Blackbird Crowned (The Witch King's Crown #3) - Keri Arthur Page 0,34

your loss, it would be but a minor blip in their plans.”

So I’d been right all along—the bastards did want me as a goddamn brood mare. I smiled, and I really hoped it looked as fierce as it felt. “Oh, I plan to be much more than a minor blip, trust me on that.”

The earpiece finally crackled.

“Mia’s safe” came Jun’s voice rather than Mo’s “but a second winged demon has appeared, and Mo’s in the process of taking care of it. She said she probably won’t get back in time to join in on the fun, so feel free to unleash any time you want.”

Relief stirred even as tension ramped up. While Luc had Hecate and I had my lightning, it was still six against two, and at least three of them had guns at the ready. When I moved, I’d have to be fast.

“Really?” Winter was saying. “Because last we heard, your grandmother can’t control large bodies of water, and therefore would not be able to save your life. And we all know you’ve never had the capability to control … well, anything really.”

It was interesting they knew about Mo’s inability to control large bits of water, given I’d only discovered it today. Had Max told them? Or had someone been researching just what her capabilities were as a mage? Maybe the answer was even more simple than that—there were demon equivalents of mages, after all, so it was possible the knowledge came from one or more of them having crossed swords with her in the past.

“Perhaps that’s true on the mainland, but we’re not there, are we?” I replied. “We’re standing on King Island, the place my ancestors have protected for countless centuries.”

He waved a hand in a dismissive manner. “It is but a worthless piece of rock now that the sword has been claimed.”

“You think it was just the sword we were protecting?” I smiled benignly. “My, my, what lies has Max been telling you?”

His gaze narrowed and, from behind me, came a snick of sound—the safeties being unlocked on three guns. My nails were now so deeply pressed into my palms that I was drawing blood. “I suggest you all leave now, while you still can.”

He laughed again. “You’re alone and without your knives. Both the numbers and the outcome are in our favor.”

“Who said I’m alone?”

With that, I dropped flat and unleashed the pent-up inner power at the three people behind me. Multiple forks of fierce white light burned from my fingertips and shot across the darkness, hitting all three weapons at the same time and turning them into nothing more than liquid metal. In the process, it cindered the hands of those who held them. Their screams of agony and disbelief filled the night air.

A different type of scream rose from behind me, but it was one I recognized—it was Hecate’s battle cry. Luc had joined the fray. A man bellowed, the sound followed by the sharp retort of a gun.

My heart leapt into my mouth. I twisted around, but all I could see was Winter coming straight at me.

I slapped a hand onto the ground and called on the earth to entrap him. She responded fiercely, her power burning into my fingers then on through my body before erupting from my feet. She swept up the dirt and stone, forming it into a liquid wave that rolled toward Winter with ever increasing speed and ferocity. A brief flash of horror crossed his face then he turned and fled. This Winter was not as brave as the first.

“Gurra!” he shouted. “Stop her!”

The winged demon screeched in response and dove at me, his talons gleaming like fresh blood in the shadows of the night. I flicked lightning upward, and he banked sharply, his wings a blur as he fought to outfly the bolt.

More footsteps on earth, their weight clean rather than foul. I twisted around. The two men were coming at me, pain and madness etched into their faces.

I recalled the lightning and lashed it toward them, punching a hole the size of my fist through the chest of one before wrapping the lash around the neck of the second. His eyes went wide in a brief moment of lucid horror, then the energy severed his neck, killing thought as it separated body from brain. His head hit the ground and rolled back down the path. The dog-faced woman took one look, then ran. She got five steps before a bullet tore through her head