stone gives Rune an edge.
Softly blowing out my mouth, I send a gust of air to clear the smoke and I give an involuntary cry of fear for what I see.
The battle-ax is lodged deep in Maddox’s back, his face contorted in pain. Rune’s hands are clamped on his shoulders, and the red beam of light that was shooting from the Blood Stone into me is now boring into Maddox’s chest. There’s no mist of white going in the opposite direction.
No give-and-take the way Rune did to me.
I survey Maddox’s condition, and while a battle-ax in the back won’t kill him, whatever Rune is doing with the Blood Stone is draining his life. His skin is pale as snow, cheeks caving inward before my very eyes. His legs buckle, but the energy from the Blood Stone keeps Maddox upright as Rune destroys him from the inside out.
“No,” I whimper in anguish as I watch Maddox’s long blond hair turn gray, his eyes fading to a dull, muddy green as they sink into his head. His body gets thinner… wasting away until his clothes hang off him.
Despair holds me for only a second before white-hot rage explodes inside me. I lift my face to Finley up on the ledge. She’s curbed most of the demons coming out, but some still escape. My attention flicks over to the protective dome I put around Amell, and I’m not even shocked to see he’s torn Ariman to pieces. He’s drenched in the priest’s blood and looking satisfied. Carrick continues to slice through the remaining demons oozing from the crevice.
I lift my hand high in the air and summon the bolt from Finley.
CHAPTER 21
Zora
Finley cries out in surprise as Cato’s bolt flies from her hand, rockets through the cavern, and lands in my grip. I whirl a quarter of a turn, aim it at Rune, and give him a blast.
And not just any blast. I’m not only throwing the power of the weapon at him but loading it with all my godly fury.
No, not just my godly fury. Every bit of the humanity left within me—all my feelings for Maddox—and the strength of courage I had when I sacrificed my life for the world. I hurl my sheer will, demanding that the universe back me in my quest to destroy this monster, because I’m the only one who can do it.
My aim is true as the full force of my rage hits Rune so hard the connection between him and Maddox is shredded. The god goes flying, corkscrew twisting in the air until he slams against a stone wall so hard rocks crumble and fall.
Maddox slumps to the ground, unmoving.
There’s no part of me that believes it will ever be that easy and I bend distance to Rune, pulling his position to me so violently, the crevice that expelled the demons slams shut with a low rumble.
Rune pushes up, rising to face me as I step from my previous point to come toe to toe with him.
“You’ve got some teeth, little god,” he growls. “I’m going to enjoy knocking them out.”
The gemstone in his chest glows, and tiny invisible fingers probe at me.
But my powers are fully in control, not dampened by some hell snake and he’s unable to latch on to them.
Rune draws his arm across his chest and launches a backhand at me. I’ve never felt stronger as I brace for the impact, and when it comes, my teeth stay in place and my head barely rocks.
And it’s a beauty to behold the confusion on Rune’s face.
“Impossible,” he hisses. “I took your powers.”
I have no clue why he thinks that. I felt them snap back into me when Finley severed the connection, but perhaps he didn’t. Or maybe he’s so pumped on the power of the Blood Stone he’s mistaking its strength. The year he spent as a mortal may have caused him to forget what it felt like to be a god.
“You took nothing from me,” I say, slapping my palm on the jewel. I dig my fingers into the flesh knitted around the edges. Rune screams as I yank the Blood Stone from his chest, leaving a gaping wound over his exposed sternum. He drops to his knees, moaning in pain with his hand pressed to stop the blood flowing from his chest. I squeeze the stone, the pulsing crimson glow showing between my fingers. It’s an immensely powerful object, and yet I easily crush it as if it’s finely spun glass. My hand compresses so tightly, I grind the gem to dust and toss it away unceremoniously.